Theological Education in Contemporary Africa

Chapter Thirteen - Challenges of Theological Education in the Twenty-First Century

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Challenges of Theological Education in the Twenty-First Century Sammy Githuku T he purpose of this paper is to highlight briefly some of the challenges of theological education in Africa today. Constraints of time and space would inhibit a detailed discussion on all the issues on this topic. I hope, however, that the few issues raised will provoke a worthwhile discussion in this symposium. I must acknowledge at the onset that the issues raised in this paper are based on personal observations during my seven years of teaching at theological colleges in Kenya. But these issues may be true of many other theological institutions on the continent of Africa. Some institutions are probably working on these challenges already. I have therefore assumed that the issues raised in this paper are common to most denominational and ecumenical theological colleges today. Generally, it would be agreed that one of the objectives of theological colleges is to assist their students grow as ministers of Jesus Christ. This aim is sometimes not clearly articulated by the theological colleges and the Churches. If one poses some questions: “Where is the emphasis given during training? Is it in the intellectual training or in the spiritual and character building? Is it in both?” Most theological colleges will claim that they lay emphasis on both, but more often the spiritual development of the students is not Theological Education in Contemporary Africa emphasized in most of our schools. At present, above everything else, most theological institutions are academic institutions. Their tendency is to put an emphasis on academic standards sometimes to the detriment of ministerial training or character building.1 There is not, at present, a healthy balance between the academic and the practical. This insistence on academic standards narrows the primary aim of theological education to facilitation of intellectual growth. The students, for their part, work hard for better academic results because, in the end, this is what receives recognition.2 Quite often, theological colleges and the sponsoring churches take the spiritual maturity of their students for granted. The colleges assume that the respective churches see to the spiritual maturity of their students while the churches, on the other hand, assume that the colleges are undertaking this responsibility. Unfortunately the reality is that neither body is fulfilling this responsibility adequately. Some students who join theological colleges for training have no personal experience of the world and its real challenges.3 They are still “infants” in spiritual and life issues. Some of the students may have impressed their churches by their active participation in the church youth groups, fellowships, or singing, but spiritually they are “children” requiring serious nurturing. While theological colleges may wish to help their students develop physically, academically, and spiritually, they simply do not have adequate resources. The result of this situation, therefore, is that most theological colleges do not fully take part in the formation of the future priest. Since neither the churches nor the theological colleges take full 228 _____________________________________ 1 Some colleges, for example, have their degrees offered or sanctioned by public universities. One reason for this is to ensure that their academic standards are nationally or internationally acceptable. 2 At the St. Paul’s graduation ceremony, it is the quality of academic work which tends to be recognized. 3 Today there are more and more students joining theological education immediately following their secondary education. These candidates can be as young as eighteen when they enrol for theological education and about twentyone at their graduation. responsibility, formation is often left to chance. Older, mature students, depending on their past experience, may graduate feeling well prepared but younger students may graduate feeling insecure, unsure of their vocation, possibly confused about their faith, and in many cases critical of the institutions of the church. One of the challenges of theological colleges, therefore, is to incorporate into the programme of studies courses and experiences in which spiritual formation of the students is enhanced. We must abandon the belief and assumption that because the students have been chosen for the ordained ministry by their churches, that their old patterns of life are totally displaced and that they are somehow (magically!) mature. Theological colleges have the responsibility to further personal formation and enhance obedience in Christ. This is a life time task, of course. Maturity may be encouraged, however, through Bible study, teaching on the habits of the Christian life and life in prayer...