Talk:James Tengatenga

Did you know nomination

The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by TarnishedPath talk 09:32, 9 August 2025 (UTC)

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• Comment or view
• Article history

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• ... that an NAACP chapter successfully protested the appointment of an African bishop to a role at Dartmouth College?

• Source: 'Dartmouth College has rescinded the appointment of a prominent African bishop as dean of a campus institution that focuses on furthering the moral and spiritual work of the school... "This is not a small title; it's not a small office," said Jordan Terry, president of the Dartmouth chapter of the NAACP, which sent a letter signed by student groups, faculty and staff raising concerns about the appointment.' Link: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/08/14/dartmouth-college-rescinds-appointment-african-prelate-service-deanship-after-concerns-about-views-gays/XTBUiCNjpAC5OjH4Yp0cHM/story.html. Other access links: https://www.newspapers.com/image/444926175/, https://www.newspapers.com/image/444926208/

• Reviewed: Template:Did you know nominations/Yang Xianjin

5x expanded by Dclemens1971 (talk). Number of QPQs required: 1. Nominator has 12 past nominations.

Dclemens1971 (talk) 14:06, 23 June 2025 (UTC).

• Hook is interesting and is properly cited. Article seems to fit all criteria. All good here. Arconning (talk) 12:32, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

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@Dclemens1971 and Arconning: pulled on neutrality concerns; see notes at WT:DYK on where to go from here :) theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 23:28, 24 July 2025 (UTC) @Dclemens1971 and Arconning: Please address the above.--Launchballer 05:07, 1 August 2025 (UTC)

@Launchballer and Theleekycauldron: Thanks for the pings; I am currently traveling in a place without reliable phone/internet coverage (it's lovely) and not able to spend extended time on the project. I hope to address the comments in the next week. Dclemens1971 (talk) 02:52, 2 August 2025 (UTC)

@Theleekycauldron: I've reviewed your comments and made some revisions that I believe address them all: [1]. Courtesy ping to @Launchballer and Arconning:. Dclemens1971 (talk) 14:41, 6 August 2025 (UTC)

@Dclemens1971: Hey, welcome back! Hope your travel's been going well :) you've made a lot of great progress on the article, so I'm almost good, but I'm wondering if there's a reason you left Balmer 2013 in. I do still think an op-ed from a friendly bishop shouldn't be cited for statements of fact, but if you have another view, I'm open to it. theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 04:17, 7 August 2025 (UTC)

@Theleekycauldron: Balmer's a priest, not a bishop. He's best known as a historian and academic, though, and he's being quoted here as a prominent professor at Dartmouth representing one side of the controversy within the university, just like I quoted a Huffington Post op-ed from a Dartmouth community member opposed to Tengatenga's appointment. Per WP:NEWSOPED, an op-ed can be a reliable primary source for statements attributed to that editor or author, and per WP:BIASED, reliable sources are not required to be neutral, unbiased, or objective. Sometimes non-neutral sources are the best possible sources for supporting information about the different viewpoints held on a subject. I think the op-ed provides context that wasn't available in a secondary source, and both statements in the article sourced to the Balmer op-ed are attributed to him so readers can evaluate appropriately. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:33, 7 August 2025 (UTC)

@Dclemens1971: thanks! I see your point with the inline attribution and the huffpost op-ed. reticking unless Arconning has any other thoughts :) theleekycauldron (talk • she/her) 05:04, 9 August 2025 (UTC)

GA review

The following discussion is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

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This review is transcluded from Talk:James Tengatenga/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Nominator: Dclemens1971 (talk · contribs) 15:34, 21 August 2025 (UTC)

Reviewer: Spookyaki (talk · contribs) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Hi! I'll go ahead and review this. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

1. It is reasonably well written.
2. It is factually accurate and verifiable, as shown by a source spot-check.
3. It is broad in its coverage.
4. It follows the neutral point of view policy.
5. It is stable.

Overall:

Thanks for the review Spookyaki! I will reply to your questions/comments within the next day or two. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:17, 25 September 2025 (UTC)

General notes

• Copyvio check looks fine. It dings a few quotes, but that's not a problem. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• No images to assess at present. Since it seems like he's still alive, a fair use portrait would not be possible. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• Looks stable. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• I see that there are several citations to Tengatenga himself. I don't see this as being necessarily a problem, but just want to confirm that you at least looked for reliable secondary sources and that you've used them according to WP:PRIMARY policy guidelines. I'll take this on good faith. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

In every case I've looked for secondary sources where required and/or available and used self-reported sources sparingly and only for non-contentious claims. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• There seems to be contradictory info on his birthdate here. The lead says he was born 7 April, the infobox says 7 May, and the body just says 1958. Is there contradictory info in different sources? Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Typo in the infobox; now fixed. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Is there a reason his full birthdate isn't included in the "Early life and education

section?" Spookyaki (talk) 18:38, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Lead

