Faculty of Theology

The Faculty traces its institutional roots back to 1859 and sixteen decades of theology has been taught at Stellenbosch. Today it is an open and ecumenical faculty of Stellenbosch University. The Faculty presents theology from a Christian perspective. The Faculty has agreements with the Dutch Reformed Church, the Uniting Reformed Church, the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and trains many of their students. But in fact our students represent a wide range of churches in South Africa and other countries. There is a particularly noticeable increase in the percentage of foreign, postgraduate students.

Postgraduate programmes originate from three discipline groups within the Faculty: Old and New Testament; Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology; and Practical Theology and Missiology. 

Our discipline groups work together from within their respective disciplines to explore the research areas for concerted research chosen by the Faculty. The Faculty focuses on research about the promotion of human dignity (including combating poverty) as part of the Hope Project. Other research areas are: theology and the quest for a hermeneutical approach; the problem of the public ministry of the church; the interplay between ministry and community development. Working as an increasingly integrated team, we do research on theological-exegetical issues, as well as on historical, diaconical and pastoral issues. The understanding of God within postmodernity and the African context plays an important role.

In the inter-church debate, the quest for ecumenics is of great importance to the Faculty. We give special attention to the unity of the church; reconciliation in the socio-political arena; the pastoral care of people with HIV/Aids; and congregational and community development.

While some of our Church partners expect of their students only to complete the undergraduate degree, other churches require that their students obtain also the MDiv as well as the Licentiate (from 2016 the Postgraduate Diploma in Theology [Christian Ministry]).

Proof of English Language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS or other recognized language test result) is required from candidates who obtained all their qualifications from institutions where the medium of instruction was not English. This evidence must accompany your application and serves as part of the supporting documentation required to successfully complete the credential evaluation of your application.