"Priests and their spouses are highly respected in Tanzania. It is imperative that Msalato, which is located in the heart of Anglicanism in Tanzania, continues to adequately train and equip these village leaders as our diocese has over 600,000 communicants."
Ambassador (Retired) Job Malecela Lusinde |
| parish ministry in a village is extremely challenging. The theology our students learn must be practical and applicable in a context of extreme poverty and ignorance. But the well-educated priest can be a lifeline to the villagers. Msalato Theological College's curriculum therefore includes an array of non-theological courses on such medical issues as the prevention of HIV-AIDS, malaria, and waterborne diseases. |
Less than 3 months before Tanzania received her independence from Great Britain on December 9, 1961, Msalato Bible School graduated its first class of church leaders and evangelists. From a one room schoolhouse begun under Australian Bishop Alfred Stanway, Msalato Theological College has become Tanzania's largest and most progressive evangelical Anglican seminary. Msalato is now a teaching center of St. John's University offering fully accredited applied theology courses at both the diploma and degree levels.
The first Dean, now retired Australian Bishop Kenneth Short, chose a simple goal from Paul's second letter to Timothy: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truthâ (2.15). Throughout Msalato's 50-year history rightly dividing the word of truth has remained the college's goal. The curriculum is constantly being updated to better equip students to explain the gospel as well as to equip them with essential leadership and administrative skills for holistic village ministy.
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