ONE NEW HUMANITY IN CHRIST: GLORY,
VIOLENCE AND THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
CONFERENCE AND RESEARCH PROJECT

The Institute for the Study of African Realities (ISAR) was founded at Africa University (AIU) to catalyse dialogue that would identify, engage with, research, and implement solutions to the most pressing African realities. Thus, in line with this calling, in February 2025, ISAR undertook a 3-year Research Project titled One New Humanity in Christ: Glory, Violence, and the Gospel of Peace in Africa, in which all schools of AIU and its partners would interrogate the phenomenon of violence that has bedeviled Africa, despite the breadth and depth of the presence of Christianity, through the avenues of the Biennial Research Conferences, dialogue Spaces, Research, and Publications.

It is indisputable that Africa South of the Sahara has become a heartland of modern Christianity and is rightly regarded by scholars as potentially representative of 21st-century Christianity. However, it is ironic that the countries with the highest percentages of Christians in their populations are also among the most turbulent. Examples abound of countries with intermittent violent conflicts, with the majority of their populations adhering to Christianity, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (90%), Ethiopia (61%), Kenya (82%), Rwanda (89%), South Sudan (62%), South Africa (75%), and Uganda (85%). The purpose of the Project is to catalyse in-depth, inter and cross-disciplinary research and dialogue to craft Gospel-shaped possible solutions.

Building on existing scholarship, we envisioned that the Project would create a community of Christian scholars and leaders who would gather for a learning journey to grapple with the implications of Gospel witness for addressing the realities of violent conflicts in Africa. It was agreed that the first gathering would be the AIU International Biennial Conference, scheduled for October 2025.

The key components of the conference and research agenda include:

a) The reality of violence in Africa, in the context of Christianity in Africa – researching the complexity of the interplay, including consideration of state-sponsored violence, ethnic violence, religious violence, and other forms of violence;
b) The implications for Gospel witness in the context of violence would inquire into the essence of God’s good news. Dr. D. Zac Niringiye recommended adapting the title of a book project he was involved in, One New Humanity: Glory, Violence, and the Gospel of Peace, by Kristin Caynor and Werner Mischke (published by William Carey Publishing, Littleton, Colorado, April 2025), for the Project title.
c) In examining glory, violence, and the gospel of peace in Africa, the project’s intent was to grapple with the question “What does it mean to be human, according to the Gospel?” The project envisaged a multidisciplinary, cross-disciplinary, and interdisciplinary approach and conversation that honours African contexts. These include Theological and Religious Studies; Conflict Studies and Peacebuilding; Social and Political Studies; Cultural Studies and Anthropology; Human Rights Advocacy in Post-Conflict Africa; Development Studies; and Psychology and Mental Health.
d) It was proposed that conferencing and research would subsequently lead to publishing in journals, books, and monographs that are accessible to scholars, pastors, and leaders, as well as to local and national governments.
e) The AIU Biennial Conference, held from 29th to 31st October 2025, launched the Project, and the book One New Humanity: Glory, Violence, and the Gospel of Peace was released into the African market.

2025 Biennial International Research Conference

The 2025 Biennial International Research Conference, hosted by the Institute for the Study of African Realities (ISAR) at Africa International University, successfully convened from October 29th to 31st. The event marked the launch of a transformative three-year research project, ‘One New Humanity in Christ: Glory, Violence, and the Gospel of Peace in Africa.’ This initiative seeks to address the persistent paradox of conflict and social injustice within the context of Africa’s vibrant Christianity through a multi-disciplinary lens.

In his keynote, ‘Reinventing Africa’s Modernity,’ Professor Emmanuel Katongole used the
1994 Rwanda genocide as a “mirror” to expose the limits of current Christian impact in Africa. He challenged the Church with a piercing question: ‘Is the blood of tribalism deeper than the waters of baptism?’ In his thesis he argued that to address endemic violence and poverty, Christianity must move beyond the “religion vs. politics” divide. Instead, it must embrace the Gospel as a radical, peace-centered social order that counters the logic of power with an ‘excess of love.’ This vision was echoed by scholars and global practitioners, including representatives from the UNDP, who noted the alignment between this Gospelshaped agenda and the United Nations’ New Agenda for Peace. Across 17 panels and 15 breakout sessions, 40 presenters explored themes ranging from colonial legacies and genderbased violence to the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in youth peacebuilding.

As the conference concluded, a clear roadmap was established for the 2027 Biennial International Research Conference. Under the leadership of ISAR, the project will now transition into a dedicated publishing and research phase. This includes the publication of selected papers in international journals and the conceptualization of new research into various themes identified in the conference, some of which include church leadership, resource scarcity and violence, and eco-theology. By fostering actionable partnerships, ISAR continues to create a vital platform for scholars and practitioners to work toward a more just and peaceful Africa.