Late bishop honored with global education scholarship
The Rev. Jerome King Del Pino, top executive of the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, blesses the elements
of Holy Communion during worship at the board's Aug. 23-25 meeting. UMNS
photos by Linda Green.
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By Linda Green*
Aug. 30, 2007 | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)
A United Methodist bishop who worked for people around the world to
have access to higher education and seminary degrees has been honored
with a scholarship fund for that purpose.
Benjamin R. Oliphint
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The Benjamin R. Oliphint Scholarship Fund of The Methodist Global
Education Fund for Leadership Development was created Aug. 25 by the
United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry to memorialize
the late bishop's "outstanding contributions in fulfillment of the
education mission of The United Methodist Church."
Oliphint, who died July 7, believed that education was the vehicle to
transform people, society and the world, said board members during
their August meeting.
The late bishop helped to found and develop Africa University in
Zimbabwe to give young people in Africa access to Methodist higher
education. In retirement, he supported the university and, along with
Bishop Herbert Skeete, led the Methodist Global Education Fund for
Leadership Development to enhance education worldwide.
"Bishop Oliphint had a deep and abiding faith in God and understood
that God loves all people and firmly believed the change for education
opened doors for many young people," according to the resolution to
create the scholarship fund.
Global education
The Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development
promises to dramatically strengthen the role of 775 Methodist-affiliated
secondary schools, colleges, universities and theological schools in 69
countries as vehicles for developing dynamic leadership, said the Rev.
Jerome King Del Pino, the board's top executive.
A four-year, $4 million initiative, the Global Education Fund will
pay for technical assistance to Methodist-affiliated schools, colleges,
universities and theological schools working to design leadership
development programs to address local needs for clergy or lay leaders.
Each of five regions - Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the
United States - will raise or pool money and disburse the funds to
approved programs.
The fund provides technical assistance, on-site mentoring to assist
in program development and implementation, and scholarship support for
students. It initially launched as an unfunded mandate of the 2004
General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body.
Vivian Bull
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Vivian Bull of Madison, N.J., a consultant to the task force leading the
Global Education Fund, told directors that "as the founding and
development of Africa University was the most significant act of The
United Methodist Church in the 20th century," the same must be done for
extending education to global constituencies.
The extension of education from Africa University to other
Methodist-related institutions by distance education systems will be
"recognized in the future as the most important act of The United
Methodist Church in the early 21st century," she said.
Breaking new ground
When the university was proposed in the 1980s, it was hoped that similar institutions would be established in Africa.
"That is no longer possible in the kind of world in which we are
living, nor is it realistic," Bull said. "The new use of technology will
be the way in which education can be available for much of the
developing world, not only to institutions but through churches as
well."
The fund joins Africa University and other global education
initiatives to break new ground to prepare leaders for the church and
the world.
For instance, Africa University is providing technical assistance for
the Mozambique Distance Learning project, scheduled for dedication in
November. Housed at the episcopal office of the Mozambique Annual
Conference, the project is a joint effort of the board, Methodist
University of São Paulo, Brazil, Africa University and the conference.
The university is creating a distance education infrastructure to
provide higher education access to people in Mozambique, Angola, Congo,
Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The fund is investigating ways to partner with the World Bank project
to fund distance education. "We are looking for partners," Bull said.
"… We need to work with the world in order to get funding, … and linking
our connectional system with Methodists worldwide is our most exciting
possibility."
The Board of Higher Education and Ministry also is partnering with
United Methodist Communications to develop distance-education systems
across Africa using satellite and radio to "transform local churches
into dynamic places of worship and for education," Del Pino said.
The Rev. Ivan Burnett (right) visits with the Rev. Clarence Brown Jr.
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"Distance learning is the way to educate people," said Martin
Dwomoh-Tweneboah, a director of Africa University's distance education
project in Mozambique. "That is the technology of the day. … Through
technology, the church can train future leaders to spread the word of
God."
Dwomoh-Tweneboah hopes that one day in the 21st century, children in
Africa, China and the United States can participate in Sunday School
together through a long-distance infrastructure. "It may sound like
science fiction, but it is on the way," he said.
Scholarship money
The board approved the distribution of $2 million in additional
scholarships for 2008 and 2009. The money comes from the Methodist
Corporation Trust Fund, created by the 1976 General Conference from
proceeds of the sale of real estate tied to American University in
Washington.
In 1989, the board invested $2 million, with earnings to be used for
scholarships at American University and elsewhere. The fund's value
increased to $5.3 million during the last five years, and the board
approved additional distributions for scholarships to students enrolled
at United Methodist-related academic and theological institutions.
According to Angella Current-Felder, director of the board's office
of loans and scholarships, the additional funds increase the amount
distributed annually to American University and increases the allocation
to colleges and universities for scholarships.
In other actions, the board approved a resolution asking the 2008
General Conference to continue a Study of Ministry Commission on the
United Methodist ordering of ministry. The directors also asked that the
board, in consultation with the Board of Discipleship and the
Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, prepare a
study guide for ongoing discussions about the original commission's
final report, which was issued in early August.
*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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Resources
The Methodist Global Education Fund
The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry
Africa University |