Dr. Jon P. Kirby S.V.D.
Born 1945, Toronto, Canada. Member of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). Mission experience among four different culture-groups of Ghana (1972-2008). Fieldwork among the Anufo of northern Ghana, focusing on traditional religion (1976-78, 1979-81). Holds an MA in Theology (symbolism) from De Paul University (1972) and MDiv from Catholic Theological Union, CTU (1972). MPhil qualifications and PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge, UK (1978-79, 1981-83), a fellow at the Institute of African Studies, Cambridge (1985). Founder and former director of the Tamale Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies (1983-2008). Gave cultural orientations, and taught African languages and cultures and cultural analysis for cross-cultural ministry. Visiting professor at CTU (1993-94), taught culture and development at the University for Development Studies, Tamale (2004-07), and Mission and Cross-Cultural Studies at Boston University (2008). Chair of Mission and Cross-Cultural Studies at Washington Theological Union, DC (2008-09). Visiting scholar at Redlands University (2010). A certified psychodramatist using action-methods to do Bibliodrama and Interculturality training (2011-2020). At present, the Provincial Superior of the SVD Western Province, USA.
