Catholic Organisation Launches Training in Theology

Yinka Olatunbosun

Church Life Africa (CLA), a Catholic organisation, has launched its maiden certificate programme in theology for service leadership (TSL). The aim is to provide formal theological formation for lay faithfuls and prepare them for service in the church and public space.

Running for two years, the programme commenced with a week-long intensive class held from August 24 to 29 at CLA’s African hub at the Gaudium et Spes Institute in Asokoro, Abuja. 27 lay faithful from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya enrolled in the inaugural cohort.
Participants will study six courses over the duration of the programme, with the first year covering “Introduction to Theology, Introduction to Scripture and Catholic Social Teaching.”

In the second year, the programme will focus on the Mystery of God and the Mystery of the Church and Local Catholicism and the New Evangelisation, alongside a three-month hybrid internship in pastoral and public-service settings.
Kenneth Amadi, director of CLA, described TSL as the organisation’s most substantial theological programme for lay Catholics, saying many lay faithful primarily encounter formal theology through catechism classes and their continued engagement with the faith.

Amadi said the programme was designed to help participants develop a deeper knowledge of God and apply their theological formation in different areas of life.
“Our aim for the programme is two-fold. One, to serve as a terminal certificate for people who would be serving the Church in their respective communities and parishes, in different placements in the public space, who can bring to bear the fruits and gifts of their theological learning to the service of their people,” he said.
“Second, to discover those who want to pursue advanced theological education as a vocation within the Church.”
Amadi, an assistant professor at the Augustine Institute in the United States, said the institute is CLA’s major partner providing financial and content resources for the programme.
He said African lay faithful were under-represented in theological service within the global Catholic Church, despite the importance of theologians in advising bishops, bishops’ conferences and pontifical commissions.
“We hope that from amongst these students that we are training will arise people who are called to advance theological education to serve the Church at any level, be it local and international,” he stated.

Amadi said theological education also has an important role to play in society, particularly in a religiously diverse country such as Nigeria.
He said proper theological formation could help Christians understand the moral implications of their actions and apply their faith more intentionally in areas including politics, business and science.
“Leo XIV recently released the document ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ (Magnificent Humanity),” Amadi said, adding that it offered an opportunity to revisit questions around human dignity and the impact of artificial intelligence and technology.
“That is a product of the engagement between theology and science. Similarly, theology can sanctify politics.”
“With good political theology, we hope to offer our laypeople guidance on how best to engage in politics, how best to engage in business, and how best to engage in science.”