Title: Harry and Hazel Chair in Christian Theology and Professor of Religion
Company: Rice University
Location: Houston, Texas, United States
Elias Kifon Bongmba, PhD, Harry and Hazel Chair in Christian Theology and Professor of Religion at Rice University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements and leadership in World Christianity, African Religions and Theology.
Dr. Bongmba has established a distinguished career as the Harry and Hazel Chavanne chair in Christian theology and as a professor of religion at Rice University since 1995. Over three decades, he has become recognized as an expert in world Christianity, African religions and theology. His tenure at Rice University has been marked by significant contributions to scholarship, teaching and mentorship, which he attributes to the institution’s collaborative environment and the support of esteemed colleagues.
Before his academic appointment in Houston, Texas, Dr. Bongmba served as a church leader at Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church in Yaoundé, Cameroon. In this capacity, he provided spiritual guidance and leadership to the congregation, drawing on his deep theological training and commitment to community development.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Bongmba served as a church pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Kumba, Cameroon, for two years. His pastoral work focused on fostering faith-based initiatives and supporting local outreach programs. Before his pastoral roles in Cameroon, Dr. Bongmba taught religious knowledge at the high school level in Gembu, Nigeria, where he engaged students in critical discussions about faith and ethics.
Dr. Bongmba’s teaching journey began with one year as a public school teacher in Nigeria, followed by two years as a teacher’s assistant in Cameroon. These formative experiences laid the foundation for his lifelong dedication to education and community service.
Leveraging an extensive and diverse education, Dr. Bongmba received a bachelor’s degree with concentrations in sociology, mathematics and communications from the University of Sioux Falls. Subsequently, he earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from North American Baptist Seminary, now Sioux Falls Seminary, followed by coursework toward a Master of Arts in religious studies at The University of Iowa and a Doctor of Philosophy in philosophy of religion from the Iliff School of Theology. Additionally, Dr. Bongmba received certification as a Baptist Bible pastor from the Baptist Bible Training Center.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bongmba has been actively involved in numerous professional organizations. He served as the president of The African Association for the Study of Religions for 10 years, a role he considers among his most notable achievements. During his presidency, he advanced scholarly discourse on African religions and fostered international collaboration among researchers. Additionally, Dr. Bongmba chaired the dissertation research grant committee for the American Academy of Religion from 2015 to 2017 and contributed to the scholarship committee of the African Studies Association between 2011 and 2013. Dr. Bongmba was also a member of the steering committee for the English language section of the International Bonhoeffer Society from 1996 to 2002. He currently maintains memberships with the North American Association of Scholars on Cameroon, The Caribbean Philosophical Association and the International Association for the History of Religions.
Dr. Bongmba’s commitment to civic engagement is evident through his role as a founding member of the Wimbum Cultural and Development Association, which promotes development initiatives within the Wimbum region of Cameroon. Together with his spouse, Dr. Odelia Yuh Ngala Bongmba, he played an instrumental role in raising funds for a successful campaign that led to the establishment of a new Baptist hospital in Cameroon.
A well-written writer, Dr. Bongmba’s scholarly output includes several influential publications, such as “The Dialectics of Transformation in Africa,” published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2006, “Facing a Pandemic: The African Church and the Crisis of AIDS,” released in 2007, and “African Witchcraft and Otherness: A Philosophical and Theological Critique of Intersubjective Relations,” published in 2015, as well as ongoing research on African religion work, Christianity and political theology.
Dr. Bongmba’s excellence has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades. Among them, he received a Purple Feather Award from the University of Sioux Falls, a Dorothy Power Award for Excellence in Heritage and Thought at the Baptist Seminary, the Frantz Fanon Prize and multiple research awards. Moreover, Dr. Bongmba was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Zululand in 2016 and an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Lund University in Sweden in 2018. He credits his success to strong mentorship, unwavering family support and the enriching academic environment at Rice University.
Dedicated to enhancing his research and teaching while continuing his involvement with graduate programs within Rice University’s School of Humanities, Dr. Bongmba is committed to training future scholars who will make meaningful global contributions. Additionally, he intends to remain actively engaged with development efforts through organizations such as the Wimbum Cultural and Development Association, while supporting initiatives led by the Cameroon Baptist Convention. Furthermore, Dr. Bongmba continues to pursue new research opportunities related to globalization, emphasizing collaboration across cultures, and seeks innovative ways to serve communities worldwide through writing, scholarship and service.
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