Educational Partnership with Nigeria

A Thriving Partnership

Bethany Theological Seminary has a thriving partnership with Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria). Nigerian students join Bethany classes via Zoom from a technology center in Jos, Nigeria. In May, 2024, Bethany held its first commencement ceremony in Jos, celebrating graduates who completed certificates between 2021-24. 

Bethany now has two full-time staff members in Jos, as well as a dedicated technology classroom and office space. The Seminary has built strong relationships with other institutions of higher education, churches, and government entities. Currently, students in Nigeria can complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Biblical Peacemaking.

History

In 2016, Bethany signed a memorandum with Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren in Nigeria) to begin a new online education program for students in Nigeria. It was the first time that the Seminary had forged such a partnership with an entity outside the United States. The Technology Center in Jos was constructed in 2017, with the first classes beginning in 2018. The Seminary renovated office space in 2023 to provide private offices for staff and a conference room suitable for meetings.

International scholar-in-residence

Bethany regularly welcomes Nigerian scholars to campus for a semester at a time. Scholars-in-residence typically teach a course, engage in independent research, and travel with Bethany faculty and staff to visit Brethren colleges and churches. Dr. Dauda Gava was our scholar-in-residence in the Fall of 2022. He completed a commentary on the book of Titus while on campus, which was subsequently published.

Summer 2024 — First Commencement in Nigeria

Bethany held its first commencement ceremony in Nigeria on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Graduates from the classes of 2021-24 were honored. Read more about the ceremony here. The Seminary intends to celebrate Nigerian graduates by holding Commencement ceremonies every other year in Jos.