Former director of EGST (2008-2015), Dr. Desta Heliso, returned back to office from his sabbatical on August 17, 2017. EGST staff and faculty welcomed him and his wife, Johanna, on the weekly staff lunch, on August 29, 2017. Extending his greetings to the staff and faculty, Dr. Desta said he and his family are happy to be back to Ethiopia, and to EGST. He said he is excited to teach and work at EGST once again.
Dr. Desta, after his term as director, stayed at office for six months before he left with his family for the UK to do his Sabbatical Research. On his Sabbatical report, he remarks that he fulfilled the purpose he set at the beginning of his Sabbatical; ‘resting from administration, refreshing his intellectual life, reconnecting with his family, reflecting on what God has done over the past nine and half years and coming back to EGST with renewed energy and vision.
During the year of his sabbatical, Dr. Desta has been working on different research projects, participated in and presented papers at various workshops, conferences and consultations in different countries. His main research project has been Paul’s Christology in Romans and Comparative Traditions, with special reference to Ethiopian Christian tradition. He believes the research will contribute to a bridge-building process between Ethiopian and western Christian traditions. He is working towards an academic monograph of a 100,000 words for which he submitted a publishing proposal to the Library of New Testament Studies (LNTS).
Other small projects he has been working on include writing chapters for two books, giving papers on a theological consultation at Nairobi called ‘Christian Theological Education for the Africa God Wants and a workshop at Accra on Religious Freedom and Society in Africa. In addition, he attended the SBL 2016 in San Antonio and gave academic papers at VU University in Amsterdam, Edinburgh University and London School of Theology.
Dr. Desta acknowledges that “this was all possible because of EGST’s support” for which he says he is eternally grateful.
On his return, Dr. Desta will continue to teach New Testament as well as engage in different academic activities at EGST.
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