T. Jack Thompson (16 February 1943 – 10 August 2017) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

mission historian and scholar of

African Christianity Christianity in Africa first arrived in Egypt in approximately 50 AD, reached the region around Carthage by the end of the second century. In the 4th century, the Aksumite empire in modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea became one of the first regions ...

Biography

After studying history at

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

, Thompson taught history and religious education at Regent House School in Newtownards. Thompson and his wife Phyllis first travelled to

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

as missionaries of the

Presbyterian Church of Ireland The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI; ga, Eaglais Phreispitéireach in Éirinn; Ulster-Scots: ''Prisbytairin Kirk in Airlann'') is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the Republic of Ireland, and the largest Protestant denomination in ...

in 1970. He later developed an academic interest in the study of missions history and Christianity in Africa. Thompson returned to the United Kingdom and completed his PhD studies at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

in 1980, on the subject of

Free Church of Scotland Free Church of Scotland may refer to: * Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900), seceded in 1843 from the Church of Scotland. The majority merged in 1900 into the United Free Church of Scotland; historical * Free Church of Scotland (since 1900), rema ...

missionary Donald Fraser. He taught

mission studies Mission (from Latin ''missio'' "the act of sending out") may refer to: Organised activities Religion *Christian mission, an organized effort to spread Christianity * Mission (LDS Church), an administrative area of The Church of Jesus Christ of ...

in the

Selly Oak Colleges Selly Oak Colleges was a federation of educational facilities which in the 1970s and 1980s was at the forefront of debates about ecumenism - the coming together of Christian churches and the creation of new united churches such as the Church of ...

in Birmingham, before taking up a post in the 1993 in

at New College,

. It was in the latter institution that, from 2005 to 2008, he served as the director of the

Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World The Centre for the Study of World Christianity (CSWC) is a research centre based in New College, the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh. It was founded in the University of Aberdeen by Andrew F. Walls as the Centre for the Study ...

and edited the journal ''

Studies in World Christianity ''Studies in World Christianity'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal which examines the development of Christianity worldwide – known broadly as World Christianity. Its primary interests are in the rich diversity of Christianity in Africa, Asi ...

''. During his time in Scotland, he became a leading figure in relations between Scotland and Malawi, including through the

Scotland Malawi Partnership The Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) is a non-profit umbrella organisation which co-ordinates the activities of Scottish individuals and organisations with existing links to Malawi, and aims to foster further links between both countries. It is ...

. Ahead of his retirement from the University of Edinburgh, Thompson travelled back to Malawi and was bestowed the Ngoni name Jabulani Jere. He was an elder in

St Andrew's and St George's West Church St Andrew's and St George's West Church serves Edinburgh's New Town, in Scotland. It is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. The parish today constitutes the whole of the First New Town of Edinburgh and a small part of the early-19th-centur ...

, Edinburgh. After retiring from Edinburgh, he served a year as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Livingstonia and was later an

Honorary fellow Honorary titles (professor, reader, lecturer) in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties. This practice primarily exists in the UK and Germany, as well as in m ...

at the University of Edinburgh. Thompson died of cancer on 10 August 2017 in the Marie Curie Hospice, Edinburgh, and services were held on 31 August 2017.Tribute to Jack Thomson, 31 August 2017, St Andrew's & St George's West Church.
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Works

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References

External links

Centre for the Study of World Christianity
New College, Edinburgh {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, T. Jack 1943 births 2017 deaths Christian missions in Africa Academics of the University of Edinburgh Religion academics World Christianity scholars History of Christianity in Africa Place of birth missing Presbyterian missionaries in Malawi 20th-century Irish historians Alumni of the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity