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Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke

Professeur

SSH/TECO Faculté de théologie et d'étude des religions (THER)

SSH/RSCS Institut de recherche Religions, spiritualités, cultures, sociétés (RSCS)

  • Expertise :
  • Théologie systématique
  • ecclésiologie
  • œcuménisme
  • christianisme africain
  • dialogue interreligieux
  • théologie contextuelle
  • interculturalité

Ikenna Okpaleke est professeur d’ecclésiologie catholique et d’œcuménisme à la Faculté de théologie et d’études religieuses de l’Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain). Il a obtenu ses licences en philosophie et en théologie à l’Université pontificale urbaine de Rome, ainsi qu’un diplôme national supérieur d’enseignement à l’Université d’État des sciences et technologies d’Enugu (ESUT) au Nigeria. Il a poursuivi ses études à la KU Leuven, où il a obtenu un master en théologie et sciences religieuses (2015), un master avancé en théologie et sciences religieuses (2016) et un doctorat en théologie (2020). Il a également obtenu un master en société, droit et religion (2021) à la Faculté spéciale de droit canonique de la KU Leuven. Avant de rejoindre l’UCLouvain en 2022, il a été chercheur postdoctoral à l’université de Bonn (2020–2021) et à l’université de Trèves (2021–2022). Ses recherches portent globalement sur l’ecclésiologie et l’œcuménisme, en mettant l’accent sur des thèmes tels que la synodalité, le christianisme africain, l’interculturalité, dialogue interreligieux, la théologie contextuelle et la théologie de la transformation. Ses projets actuels portent sur les thèmes de la dissidence, de la transconfessionnalité, de l’ecclésiologie interrelationnelle, ainsi que sur les théologies postcoloniales et décoloniales.

Année Libellé Établissement
2020 Doctor in de theologie Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) (Belgique)
2026
Monographie

Okpaleke, I. P., & et al. (2026). The Synodal Conversion: Church Momentum Regained/ L’entretien synodal : l‘élan d’Église retrouvé(e). Aschendorff Verlag.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2026). Dissent as Restlessness: Essays on Church, Society, and the Performances of Resistance. Brill.


Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2026). De la co-radicalisation à la co-transformation: Exclusivisme religieux et identité chrétienne dans une société multiconfessionnelle. Etudes Théologiques et Religieuses. Submitted. (Original work published 2026)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2026). “Kinship, Rurality, and Reform: Towards an African Ecclesiology for the Local Church”. Ecclesial Futures. Accepted/in-press. (Original work published 2026)


Chapitre de livre

Okpaleke, I. P., & et al. (2026). Introduction “The Time of Germination”/ Introduction « Le temps de la germination ». In Ikenna Paschal Okpaleke, Annemarie C. Mayer (ed.), The Synodal Conversion: Church Momentum Regained/ L’entretien synodal : l’élan d’Église retrouvé(e). Aschendorff Verlag.


Papier de conférence

Okpaleke, I. P. (2026). Opening Speech: “History, Aesthetics, and Communities: Exploring the Spaces of Christian Worship in Belgium”. “History, Aesthetics, and Communities: Exploring the Spaces of Christian Worship in Belgium”, Chapel for Europe, Brussels.


2025
Papier de conférence

Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Transdenominationality as a Form of Non-Western Postsecularity”. Religion, Politics, and the Postsecular, Higher Institute of Philosophy, KULeuven.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “A Transdenominational Ecclesiology? Simultaneous Plural Allegiance in African Christianity and Its Implication for Ecumenism”. International Conference: Church and Contemporary Pluralities: Northern and Southern Churches in Dialogue, Maredsous Abbey/LLN.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Synodality in the Church or Synodality of the Church: An Ecclesiological Quest through the Fathers to Present”. 5th International Patristic Conference: Synodality in the Early Church, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Synodal Catholicity: A Discourse on Relational Ecclesiology within University Chaplaincy”. LEST XV: Leuven Encounters in Systematic Theology: Catholicity, Theology, and the University: Conjectures in a Complex World, KULeuven.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Valentin Yves Mudimbe: Religious Fact and the Quest for What Lies Beyond the Borders”. Seminar on Penser au-delà des marges. Savoirs, frontières, héritages : une exploration du fait religieux en hommage à l’œuvre de, Louvain-la-Neuve.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Conciliar Tradition in Africa from Nicaea to Vatican II: Exploring Historical Lessons in Response to Ecumenical Challenges in Africa”. III Pan-African Catholic Congress on Theology, Society, and Pastoral Life, UCAO Abidjan.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Making Public Theology out of Digital Activism: The Case of #EndSARS”. Grassroots and Indigenous Digital Faith-Based Activism Colloquium, Institute Project on Decoloniality Conference, University of Edinburgh.


Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Within Cultures and Across Cultures: On the Development of a Trinitarian Intercultural Hermeneutics of Dialogue”. Crosscultural Studies of Religion and Theology. Submitted. (Original work published 2025)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). Synodality, African Christianity, and the Making of an Ecumenical Ecclesiology. Journal of ecumenical studies. Submitted. (Original work published 2025)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “The Pneumatology of Synodality: Catholic Synodal Process and the Risk of Forgetfulness of the Spirit”. Nigerian Journal of Theology, 29(1), 32-46. (Original work published 2025)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). Living Synodality in Africa: A Reception of the Final Document of the Synod on Synodality. Abuja Journal of Philosophy and Theology, 15(1), 37-58. (Original work published 2025)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “Cartographie de la théologie au Nigeria: Examen des institutions, acteurs et réalisations,”. Revue théologique de Louvain. Published. (Original work published 2025)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2025). “What Does Theology Do, Actually?” Dialogue between Differing Theological Approaches. Religions, 16(5), 1-2. (Original work published 2025)


2024
Monographie

Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). The Making of a Synodal Church: A Primer on Co-participation in Existing Ecclesial Structures. Paulines.


Papier de conférence

Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). « Le temps de la germination ». In Ikenna P. Okpaleke and Annemarie C. Mayer (ed.), The Synodal Conversion: Church Momentum Regained/ L’entretien synodal : l‘élan d’Église retrouvé(e).


Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). African Fluid Spirituality and the Development of Transdenominationality: An Ecclesiological Reimagination of the Ecumenical Future of World Christianity. World Christianity Conference, Emerging Trends in the Global South: Impact on World Christianity, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). “Synodality and Eucharistic Hospitality: Stirring up Palaver on Sacramental and Ecclesial Communion in African Christianity”. Africa Prepares for the Synod on Synodality, Week 14 Synodal Conversation: “The Reception of the Fruits of the Ecumenical Journe, Webinar.


Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). “Of Skeptics and Believers: Observing the Synod on Synodality from the Margins”. MST Luft, 26(1), 1-28. (Original work published 2024)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). From Twitter to the Streets: Assessing the 2020 #EndSARS Protest in Nigeria with a Threefold Criteriology of Dissent. Secular Studies, 6(1), 21-40. (Original work published 2024)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). “Synodality and the Crisis of the Pastoral Culture,”. Gregorianum. Published. (Original work published 2024)


Chapitre de livre

Okpaleke, I. P. (2024). “On the Road Towards Christian Unity”. In Stan Chu Ilo and Leonida Katunge (ed.), Journeying Together in Hope: A Theological and Pastoral Field Manual for Synodal Church in Africa (p. p. 113-127). Stan Chu Ilo and Leonida Katunge.


2023
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2023). “Sharing Ecumenical Wisdom: Lessons from Anglican-Roman Catholic Communio Ecclesiology”. Nigeria Journal of Theology 37, 37(1), 15-33. (Original work published 2023)


Okpaleke, I. P., & et al. (2023). “On Denominationalism and Inter-Denominationality: Discerning the Signs of the Times in Nigerian Christianity”. Black Theology : an international journal, 21(3), 240. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265378819866215 (Original work published 2023)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2023). “Towards the ‘Africa We Want’: Common Good, Executive Rascality, and Africa Governance Report”. African Journal of Democracy and Governance/ Revue africaine de la démocratie et de la gouvernance, 10(3&4), 63-84. (Original work published 2023)


Okpaleke, I. P., & Caldeira, C. (2023). “Ancestor Christology: Re-assessing Bénézet Bujo’s Contribution to African Theology”. HORIZONTE - Revista de Estudos de Teologia e Ciências da Religião, 20(63), e206314. https://doi.org/10.5752/p.2175-5841.2022v20n63e206314 (Original work published 2023)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2023). Nkuzi nk’Okwukwe: Reimagining Faith Education in Nigerian Christian Theological Institutions. Ministerium, 9(1), 117-128. (Original work published 2023)


Monographie

Okpaleke, I. P., & et al. (2023). Enemy, Stranger, Neighbour, and Friend: Rough Guide on Religion and Othering. World Council of Churches.


2022
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). “The ‘other’ as (Not) Das Fremde: Mysticism, Dialogue and the Hermeneutics of Entanglement”. MST Review, 24(2), 77-95. (Original work published 2022)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). Ökumenischer Weg zur synodalen Praxis Lehren aus dem anglikanisch-römisch-katholischen Kirchendialog für das katholische ekklesiologische Lernen*. Trierer Theologische Zeitschrift, 131(3), 242-256. (Original work published 2022)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). Between the Universal Church and the Local Church: Revisiting the Representative Function of Bishops in the Context of Communio Ecclesiology. Ecclesiology : the journal for ministry, mission and unity, 18(1), 216-233. https://doi.org/10.1163/17455316-bja10021 (Original work published 2022)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). “Transformational Dialogue and Christian Identity in a Multi-Religious Context: Nigeria in Focus”. Religions, 13(1166), 1-13. (Original work published 2022)


Chapitre de livre

Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). “Ecumenism in Historical Tracks: Towards a Hopeful Account of Anglican-Roman Catholic Relations in Nigeria”. In Patrick Edet Bassey, Humphrey Uche Udechukwu, Jude Ashibekong Ishiekwen (ed.), Quid Retribuam Domino: Festschrift in Honour of the 70th Birthday Anniversary of Bishop Donatus Edet Akpan (p. p. 221-240).


Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). Alongside One Another: African Catholicism and Ecumenism in Africa. In Chu Ilo , Stan (ed.), Handbook of African Catholicism. Stan Chu Ilo.


Monographie

Okpaleke, I. P. (2022). Ecumenical and Interreligious Identities in Nigeria: Transformation through Dialogue. Lexington Books.


2021
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2021). Discernment, Ecumenical Dialogue, and the Transformation of the Polis. Louvain Studies, 44(1), 70-81. https://doi.org/10.2143/LS.44.1.0000000 (Original work published 2021)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2021). The Rhythm of Communal Identity : On the Maintenance of Language and Culture through Music. Secular Studies, 3(2), 206-222. https://doi.org/10.1163/25892525-bja10025 (Original work published 2021)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2021). Shifting Grounds: Can Spiritual Ecumenism Satisfy the Legitimate Quest of Millennials? Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 14(1), 86-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1939790920951897 (Original work published 2021)


Chapitre de livre

Okpaleke, I. P. (2021). “Education for Dialogue: Setting an Agenda for Ecumenical and Interreligious Studies in Nigerian Seminaries”. In Kekong Bisong (ed.), Testimony of Faith: A Centenary of Catholicism in Ogoja (p. p. 769-779). Kekong Bisong.


2020
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2020). ECUMENICAL CATHOLIC LEARNING: SYNODALITY IN THE ANGLICAN– ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH DIALOGUE. Asian Horizons, 14(1). (Original work published 2020)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2020). “Ecclesial Governance in Unusual Times: A Theological Exploration of the Relationship between Synodality and Global Solidarity”. Louvain Studies, 43(3), 278-296. (Original work published 2020)


2019
Chapitre de livre

Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). “Towards a Trinitarian Intercultural Hermeneutics of Dialogue,”. In Judith Gruber, Sebastian Pittl, Stefan Silber and Christian Taucher (ed.), Identitäre Versuchungen: Identitätsverhandlungen zwischen Emanzipation und Herrschaft (Identitary Temptations: Identity Negotiat (p. p. 322-333). M Verlag Mainz.


Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). Universal ‘Right to Life’ and the Concerns of Theological Rationality. In Kenneth Ameke and Samuel Uzoukwu (ed.), Emerging Conversations on Theofiliation: Essays in Honour of Archbishop Anthony J. Obinna (p. p. 433). Xlibris US.


Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). Catechesis for Children: A Methodological Review of Pastoral Responsibility in Nigeria. International bulletin of mission research, 43(3), 262-272. (Original work published 2019)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). “Transcending the Method of ‘Igbaji Chalk’: Moving from the Old to the New in the Nigerian Educational System”. Second Order : an African journal of philosophy, III(1), 70-90. (Original work published 2019)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). Primogenitus omnis creaturae: Chrysostom, Christology and Non-dualism. Journal of Early Christian History, 9(3), 48-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/2222582x.2019.1705173 (Original work published 2019)


Okpaleke, I. P., & et al. (2019). The Re-emergence of African Spiritualities: Prospects and Challenges. Transformation, 36(4), 246-265. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265378819866215 (Original work published 2019)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). “Third-Wave Feminism and the Task of Critical Learning: A Theological Critique of Feminism from a Nigerian Perspective”. Asian Journal of Theology, 33(1), 47-64. (Original work published 2019)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). Review: Terrence Merrigan and John Friday, eds., The Past, Present, and Future of Theologies of Interreligious Dialogue. Louvain Studies, 42(2), 193-195. (Original work published 2019)


Monographie

Okpaleke, I. P. (2019). The Art of Nurturing: Heads-Up for the 21st Century Parent.


2018
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2018). “With New Eyes”: Toward Advancing the Commitment of the World Council of Churches to Justice and Peace in Africa. The Ecumenical Review, 70(3), 455-469. https://doi.org/10.1111/erev.12375 (Original work published 2018)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2018). On the Borderline between Consensus and Reception: The Spirituality of Openness as a Necessary Criterion for Ecumenical Reception. Journal of ecumenical studies, 53(3), 348-369. https://doi.org/10.1353/ecu.2018.0024 (Original work published 2018)


Okpaleke, I. P. (2018). Ecumenical Dialogue as Exchange of Knowledge Systems. Exchange : journal of missiological and ecumenical research, 47(3), 282-298. https://doi.org/10.1163/1572543X-12341490 (Original work published 2018)


2017
Article de journal

Okpaleke, I. P. (2017). Crossing the Niger: An Ecumenical Option for the Post-Reformation Mission Conflict in Nigeria. Bulletin of Ecumenical Theology, 29(1), 113-138. (Original work published 2017)


Unités d'enseignement pour 2025

Libellé Code
Introduction à l'ecclésiologie LRELI1291
Ecclésiologie I LTHEO2121
Ecclésiologie II LTHEO2122
Transition écologique et théologie pratique LTHEO2871
Evangélisation dans un monde sécularisé LTHEO2892
Séminaire de recherche en ecclésiologie LTHEO2992