Aqueduct Project

  • "Dr. Jonathan Armstrong's courses on the Interpretation of the Bible in the early church and the mission and expansion of the church in 30-180 AD have been excellent both in terms of their content and presentation. They contributed significantly to the quality of our programme and have enhanced the students' understanding of the importance of the early church's history and its relevance for understanding the Bible." — Tchavdar Hadjiev, D.Phil, IFES Associate Regional Secretary for Europe; Academic Dean of the United Theological Faculty of the Bulgarian Evangelical Theological Institute
  • "Jonathan's seminars are informative, well-packaged, and fascinating biblical presentations that are both academically excellent and spiritually enriching." — Joel Beeke, Ph.D., President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids
  • "Jonathan's presence with us at Wycliffe Hall and within the wider University of Oxford was a great blessing. Our students very much valued his enthusiastic teaching of Greek language and his insights into biblical thought. His lectures combine a commitment to Scripture with a deep knowledge of the early church period—which always gives his teaching an added quality of historical depth." — Rev. Dr. Peter Walker, Associate Vice-Principal of Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford
  • "Studying Paul's Epistle to the Romans gives us the best understanding of the gospel message that Paul preached... Jonathan J. Armstrong's seminar at ETS in the fall of 2008 helped our students to realize the importance of this book for their lives and ministry." — Alexei Gorbachev, Ph.D., Academic Dean of Eurasian Theological Seminary, Moscow
  • "Jonathan's teaching on A History of Christianity: The First Five Centuries was very helpful for our pastoral staff; it was eye-opening and well worth our time. I warmly recommend him to you." — Dr. James Samra, Senior Pastor, Calvary Church, Grand Rapids

The African Fathers of the Church

In 1885, the brilliant German classicist Theodor Mommsen wrote: "In the development of Christianity, Africa plays the first part; if it arose in Syria, it was in and through Africa that it became the religion of the world."

In this seminar, we will explore the African roots of Christianity. Special attention will be paid to the role Origin of Alexandria played in the development of patristic exegesis and trinitarian theology, Augustine of Hippo's unparalleled contribution to the formation of western theology, and the tragic undoing of Christianity in North Africa during the era of the Islamic conquests. The course will also cover the enduring influence of ancient African Christianity in modern-day Africa and beyond.

Jonathan J. Armstrong and B. Moses Owojaiye will be the seminar lecturers.

Course Textbooks:

Kwame, Bediako. Christianity in Africa: The Renewal of a Non-Western Religion. Edinburgh: University Press, 1995.

Oden, Thomas C. How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbeed of Western Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007.

To register for this course, please contact Rev. Tunde Aremuthe, the Deputy Provost (Academics) of ECWA Theological Seminary in Igbaja, Nigeria, at +254 8066870837. To visit the seminary homepage, please click here.