Spot check

• Tengatenga was born in Que Que, Southern Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe), in 1958, to parents of Ngoni origin in Malawi.—Partially verified. Could you quote supporting passages from Ross & Fielder supporting his Ngoni heritage? Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Ross and Fielder describe Tengatenga speaking at an Edinburgh event on David Livingstone's legacy and singing a song "in the Ngoni tradition": Halala James Tengatenga / Bishop of Southern Malawi / Son of the Ngoni people / whose grandfather was Nguni... Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Ordained ministry

• Include a short clause introducing Likwenu. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Done Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• He was initially based in Likwenu until the diocese was divided into the Diocese of Upper Shire in 2002.—Not sure I understand this. What diocese? And it was divided into the Diocese of Upper Shire and what? Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Clarified a bit. The diocese of Upper Shire was carved out from the territory of the Diocese of Southern Malawi. It was divided into two with one keeping the original name. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• He also co-authored a guidebook for conversations within families about HIV/AIDS with surgeon Anne Bayley. This guidebook was intended to break African taboos about discussions of sex within marriages.—To say that there are common taboos in every part of Africa seems like an over-generalization. It's also not supported by the source. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

It's stated in the book, see page 9, but I made this edit. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• ...Tengatenga sought to hold disparate factions of the Anglican Communion together through his ACC role amid the growing Anglican realignment movement.—Maybe include a brief clause explaining what the Anglican realignment movement is. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Done

Spot check

• As bishop, he was a member of the Malawi National AIDS Commission.  Verified Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• He also co-authored with surgeon Anne Bayley a guidebook for conversations within families about HIV/AIDS that was intended to break an African taboo about discussions of sex within marriages. N Not verified, see above. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Removed Africa, but African taboos are mentioned in the text of the book. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Dartmouth controversy

• ...Adrienne Clay, a staff member in African and African-American studies..."Staff member" kind of vague. Why not more specific? Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

The source gives a title of department program coordinator, which seemed like excessive detail to include in this article. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• "The fact that James Tengatenga did not leave behind a record of press releases or public pronouncements — Western forms of activism — does not mean that he was only recently converted to the cause nor that he has not been a loyal and helpful ally to gay activists," they wrote. "Rather, it means that he has been using the methods of the place in which he was trying to make a difference. Unless Africa does not matter to Dartmouth, African human rights defenders should have been recognized as the best judges of Tengatenga's views, past actions, and likely future contributions."—Would recommend doing this as a blockquote. Would definitely avoid unembedded quotes. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Done Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Spot check

• In July 2013, Tengatenga was announced as the next dean and chaplain of the William Jewett Tucker Foundation, the spiritual life unit at Dartmouth College. N Not verified, year and chaplain position not mentioned here. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Added a source here. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• After the appointment, students and faculty led by the campus chapter of the NAACP criticized the appointment based on Tengatenga's prior public statements on homosexuality. N Not verified, but is on page A7. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

I thought it was clear in the digital version of the source that the same article continues on page A7 from A1, but I will update the citation to include the continuing page number. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• Randall Balmer argued that Tengatenga's remarks on his frustration with the Episcopal Church had been triggered by Bishop John Shelby Spong's controversial comments criticizing African Christianity as "superstitious."  Verified Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• Henderson said that the objections on the Dartmouth campus amounted to "asking the impossible for someone coming out of that African situation." N Not verified, but is on page A7. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

See note above. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

• One student said Tengatenga "did not recognize the issues that his constituents face or apologize for harm that his past statement and actions have caused."  Verified Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• Adrienne Clay, a staff member in African and African-American studies, called Tengatenga's statement "a little too ambiguous for my taste."  Verified Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

• "The fact that James Tengatenga did not leave behind a record of press releases or public pronouncements — Western forms of activism — does not mean that he was only recently converted to the cause nor that he has not been a loyal and helpful ally to gay activists," they wrote. "Rather, it means that he has been using the methods of the place in which he was trying to make a difference. Unless Africa does not matter to Dartmouth, African human rights defenders should have been recognized as the best judges of Tengatenga's views, past actions, and likely future contributions."  Verified, but see above Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Personal life

• Tengatenga married Joselyn in 1984. They have three children.—Who is Joselyn? Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Joselyn is his wife. Her maiden name is not available in any sources. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Spot check

• Tengatenga married Joselyn in 1984. They had three children.—Please provide a supporting passage from the source (I don't have access). Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Passage: James Tengatenga was born in 1958 in Zimbabwe but came from the Ngoni culture of Ntcheu, Malawi. He studied at Zomba Theological College and received his Diploma in 1982. He went straight to the Theoligical Seminary of the Southwest in Texas and did another three years' study. In 1984 he married Joselyn [Josie]; they have three children. Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Thanks for your hard work on the article! Let me know when you've addressed these issues. I'll put the article on hold in the meantime. Spookyaki (talk) 21:00, 24 September 2025 (UTC)

Spookyaki I've updated the article and responded to your questions. Let me know if you have any other thoughts--thanks! Dclemens1971 (talk) 13:15, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

Okay, everything looks good! Happy to pass this now. thanks for your hard work once again. Spookyaki (talk) 18:46, 26 September 2025 (UTC)

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.