The South African National Research Foundation (NRF) has awarded an A1 rating to Prof Anthony Reddie, the first Professor of Black Theology in the history of the University of Oxford and the inaugural Director of the Centre for Black Theology at that university. This recognises Reddie as a prominent international scholar.

Reddie is also a Research Fellow and Professor Extraordinarius at Unisa. His research field is Black Liberation Theology, coupled with decolonial models of education and knowledge production.

Prof Anthony Reddie, Unisa Research Fellow and Professor Extraordinarius

According to the NRF he is the first black academic to receive an A rating in Theology and Religious Studies.

A-rated for the second time, Reddie proudly said, "I am pleased to have been able to go from A2 to A1. I have also been pleased to become the first professor of Black Theology in the long, illustrious history of the University of Oxford."

Consciously liberating the global society through Black Theology

Reddie is from Bradford, a city in West Yorkshire, England. He comes from a family of first-generation Caribbean migrants.

After graduating from the University of Birmingham, Reddie worked as a faith-based community worker for two Methodist churches in North Birmingham. Both churches were largely comprised of black Caribbean people; migrants from the Caribbean islands that were once part of the British Empire.

While working for the two churches, he became aware of the disconnect between their social realities and the Christian faith and belief in God that defined their lives.

He conscientised people to be aware of their "social reality through reflection and action" – a call to action that has extended far beyond the borders of the UK, down to the tip of Southern Africa.

His global conscientisation is touching lives through an array of rigorous publications on Black Liberation Theology. 

Books like Is God Colour Blind? Insights from Black Theology for Christian Faith and Ministry and Living Black Theology: Issues of Pedagogy, Mission and Praxis explore the intersection of Black Theology, decolonising the curriculum and deconstructing whiteness as a decolonial project. It invigorates society and academia to be aware of their social realities.

Reddie co-authored African New Prophetic Pentecostalism and Human Flourishing: A South African Perspective with Unisa’s Professor Mookgo Solomon Kgatle. The book investigates the question of human flourishing in African New Pentecostalism in South Africa.

Moreover, Reddie is the editor of Black Theology: An International Journal that serves as a platform for "the articulation and expression of issues of faith among black people across the world". 

"I have set up a mentoring group to support emerging black theologians and via the international journal of Black theology, we also provide opportunities for such individuals to gain opportunities to publish," he said.

To reach a wider audience and disseminate his knowledge more extensively, Prof Reddie often shares his research via podcasts, videos and popular talks to ordinary people – throughout the world but especially in churches and communities across the UK.

He was a recipient of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2020 Lambeth, Lanfranc Award for Education and Scholarship – for "exceptional and sustained contribution to Black Theology in Britain and Beyond".

A-rated for the second time

Receiving an A-rating from the NRF for the second time is a remarkable achievement. When asked about his NRF rating, Reddie had the following to say:

What motivated you to apply for an NRF rating and how do you feel about receiving an A rating, which distinguishes you as a leading international researcher?

Initially, the motivation to apply for an NRF rating arose because of the lack of recognition of my scholarly work in the United Kingdom (UK). I had no university affiliation in the UK, so when Unisa offered me a role as a Research Fellow and Professor Extraordinarius, applying for an NRF rating was about increased recognition. I feel incredibly proud to be the holder of an A rating. I feel it is important not just for myself but also for the discipline of Black Theology.

Please describe the application process and how you experienced it.

The application is very thorough. There are many categories one has to complete, offering a very detailed and comprehensive account of one's scholarly work and how that has developed over the years. It was easier undertaking this the second time around when applying for my re-evaluation. The first time, it was a little daunting, but also being new to it, I did not know what to expect.

You have been A-rated for the second time. Why is it important to have an NRF rating?

Being A-rated for a second time is significant because it is a continued mark of respect and recognition from one's peers. To have an A rating offers a sense of one's standing in the world community as an academic and a scholar. This feels even more important because of the way in which black experiences across the world have been habitually devalued and overlooked. Black Theology is a subject that was created by ordinary, subjugated and oppressed black people. Therefore, to be able to take it into the academic mainstream and for that subject to be the means by which a black man like me can become an A-rated researcher, is a huge honour. It is also a sign of the continued growth in the intellectual importance of Black Theology in South Africa and across the world.

What are the benefits of being an NRF-rated researcher?

I would say that the benefits are material and psychological. In material terms, one receives incentive funding and other opportunities to teach and speak all over the world. The NRF ratings are recognised globally and have been a way of enhancing the careers of those who receive them. But the benefits are also psychological, perhaps even spiritual. The sense of self-esteem one gains from achieving one's stated hopes and receiving the recognition of one's peers is immense. In many respects, this latter factor transcends the material benefits. But both are important, of course.

What advice would you give to a researcher wanting to apply for an NRF rating?

Do your homework. Try and ensure that your portfolio is well prepared. Writing and publication are important. So, try and be intentional in undertaking research and publishing in reputable journals. Be willing to make the necessary sacrifices – make time to write and publish work. No one accidentally acquires an NRF rating. One must be a committed scholar, focused on writing and research, but also speaking at conferences and networking with the wider scholarly community across the world.

* By Mpho Moloele, PR and Communications, Department of Research, Innovation and Commercialisation