Abstract:
South African universities are in the process of serious transformation and restructuring.
The place of faculties of theology at universities has come under the spotlight resulting in the
closure of several theological faculties or in the moving of theology to other faculties, mainly
humanities or arts. Theology is under pressure, and in the current academic environment,
church history, in its traditional form, has all but disappeared from South African universities.
This article is an attempt to address the current situation. Although this article looks at the
issue of theology at public universities, its main focus is to explore the future study of church
history in the context of universities and, in particular, a Faculty of Theology. Understanding
church history in the broad framework as historical theology, this article asserts the significance
of church history at public universities, but points out the need to restructure the department
giving due consideration to community engagement, internationalisation, transformation,
Africanisation and interreligious collaboration. All of these would have a serious impact on
teaching, learning and research.
