From the tower to the pews : a call for academic theology to re-engage with the local context
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Date
Authors
Womack, Jonathan Michael
Pillay, Jerry
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS Open Journals
Abstract
This article assesses the shortcomings and the disconnectedness of the current academic
theological education in South Africa. It offers a brief history to provide a guiding principle for
academic theology. It then proceeds to show the current disconnect and challenges between
academic theology and the church, with its primary focus on academic theology. Drawing on
original research and reflection on these responses, commodification, euro-centricity and
rankings are seen as three traps of modern academics. These three areas have distorted the true
content of theological reflection. This article thus clearly highlights the current problem and
motivates the need for academic theology and the local church to reconnect with each other.
With this article focussing on academic institutions, it calls for the academy to change not in
nature but in content, and to draw its content for the local context.
Description
This research is part of the
project, ‘African Christianity
and Development’, directed
by Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay,
Department of Church
History and Church Polity,
Faculty of Theology and
Religion, University of
Pretoria.
Keywords
Academic theology, Local church, History of theology, Theological discontent, Theological renewal, Correlation, Original research
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Womack, J.M. & Pillay, J.,
2019, ‘From the tower to
the pews: A call for academic
theology to re-engage
with the local context’,
HTS Teologiese Studies/
Theological Studies 75(4),
a5622. https://DOI.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5622.