John Chitakure

John Chitakure is an Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Intercultural Competencies at The Mexican American Catholic College in Texas. He serves as an Affiliate Faculty Member at the University of the Incarnate Word. Dr. Chitakure holds a PhD from the University of South Africa (UNISA), DMin from the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, MA in Religious Studies, BA (Hons) in Religious Studies, Diploma in Religious Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Education, all from the University of Zimbabwe. He also holds five Clinical Pastoral Education Units from the Baptist Health System, USA. Prior to migrating to the USA in 2012, he taught theological courses at Wadzanai Training Center, Chishawasha Regional Seminary, Holy Trinity College and Arrupe Jesuit University, all in Zimbabwe.

Chitakure is happily married to Blessing, and they have two boys aged 27 and 25. John was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of San Antonio in 2022, and currently assists as a deacon at the Senyor Santo Niño de Cebu Catholic Church here in San Antonio.

• 2020 - PhD, University of South Africa (UNISA)
• 2015–2016 - CPE, (Five Units), Baptist Health System, San Antonio
• 2008 - DMin, Catholic Theological Union, Chicago (CTU)
• 2005 - MA in Religious Studies, University of Zimbabwe (UZ)
• 2003 - Graduate Certificate in Education, University of Zimbabwe (UZ)
• 1999 - Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Religious Studies, University of Zimbabwe (UZ)
• 1996 - Diploma in Religious Studies, University of Zimbabwe (UZ)
• 1994 - Diploma in Religious Education, Wadzanai National Catechetical Center, Zimbabwe

Death Rituals Among the Karanga of Zimbabwe: Praxis, Significance, and Changes, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2020.

The Pursuit of the Sacred: An Introduction to Religious Studies, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2016.

Shona Women in Zimbabwe--A Purchased People?: Marriage, Bridewealth, Domestic Violence, and the Christian Traditions on Women, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2016.

African Traditional Religion Encounters Christianity: The Resilience of a Demonized Religion, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2017.

The Audacity to Dream: Stories from an African Immigrant, USA: Amazon Kindle Books, 2018.

Things That My Father Forgot to Tell Me, USA: Amazon Kindle Publishers, 2019.

A Wife from the Ancestors, USA: Amazon Kindle Books, 2020.

“Bride Wealth in Southern Africa: Origin, Functions, Rights, and Gender-Based Violence,” 45–62, in Lobola (Bridewealth) in Contemporary Southern Africa: Implications for Gender, Equality, edited by Togarasei, Lovemore, Chitando, Ezra, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan, 2022.

“The Indispensability of one's Culture: Lessons from Oliver Mtukudzi's Songs,” in The Life and Music of Oliver Mtukudzi, edited by Chitando, Ezra, Switzerland: Palgrave MacMillan, 2021.

“Must Knows of Latino Culture” (p. 3-10), Co-authored with Fr. Juan J. Molina, and published in Horizon, Vol 49, No. 2, Spring 2024.

• African Christian Theology (ACT)
• African Association for the Study of Religions (AASR)
• Association of the Study of Religion in Southern Africa (ASRSA)
• Zimbabwe Historical Association (ZHA)

• Gardening
• Preaching
• Watching Soccer
• Traveling
• New Testament Greek

• African Independent Churches
• African Theology
• African Traditional Religion
• Catechetics
• Catholic Biblical Interpretation: New Testament
• Catholic Biblical Interpretation: Old Testament
• Catholic Spiritual Traditions: A faith Prayed
• Christian Theology
• Faith Development & Catechesis in a Multicultural Context
• Hellenistic Greek
• History of the Catholic Church
• Inculturation
• Intercultural Competencies for Pastoral Ministry
• Introduction to Theology and Biblical Studies
• Mission Anthropology
• Phenomenology of Religion
• Philosophy of Religion
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Reconciliation: Spirituality and Strategies
• Sacramental Theology: A Faith Celebrated
• The Religious Quest
• World Religions
• World Religions and Interreligious Dialogue