US embassy cable - 05KINSHASA351

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000351 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR ECA/A/E/USS NLMEYERS; AF/PD DWHITMAN 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, SCUL, KPAO, CG 
SUBJECT: FY'05 ECA/A/E/USS Study of the United States 
Institute on "Religious Pluralism in the U.S." 
 
REF: STATE 237049 
 
Post would like to nominate Mr. Bonyeku Ekofo, Professor at 
the Protestant University of the Congo to participate in 
subject program. 
 
Personal Information 
 
A. Nominee's full name: Bonyeku (first name) "Ekofo" (family 
name) 
 
B. Date of Birth: August 13, 1953 
 
C. City of Birth: Kinshasa 
 
D. Country of Birth: Democratic Republic of the Congo 
 
E.  Country of Residence: DRC 
 
F. Country of Citizenship: DRC 
 
G. Home address, telephone and e-mail: 
Protestant University, P.O Box 4745, Kinshasa 2, Democratic 
Republic of the Congo. Tel. 243 9939513, and 
E-mail: fdekobom@yahoo.fr 
 
H. Gender: Male 
 
I. Medical, Physical, dietary or other personal 
consideration: None. 
Professional Information 
 
J. Current Position: Professor of Religion 
 
K. Current Institutional Affiliation: Protestant University 
of the Congo, Avenue du 24 Nov. Commune Lingwala, P.O. Box 
4745, Kinshasa, DRC 
 
L. Work Experience: 
1987-Present: Professor at the Faculty of Theology, 
Protestant University of the Congo 
 
Previous: 
 
1996-2000: Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Theology, Protestant 
University of Congo 
 
1998: Member of the Council of Staff of the Church of Christ 
in Congo, National office. 
 
1992: Member of Ecumenical Association of Third World 
Theologians 
 
1987: Pastor of International Protestant Parish of Kinshasa, 
French Section 
 
M. Education, academic and professional training: 
 
1987: Ph.D in Religious Science, University of Human 
Sciences, Strasbourg, France 
 
1982: Master's degree in Sacred Theology, Christian 
Theological Seminary, Indianapolis, United States 
 
1979: Licence (5-year degree) in Theology, Protestant 
University of Congo, Kinshasa, DRC 
 
N. Active Professional Memberships: 
None 
 
O. Publications: 
 
"Spirtualite: Un probleme du moment," Revue Zairoise de 
Theologie Protestante, No 3, Kinshasa CEDI 1989 
 
"La Bible et l'Implantation du Christianisme en Afrique," 
Revue Zairoise de Theologie Protestante, No 4, Kinshasa 
CEDI, 1990 
 
"La Christologie Africaine: Quel contenu?" Revue Zairoise de 
Theologie Protestante, No 6, Kinshasa, CEDI, 1992 
 
"L'Humanite de Jesus dans la tradition synoptique," 
Kinshasa, CEDI, 1993 
 
"La reussite du marriage chretien," Kinshasa, CEDI 1997 
 
P. Previous travel to US: Private travel and study in the 
U.S. in the early 80's. 
 
Q. Evidence of fluency in written and oral English: 
Professor Ekofo has very good oral English skills.  His 
written English can be a little awkward, as is often the 
case here, but he can communicate clearly in written 
English. 
 
R. Justification:  Dr. Ekofo is a professor of religion at 
the Protestant University, and he primarily teaches the New 
Testament.  However, Professor Ekofo also has a keen 
interest in the political and social aspects of religious 
pluralism.  While he is not an expert, Dr. Ekofo has a good 
general grasp of the issues involved in religious pluralism 
as well as a good understanding of the basics of the U.S. 
political system.  He understands the nature of this 
Institute and he is eager to develop a course on the role of 
religion in the U.S. and the relevance of our experience to 
the DRC. 
The Protestant University is one of the leading universities 
in the DRC.  It has approximately 5000 students and three 
Faculties (Law, Theology, and Economics and Business 
Administration) that offer a wide variety of courses.  We 
have an excellent working relationship with the Protestant 
University.  Participation in this Institute would provide a 
major opportunity to enhance this relationship and to expand 
the range of courses with an American Studies content at 
this major institution of higher learning. 
 
There is little, if any, teaching in the DRC of religious 
pluralism as it is taught in the U.S.  The DRC is 
religiously complicated.  About half of the population is 
Catholic, with the remainder being divided among Kimbanguism 
(a home-grown version of Christianity), various Protestant 
denominations, Islam, and traditional religions.  It is 
therefore important to begin to establish in the DRC as soon 
as possible the study of religion and its interaction with 
politics. 
 
Professor Ekofo's participation in this Institute would be a 
valuable contribution to this effort.  This is particularly 
true since Belgium and France - where most Congolese pursue 
out-of-country academic studies - do not offer the same 
level of religious complexity that exists in the U.S. and 
the DRC.  By participating in this Institute, Dr. Ekofo can 
develop a course in religious pluralism that can serve as a 
model for other institutions of higher learning in the DRC. 
 
S. Short personal statement 
 
I am interested in that program especially when I read the 
project: "Religious Pluralism in the United States".  As you 
can see in my curriculum vitae, I did part of my education 
in the United States at the Christian Theology Seminar of 
Indianapolis from 1980-82.  Since I left the United States 
in 1982, I never returned to that country.  There were 
certain things I wanted to understand, but never had a 
chance to do it. 
 
One of those things is the relation between the government 
and the church in the United States.  What's really the 
relationship between the church and the state?  I think that 
the understanding of that phenomenon will allow us to help 
our students, who will become leaders of their churches to 
follow the experience of churches in the United States of 
America and do the same thing in our country. 
 
We all know that the Democratic Republic of Congo is heading 
to a democratic system.  And also, we know that the USA has 
one of the great and good democracy systems in the world. 
If I get a chance to understand it, I will help my country 
as much as I can. 
 
T. Name, telephone, fax number and e-mail address of post 
commission action Officer: 
Phillip E. Wright, PAO Telephone: 243 818805845, 
Fax: 243 813010563, and E-mail: wrightpe@state.gov 
 
Meece