The principle of translation is at the heart of the gospel. It is epitomized in Jesus' incarnation and the cross-cultural expansion of the Church through the centuries as the Word of God is heard, experienced and appropriated within concrete human situation. The need for this principle to be reflected within theological education and related ministries presents the Church in every age and context with crucial challenges. As such, one of the primary tasks of the theological enterprise is to provide local churches and Christian institutions with written material that reflects the history, needs, priorities and peculiarities of their specific contexts. Today this need is particularly compelling in Africa, Latin America and Asia where the Church is experiencing rapid growth.
Established in 1995, the Global Research Institute (GRI) at Fuller Theological Seminary helps to meet this need by offering fellowship to non-Western Christian scholars, enabling them to undertake final stage research and complete texts for the teaching ministry in their home countries. The GRI program operates out of Fuller's Center for Missiological Research (CMR). |
Scholars from India, Kenya, Ghana, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Rwanda and Nigeria have benefited from the fellowship provided through GRI. This is what some of them had to say about their time with GRI: I found my two months at GRI most refreshing. I do not remember when I last had such a "luxury" of uninterrupted and consistent time to think, reflect and put pen to paper. This opportunity provided by GRI has helped tremendously in allowing me to carry forward the results of three years of research that so far have been begging for completion - Dr. Victor Cole, Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology, Kenya I am thankful...[for] this opportunity to be in the Pasadena campus and make use of the facilities there...Global Research Institute serves a very important purpose for the benefit of the Church universal by helping scholars from the majority world to be fruitful in their vocation - Dr. Paulson Pulikottil, Union Biblical Seminary, India |
| GRI Application Information |
| The GRI program is not currently accepting applications due to limited program capacity. GRI WILL RESUME ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS IN LATE 2012. Application requirements and instructions will be provided here at that time. |
Scholars who apply for fellowships must have completed their doctoral studies, and have been engaged in subsequent ministry for at least three to five years in a non-Western context. Upon receiving a complete proposal, the director of GRI, in consultation with the deans of the School of Intercultural Studies and the School of Theology, will select the candidates.
The application must include:
- A completed GRI Application Form
- A complete proposal of the project including bibliography
- Three recommendations (one from a pastor and two from academic colleagues)
- A writing sample (journal article, book chapter and/or chapter from dissertation)
If one or more of these are missing, the application will be considered incomplete and will the delay the process. Scholars should allow for at least 4-6 weeks from the time the application is considered complete to hear from GRI concerning their application.