Harry S. Kendall Professor of Practical Theology and World Christianity
Education
- Ph.D., Princeton Theological Seminary
- M.T.S., Harvard University
- B.A., University of Ghana
Reverend Dr. Esther Acolatse is the Harry R. Kendall Professor of Practical Theology and World Christianity. A much sought-after expert in the fields of World Christianity, global theologies, and pastoral care, she has been teaching at Garrett since 2022, and the seminary celebrates this further step to expand her research and honor her contributions. Dr. Acolatse is a highly regarded scholar of the global church, its movements and practices, and especially the role of pastoral leadership and care. She is a cornerstone of Garrett’s pastoral care and counseling department, and our chaplaincy program in particular.
Previously the Professor of Pastoral Theology and World Christianity, Dr. Acolatse has taught at numerous institutions, including the University of Toronto, Duke University Divinity School, and Loyola University Maryland. Trained at the University of Ghana, Harvard University, and Princeton Theological Seminary, she is the author of numerous publications, including Powers, Principalities, and the Spirit: Biblical Realism in Africa and the West (Eerdmans, 2018), and For Freedom or Bondage: A Critique of African Pastoral Practices (Eerdmans, 2014). Her research and writing have been recognized with numerous awards including the Carnegie Africa Diaspora Fellowship and Duke University’s Julian Abele Mentor of the Year. She is likewise an active member of many academic guilds and serves on the board of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa College of Mentors and, previously, the Board of Commissioners for the Association of Theological Schools.