Private institutions offering Christian theology or religious higher education qualifcations are adapting their course contents to respond to the demands of the changing world around them.
While their courses still have a strong Christian content, they are also structured to equip learners with a variety of life-skills that are relevant beyond the confines of the church. Graduates can, besides becoming priests, find employment in areas such as counselling, community development or psychology.
Cornerstone Christian College is one such private provider which, says its course outline, ‘provides community-focused, professional preparation for Christian leadership in the church, society and marketplace”. Admission is limited to students with a strong commitment to Christianity, although they do not necessarily have to be linked to a particular church as the college is interdenominational.
This Cape Town-based college offers a certificate course as well as three three-year BA courses. All but the certificate course are underwritten by the University of Stellenbosch.
The BA courses are Christian counselling, Christian leadership and community development, and the certificate course is in theology. Carol de Wet, the college’s registrar, says many churches are looking for these types of skills and that their ‘doors are opening for those with post-graduate studies as skilled entrepreneurs are in great demand in a developing economy”.
Christian counselling covers a whole spectrum of counselling aspects. They include, among others, identifying and understanding psycho-social problems; counselling people facing psycho-social problems; and performing psychometric evaluations.
In Pretoria, St John Vianney Seminary provides training for Catholic priests, the majority of whom are sent by their own churches and who, at the completion of their studies, would undoubtedly continue working in the Catholic church.
The seminary offers three degrees and a diploma. These are a Bachelors and honours degree in theology, and a degree in pastoral theology. The honours degree in theology is offered jointly with Urbaniana, a Rome-based university. The duration for all these degrees is six-and-a-half years.
Student priests must have qualities appropriate to South Africa in the 21st century and these include ‘unusual maturity and honesty based on the common value of ubuntu and the ability to relate to people from all backgrounds and of all ages”, says the literature.
A seminarian must also be celibate and be committed to ‘justice and to the transformation of South African society”. Students must also ‘learn to analyse the world around them in terms of the values of the gospel and must work for the dignity of all, with special emphasis on the poor and the disadvantaged as well as respect the indispensable role of women in the church”.
In contrast, St Augustine College is open to students who do not subscribe to any faith, offering qualifications in both theology and philosophy. Felicity Eggleston, the college’s registrar, says teachers enrol to further their studies from a variety of faith-based schools.
The college currently only offers post-graduate studies, although certificate and diploma courses on political leadership are soon to be on offer. Modules for these courses focus on issues such as justice and law in South Africa, the Bill of Rights, power, corruption and political responsibility.
Students can do both masters- and doctoral-level courses. The philosophy courses tackle contemporary issues including the impact of economic globalisation; the marginalisation and development of Africa; democratisation; poverty; human rights; crime and unemployment.
Areas of specialisation in the master of philosophy degree include applied ethics; culture and education; and religious education and pastoral ministry.
Their highest degree is a doctorate in philosophy, which requires the submission of a thesis within a minimum period of two years of full-time study, or four years of part-time study.