Gambia - Rev. Dr. Glen Taylor
Global Mission Projects: The Rev. Dr. Glen Taylor
Gambia, West Africa.
Supporting Students Training for Christian Ministry in The Gambia, West Africa
This project is exciting for taking place in a predominantly Muslim country and for its focus on training locals for Christian ministry. Here’s the story in a nutshell.
The Gambia, a tourist destination for many Europeans, is a tiny country on the west coast of Africa. Unlike many countries, the Gambia enjoys good relations between its Muslim and Christian citizens, the former of whom comprise 90% of the population, and the latter of whom 5%.
Since its inception in 1998, The University of the Gambia has had a programme in Islamic Studies. Then, in 2010, the prayers of local Christians for a similar programme to exist in Christian Studies were answered shortly after the university appointed a minority Christian to the position of Dean of Humanities. The Dean, Prof. Pierre Gomez, asked The Rev. Dr Glen Taylor, a visiting Anglican professor from Wycliffe College, Toronto, in consultation with the (late) Anglican Primate Tilewu Johnson, to help draft a curriculum. The mandate was to produce a faith-friendly curriculum that would serve the educational and ecclesial needs of the Christian’s minority population in the same way that the Islamic programme did for the Muslim majority population.
It took five years for the programme to get fully off the ground, but each year since 2015, twelve or so keen local Christians have enrolled in full-time study, delving into the study of the Bible, theology and pastoralia with a view to becoming pastors (which many already are), church planters, teachers of Christianity in the public school system, or better-informed Christians in the marketplace.
The Anglican Network in Canada is connected to the project through The Rev. Glen Taylor and Christ the King Anglican Church, Toronto, which sponsors a student, and where Taylor is an Honorary Assistant. As well, in August of 2020 Bishop Charlie reached out to the Bishop of the Gambia, The Rt. Rev. James Odiko, who warmly reciprocated with gratitude for ANiC’s interest in supporting Christian education in the Gambia through the University of the Gambia.
What support is needed and how might an ANiC church offer it? Although the University carries the cost of the Christian Religious Studies programme, tuition costs far exceed what most students can afford. In response we have established a tuition scholarship fund, which covers the cost of tuition for a student, plus a stipend for school supplies and bus-fare.
We invite churches to help, whether by praying or donating or both.
Prayer is needed: that the country remains free and peaceful; for the programme’s students, numbering about 45 in total; for the faculty (expats Dr Layne Turner of the USA and Dr Manhee Yoon of Canada; Rev. Bannie Manga, Rev. Shaka Ashcroft, and Dr Ishaya Tanimu); and for the long-term viability and continued faithful witness of the programme.
Churches can support financially in either of two ways: 1) by sponsoring a student over his/her four-year term, which includes corresponding with the student as well as covering his/her costs: or 2) by donating any amount at any time (i.e., without committing to an individual student). The cost of tuition and stipend for one student is $1200 per year.
Whether that sounds like a lot or a little, it is cost effective for providing a local Christian with a entire academic year of training for ministry in his/her own country, where local languages are known, connections already exist, and knowledge of the culture is first-hand.
The Canadian charity that facilitates tax-deductible donations is Global Scholars Canada. Contacts are as follows:
1) Canada helps link https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/5565
2) Website: www.globalscholarscanada.ca; 3) Mailing address: Global Scholars Canada, P.O. Box 72052, 1630 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, ON M4C 0A1; 4) Email: office@globalscholarscanada.ca. In corresponding and donating be sure to reference “Gambia University Scholarships” (#3 on website menu of funds).
Feel free to contact the Rev. Glen Taylor if you have any questions or would like to know more: glen.taylor@utoronto.ca.