Abstract
Rapid urbanization, globalization, and the advancement of information and technology come as a challenge for theological education in South Africa, generally, and, specifically, in an emerging city like Pietermaritzburg. This is a city with a multitude of urban fractures: the contesting space between informal traders and the taxi industry; rife political violence; gender - based violence; the spread of HIV and AIDS; and informal housing. I will make recommendations for curricular changes, through using the city as classroom, and collaborating with different community organisations, to help shape our theology for urban ministry. The pastoral praxis cycle (insertion, analysis, reflection, and planning for action) will be used in describing these fractures and evaluating the current theological offering. I will make recommendations for curricular changes, through using the city as classroom, and collaborating with different community organisations, to help shape our theology for urban ministry.
Highlights
Globalisation and rapid urbanisation introduce new challenges for theological education in South Africa
An important step would be for theological education to empower people and open their eyes and see the reality of their context as they minister (Naidoo, 2010)
There are critical questions one should ask: 1) What is the role of Union Bible Institute (UBI) in South Africa today? 2) What is the role of UBI in a city like Pietermaritzburg that is engulfed by violent crime, poverty, gender-based violence, maladministration, and social decay? 3) How can one foster a new urban theological vision in an institution like UBI that is more than 76 years old?
Summary
Globalisation and rapid urbanisation introduce new challenges for theological education in South Africa. Hillis (2014:36-40) claims such “challenges can prevent a city from flourishing,” further categorising these challenges as “social and spiritual, relationship, resources, leadership, and collective action.” It is imperative for theological institutions to provide a theological education that is relevant, practical and can provide alternatives that will address the multi-dimensional urban fractures. An important step would be for theological education to empower people and open their eyes and see the reality of their context as they minister (Naidoo, 2010) This will call for Bible institutions and seminars to be willing to change their conventional ways of doing theology and commit to developing a new theological curriculum that is more transformative. Data was collected through focus groups, interviews, observation, library sources, and newspapers
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