Ishmael Noko
Ishmael Noko is a southern African Lutheran priest who was the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation from 1994 to 2010.[1]
Biography
Born on 29 October 1943 in then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Noko received his primary and high school education locally. He pursued his theological studies at the University of South Africa in Pretoria, and at the University of Zululand. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971, majoring in systematic theology, church history and biblical studies.
After his ordination in 1972, he studied for a Master's degree at the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and completed in 1974 with a thesis on "Communion of Saints from the African Perspective."
From 1974 until 1977, Noko studied at McGill University in Quebec and earned his Ph.D. with a doctoral thesis on "The Concept of God in Black Theology: An Appreciation of God as Liberator and Reconciler."
During his studies in Canada, Noko worked as a parish pastor and university lecturer. In late 1977, he accepted a lectureship at the University of Botswana where, two years later, he was appointed head of the Department of Theology/Religious Studies. He also served for three years as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities.
Noko was awarded the UC Distinguished Professorship in Peace Studies from The University of Cambodia in 2018 for promoting peace and development and for striving to improve the quality of life of citizens around the world.[2]
Lutheran World Federation Service
In May 1982, Noko was called from the University of Botswana to join the LWF Department for World Service (DWS) where he worked for refugee services related to the churches, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the Organization of African Unity and other organizations.
Noko was appointed as general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation in June 1994, becoming the first African to hold the position in the LWF.
The Council of the Lutheran World Federation re-elected Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko for his second seven-year term as the LWF General Secretary, during the international meeting held in Geneva Switzerland, September 1, 2004.[3]
Reverend Noko took part in the theological discussions that led to the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.[4]
Noko welcome the appointment of Jana Jeruma-Grinberga to be a Lutheran bishop in the UK in 2009,[5] the first bishop in the UK.
References
- ^ Schjørring, Jens Holger; Kumari, Prasanna; Hjelm, Norman A.; Viggo Mortensen (August 1997). From federation to Communion: the history of the Lutheran World Federation. Fortress Press. p. 518. ISBN 978-0-8006-3110-9. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ "The Distinguished Lecture from Dr. Ishmael Noko, the awarding of the UC Professorship in Peace Studies". The University of Cambodia. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
- ^ Information provided by the Lutheran World Federation
- ^ Press statement
- ^ "wfn.org | LWI 2009-005 Lutheran Woman Bishop Jeruma-Grinberga Succeeds Jagucki in Great Britain". archive.wfn.org. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
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