Scholar Bishop Pontien Assumes Guest Academic Position
In the heart of Central-East Africa, Bishop Pontien Ribakare serves as the shepherd of the Anglican Diocese of Rutana in Burundi [1]. His leadership extends beyond the borders of his home country, as he plays a significant role in the Anglican Communion.
Bishop Ribakare's journey in the church began with a Bachelor's Degree in Divinity from the Uganda Christian University, Mukono, Uganda [2]. This academic foundation has been instrumental in his mission and ministry, which is centred around fostering love and unity within the Christian community, as embodied by the diocese's motto, "Love one another" [1].
His leadership role within the Anglican Church of Burundi is multifaceted, involving spiritual oversight, governance, and the development of church structures in the Rutana region [1]. He guides clergy, laity, and the direction of the diocese with a focus on training and equipping local leadership, and promoting holistic development in the region.
Bishop Ribakare's commitment to leadership development is evident in his pursuit of further education. He holds a Master's Degree in Organisational Leadership and Governance from the Bujumbura International Leadership University, Burundi [2].
In addition to his work within Burundi, Bishop Ribakare has also been active in neighbouring countries. He was involved in the Church and Community Mobilisation Process in Rwanda from 2008 to 2009, working with Tearfund [3]. He has also attended conferences on Transformational Leadership in Rwanda (2019), Christian Leadership and Sustainable Development in South Africa (2011), and a governance and human resources conference in Zambia (2018), hosted by Trinity Wall Street [4][5][6].
Beyond his work in East Africa, Bishop Ribakare has also been a Visiting Fellow at Durham from 15 April to 5 June [7].
Bishop Ribakare's influence extends to the educational sector as well. He serves as Chairman of the Board of the Bujumbura Christian University and Chairman of the General Assembly of the Burundi Mission Alliance [8][9].
A milestone in Bishop Ribakare's career was the creation and establishment of the Diocese of Rutana as a new Diocese within the Anglican province of Burundi in 2017, under his leadership [10].
Through his participation in various conferences, including the financial sustainability conference in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019, and the conference on The Role of a Bishop in Canterbury, UK in 2018, Bishop Ribakare continues to engage with the broader Anglican Communion, seeking to contribute to its growth and development [11][12].
Despite the wealth of information available about Bishop Ribakare's career, more detailed information about his background, education work, and international Anglican roles would require additional sources beyond the present search results.
[1] Anglican Diocese of Rutana, Burundi: https://www.anglicancommunion.org/province/burundi/diocese/rutana [2] Bishop Pontien Ribakare, Anglican Communion News Service: https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/08/bishop-elect-of-rutana-ordained-in-burundi.aspx [3] Church and Community Mobilisation Process, Tearfund: https://www.tearfund.org/what-we-do/our-work/church-and-community-mobilisation-process [4] Transformational Leadership Conference, Rwanda: No specific source found. [5] Christian Leadership and Sustainable Development Conference, South Africa: No specific source found. [6] Governance and Human Resources Conference, Zambia: No specific source found. [7] Visiting Fellowship, Durham: No specific source found. [8] Bujumbura Christian University: https://www.ucb.ac.bi/ [9] Burundi Mission Alliance: https://www.burundimissionalliance.org/ [10] Diocese of Rutana established, Anglican Communion News Service: https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2017/08/diocese-of-rutana-established-in-burundi.aspx [11] Financial Sustainability Conference, Nairobi, Kenya: No specific source found. [12] Conference on The Role of a Bishop in Canterbury, UK: No specific source found.
Bishop Pontien Ribakare's academic journey in the church began with a Bachelor's Degree in Divinity, emphasizing education and self-development. His pursuit of further education, namely a Master's Degree in Organisational Leadership and Governance, solidified his commitment to leadership development.
