WEA Theological Commission appoints Thacker as new chairman

The World Evangelical Alliance Theological Commission has appointed the head of theology for the UK Evangelical Alliance as its new chairman.

Dr Justin Thacker replaces Dr Rolf Hille who stepped down at the annual Theological Commission meeting held in Bangkok Thailand in October 2008.

Dr Hille, who is Rector of Albrecht Bengel Haus, Tuebingen, Germany was appointed to the position in 1996, and for most of the time since then he was also the executive director. When Dr David Parker was appointed Executive Director of the Theological Commission in 2007, Dr Hille concentrated on the chairman’s role for the final year of his lengthy term of service.

Warm words of appreciation were expressed at the Theological Commission meeting for Dr Hille who initially joined the Executive Committee in 1986. His contribution was also officially recognised on the final evening of the 12th General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance which was held in Thailand last month.

In the dual position of executive chairman, Dr Hille played a vital role in steering the Theological Commission through a major re-organisation and re-focusing of its vision, while at the same time carrying a heavy load in his full time ministry as head of an important German evangelical theological institution. This significant achievement was all the more noteworthy because he was deeply involved in church, theological and Evangelical Alliance work in Germany and Europe.

"His theological insights, gracious Christian spirit and foresight enabled the Theological Commission to pull through difficult times and its continuing ministry is a tribute to the sacrifice and vision of Dr Hille," said a spokesperson for the commission.

Dr Justin Thacker, who joined the Theological Commission in 2007, trained originally as a medical doctor, and specialised in paediatrics, working eventually as leader of a team assessing healthcare provision for young offenders in England and Wales. Sensing a call to the ministry, took his BA in Theology at London School of Theology, and completed a PhD from King’sCollege London.

He is the author of 'Postmodernism and the Ethics of Theological Knowledge', which, as a response to the postmodern critique of Christianity, establishes the necessary integration of theological knowledge with theological ethics.

Dr Thacker is an ordained Elder of the United Reformed Church, has an active preaching ministry and is on the council of Scripture Union. His role with EA UK is helping formulate its position on a range of theological and public issues.

At the 2008 annual meeting, Dr James Nkansah (Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology) was appointed Vice-Chair. Dr David Parker's term as executive director was extended. There was also a new appointment to the core group of the Theological Commission to represent Spanish-speaking Latin American. Rev David Roldan from Facultad Internacional de Educacion Teologica (FIET), Buenos Aires, he joins Dr Claus Schwambach of Brasil to complete the representation from this important area of the world in time for the Theological Commission to focus on this area in its annual meeting and international consultation next year in Sao Paulo, Brasil.