RESUME

“The Right Rev’d Dr Jo Seoka brings to the faith community a versatile background that combines a deep love for the church and its mission in its broadest that is evident in his urban and industrial mission work over the years. His priestly character finds its expression in his strong sense of Afro-Anglican spirituality. Since his student days, he continues to be committed to socio-economic justice that seeks to draw closer those who are marginalised and disadvantaged without neglecting the rest of the believers, and helps southern African communities manage transformation while caring for people within and outside the Church”.

The Right Reverend Dr Johannes Thomas Seoka was born in August 1948 in KwaZulu-Natal province, He started his schooling in Stanger and graduated as a teacher in 1971 at Eshowe College of Education in Zululand. In 1972 he proceeded to study theology at St Bede’s College 012 – Umthatha, Eastern Cape.

He was made Deacon in December 1974 and began his ministry in Newcastle, Northern Natal. A year later he was ordained Priest in the same Diocese of Natal. In 1978 he served as rector of St Peter’s Parish in Greytown in the same province. In 1980 he was invited by the Diocese of Johannesburg and moved to Soweto, where he became the rector of a multilingual and multicultural (seven ethnic groups) Parish of St Hilda’s. In 1981 he was seconded to take the responsibility of the Director of Urban Industrial Mission, an Ecumenical ministry programme to people living and working in farms, factories and mines in South Africa.

In 1986 he earned the World Council of Churches scholarship to study theology at Chicago Theological Seminary, in Illinois USA, where he earned a Master of Theology degree. Thereafter he registered for the Doctor of Ministry and thereafter joined the University of Chicago to read for the Masters of Arts on “Policy Dimensions for Social and Economic Change”.

On his return to South Africa in mid 1991 he pursued his interest of ministering to the workers in the workplace with the Wilgespruit Fellowship Center – an Anglican initiative for ecumenical work, as Director of the Agency for Industrial Mission. Towards the end of 1994 he facilitated the merger of the Agency for Industrial Mission with the Interdenominational Committee for Urban and Industrial Mission and became its first Director.

In 1996 he was appointed Dean of St Alban’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Pretoria. And in 1998 he was elected bishop and consecrated as the tenth and first black Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria.

EDUCATION

1. Teaching Diploma
   Eshowe College of Education 1971 – 1972
   • Methods of teaching
   
2. Diploma in Theology
   St Bede’s Theological College (Anglican Provincial Seminary)
   
3. Master of Theology
   Chicago Theological Seminary 1986 – 1987
   • Theology of Work and work ethic
   
4. Doctor of Ministry
   Chicago Theological Seminary, Illinois 1989 – 1990
   • Worker Education: An Approach to Social Justice Ministry
   
5. Master of Arts in Social Science
   University of Chicago, Illinois 1990 – 1991
   • Policy Dimensions for Social and Economic Change

ADDITIONAL STUDIES

• He did additional studies on Urban and Industrial Mission under the auspices of Gossner Mission with Johannes-Gutenburg Universitat, in Mainz Kestel, West Germany, 1981
• Harvard University Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA-Conflict management/resolution and negotiation skills, in 1992
• University of Missouri, St Louis, USA, Public Policy Centre, Mediation and Negotiation skills – 1993

PARISH WORK EXPERIENCE

• Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria
• Dean of Pretoria and Rector of St Alban’s Cathedral, Pretoria since 1996
• Priest-in-Charge, Church of the Good Shepherd, Tladi, Soweto, 1995
• Priest-in-Charge, St James Parish, Diepkloof, Soweto, 1993
• Priest-in-Charge, Trinity Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 1986
• Rector, St Hilda’s Parish, Senaoane, Soweto, 1980
• Rector, St Peter’s Parish, Greytown, Natal, 1978
• Curate, St Augustine, Umlazi, Natal, 1976
• Deacon, St Andrew’s Parish, Madadeni, Natal, 1974

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• Chairperson of Christianity and Culture Committee of the SACC 1994 – 2000
• Member of the Christianity and Culture Commission of the CPSA 1994 – 1998
• Member of the Commission on the Pastoral Care of the Clergy 1995 – 1999
• CPSA Representative on World Council of Churches Faith and Order Commission 1998 – 2003
• Member of the CPSA Transformation Commission and Chairperson of the Committee on Structures 1999 – 2003
• Chairperson of the Finance Committee of the SACC 1996 – 1999
• Chairperson of St Alban’s Girls Hostel 1996 – 1998
• Chairperson of Irene Homes for the Mentally Handicapped Women 1996b – to date
• Member of the Joint Committee of the Nordic-FOCCESA (five countries in the North and 12 countries in eastern and southern Africa) cooperation of Churches 1998 – 2004
• Chairperson of the St Alban’s College Foundation 1998 – to date
• Chairperson of St Mary’s College for Girls 1998 – to date
• Chairperson: National Welfare Social Service and Development Forum 2000 – 2004
• Chairperson: National Interim Consultative Committee on Developmental Social Services (Ministerial Advisory Committee on Welfare and Population Development) 1999 – 2000
• Liaison Bishop for Africa – Church of the Province of Southern Africa (CPSA) 1998 to date
• Liaison Bishop for Government-CPSA 2001 to date
• Deputy Chairperson of the Council for Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA) 1999 – 2004
• Director of the Anglican Bishops training (CAPA) 2000 to date
• Member of the Design Committee for the First African Anglican Bishops Conference 2003-2004
• Mission advisor to The United Society For The Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) UK 2000 to date
• Chairperson of Bench Marks Foundation of Southern Africa 1999 to date
• Programme Committee Chair for the third International Conference on Afro-Anglicanism 2003 – 2005
• Chairperson of Church of the Province of Southern Africa Finance Board 2005 current

PUBLICATIONS

• Partnership and Power: Report on Leadership and Management Training Workshop, Edited by Hans SA. Engdahl and JT Seoka, 1998
• African Culture and Christian Spirituality: An Interpretation, Article in a book “African Challenge to the Churches for the 2 st Century, Edited by MD Guma and L Milton”