Dion Foster

Personal Statement
I am a Methodist / Wesleyan Systematic Theologian and Ethicist with a particular interest in decolonizing Methodist and Wesleyan Theological Theology and Ethics. I hold two PhD’s, a PhD in Systematic Theology (SA, 2006) and a PhD in New Testament (Radboud, 2017). My current research is focussed on African Public Theology, Political Theology and theological ethics.

Role at Wesley House
I primarily focus on supervising doctoral students within the disciplines of Systematic Theology, Theological Ethics, and New Testament studies. In particular, I am interested in working with students who have an interest in post-colonial and decolonial theological interests, students who wish to focus on African theological and ethical topics, or topics in the field of public theology.

Web presence
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7292-6203
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dion-Forster
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HZNLXzIAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Research interests
I have written numerous books, academic articles, and other scholarly publications. My most recent books are

African Public Theology (Langham, 2020), The (im)possibility of forgiveness? (Wipf & Stock, 2019)

Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and Violence in Africa (SUN Media, 2020)

Freedom of Religion at Stake (Wipf & Stock, 2020), and Teologia Pública no Brasil e na África do Sul (Sinodal, 2020)

Supervisory Experience
In the last decades I have supervised more than a dozen Post-Doctoral and Doctoral students, and twenty five Masters students in the fields of Systematic Theology, Theological Ethics, Public Theology, and New Testament Studies.

Selected Academic Articles (2022-21)

  • Forster, D.A. (2022) ‘Living More Decently in an Indecent World? The Virtues and Vices of a Public Theologian.’ Stellenbosch University, Professorial Inaugural Lecture, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.15535.82089.
  • Forster, D.A. (2022) ‘African Public Theology? A Conceptual Engagement to Keep the Conversation Alive.’ In Die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi 56, no. 1 (July 22, 2022): 1-9. https://doi.org/10.4102/ids.v56i1.2849.
  • Forster, D.A, (2022). Bowers Du Toit, Nadine, Elisabet le Roux, and Shantelle Weber. ‘Born Free? South African Young Adults, Inequality, and Reconciliation in Stellenbosch’: International Bulletin of Mission Research African Princeton: 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/23969393211010747.
  • Forster. D.A. Anthony, Ishaya, (2021). ‘I Must Honestly Confess That I Am Afraid of You’: Prophetic Preaching as Public Theological Engagement in a Context of Socio-Political Fear. International Journal of Public Theology 15, no. 3 (October 27, 2021): 369–384. https://doi.org/10.1163/15697320-01530005.
  • Forster, D.A. (2021). A Critical Consideration of the Relationship Between African Christianities and American Evangelicalism: A Cautionary Tale of Theo-Political Exceptionalism? The South African Baptist Theological Journal 30, no. Theology in Context (October 15, 2021): 199–145.
  • Forster, D.A. (2021). Post-Foundational Theology and the Contribution of African Approaches to Consciousness and Identity. Verbum et Ecclesia 42, no. 2 (Wentzel van Huyssteen special edition) (September 22, 2021): 1–10. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/ve.v42i2.2363.
  • Forster, D.A. (2021). ‘Towards a Future with Greater Freedoms for All: Historical Theological Engagement with Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel’s Contribution to Religion and Law’. Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae 47, no. 2: 1–19. https://doi.org/10.25159/2412-4265/8166.

Other recent publications (2022-2021)

Education

  • PhD, 2017, Radboud University, Netherlands; New Testament, Ethics, Empirical Inter-Cultural Theology, Public Theology.
  • DTh, 2006, University of South Africa, South Africa; Systematic Theology, African Theology and Science, Cognitive Neuroscience.
  • MTh (with distinction), 2001, Rhodes University, South Africa; Systematic Theology.
  • BTh Hons (with distinction), 1998, Rhodes University, South Africa; Systematic Theology.
  • SMDP (with distinction), 2009, University of Stellenbosch, Business School, South Africa; Economic and Management Sciences.

Selected Books

  • Forster, D.A., Agang, S, & Hendriks, JHJ, eds. (2020). African Public Theology. Surrey, UK: Langham Publishers.
  • Forster, D.A., Von Sinner, Rudolf, and Claudete Beisa Ulrich, eds. (2020). Teologia Pública No Brasil e Na África Do Sul – Um Diálogo Teológico-Político. Sao Leopoldo, Brazil: Editora Sinodal, 2020.
  • Forster, D.A. & Nel, MJN, Thesnaar, CHT. (2020). Religion, violence and reconciliation in Africa. Stellenbosch: Sun Media.
  • Forster, D.A. (2019). The (im)possibility of forgiveness? An empirical intercultural Bible reading of Matthew 18.15-35. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.
  • Forster, D.A. & Gunner, G, Gerle, E. (2019). Freedom or Religion at Stake: Competing claims among Faith Traditions, Sates and Persons. Eugene, OR.: Wipf & Stock.
  • Bentley, W. & Forster, D.A. (2012). Between Capital and Cathedral: Essays on Church-State relationships. Pretoria: Research Institute for Theology and Religion UNISA.
  • Forster, D.A. & Bentley, W. (2010). What are we thinking? Reflections on Church and Society from Southern African Methodists. Cape Town: Methodist Publishing House.
  • Forster, D.A. & Bentley, W. (2008). Methodism in Southern Africa: A celebration of Wesleyan Mission. 1st ed. Kempton Park: AcadSA Publishers.
  • Forster, D.A. 2001. An introduction to Wesleyan Spirituality (Wesley Society of South Africa Series). Cape Town: Methodist Publishing House.

Selected Chapters in Books (2022-2021)

  • Forster, D. A. (2022). “Engaging ‘Die Gif in Vergifnis’ [the Poison in Forgiveness]? Considering Peter Storey’s Four Ecclesiological Tasks for the Coming Generations.” In Faith, Race and Inequality among Young Adults in South Africa, edited by Nadine F Bowers Du Toit, 41–61. Beyers Naudé Centre Series on Public Theology. Stellenbosch: African Sun Media, 2022.
  • Forster, D. A. (2022). Social Identity Complexity and a Politics of Forgiveness among Black and White South Africans. In Moral Pedagogies for Africa: From Ethnic Enmity to Responsible Cohabitation, edited by Theodros A. Teklu, 135–58. Studies in World Christianity and Interreligious Relations. New York, NY.: Routledge, 2022. DOI: DOI: 10.4324/9781003178101-10.
  • Forster, D. A. (2021). Engaging ’Kyrkan och kampen för ett bättre samhälle’: Dissenting Protestantism and the Merit Trap. In Vänskap/Friendship: Festschrift för Arne Rasmusson, edited by O. Sigurdson & J. 293–317. Svenungsson. Malmö: Spricka förlag.
  • Forster, D. A. (2021). Religious Diversity and Social Cohesion: The Importance of Mediated Inter-Group Contact in the Workplace in South Africa, in 12 Lenses Into Diversity in South Africa, edited by Kurt A. April and Preeya Daya, 177-194. Randburg, South Africa: KR Publishing, 2021.