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01 March 2018 Photo Eugene Seegers
Theological faculty highlights reconciliation as Biblical imperative
Prof Bram van de Beek (Liturgist; Emeritus Professor, VU Amsterdam); Prof Fanie Snyman (Dean: Faculty of Theology and Religion, UFS); Prof Nelus Niemandt (Guest speaker; Department: Science of Religion and Missiology, University of Pretoria); and Prof Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel (Guest speaker; Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology, University of Stellenbosch) at the UFS theological faculty’s official opening in Bloemfontein.
Does the current South African context and reality still allow for discussions around the topic of forgiveness and reconciliation? This was one of the themes discussed at the annual opening and Theological Day of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of the Free State (UFS), which experienced a record attendance figure this year.

After welcoming staff members from the broader university community and from within the faculty, as well as guest speakers and international visitors such as Prof Bram van de Beek from the Free University Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and Dr Stefan Fischer from the University of Vienna (Austria), Prof Fanie Snyman, Dean of the faculty, stated, “We want to welcome pastors, dominees, reverends, fathers, spiritual leaders from a variety of church denominations.” He added, “I would also like to extend a special word of welcome to alumni of this faculty, who have kept their interest in our faculty alive by being present here.”

Reconciliation: Biblical imperative
In his sermon, Prof Bram van de Beek (VU Amsterdam) pointed out that “reconciliation is the Christian way, the way of love; therefore, to serve others should be more important to us than serving ourselves.” He explained further that, as humans, we run the risk of merely thinking about what is best for us, but to be true followers of Christ, we need to let others take priority.

Prof Mary-Anne Plaatjies-Van Huffel from the Department of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at the University of Stellenbosch’s Faculty of Theology spoke on Moving from forgiveness to reconciliation—Reconciliation as a fundamental Biblical category. She expanded on the Old Testament understanding of reconciliation as a means of repentance, atonement, and — ultimately — forgiveness.

The Jewish festivals of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as well as the Biblical events recorded between Jacob and Esau in Genesis Chapter 33 were cited as examples of this understanding. Prof Plaatjies-Van Huffel said, “Having to face a painful past is a prerequisite for reconciliation,” adding that “broken relationships are only restored by the grace of God, who is the Author of reconciliation.” However, the responsibility for carrying out this message to the world belongs to each Christian, who must individually actuate divine reconciliation by the example they set, she concluded.

The reality of the post-Zuma South African landscape
Prof Nelus Niemandt, from the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology at the University of Pretoria, presented a paper entitled Competing narraphors in the post-Zuma landscape. His presentation painted a vivid narrative of the enormously complex time of rapid, radical change with which we as humans are ill-equipped to cope or to which we cannot adapt quickly enough. He highlighted several examples of the paradoxes evident in the world today, such as our mobile worldwide society versus the mass displacement of humans which creates migrants and strangers across the globe, or a growing super-diversity that feeds increased nationalism, racism, or fundamentalism, all of which challenge any preconceptions we may have of reconciliation.

He concluded with this expression: “My hope is that the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the UFS will be such eloquent storytellers that they will shape the imagination with narraphors of Christ’s future Kingdom.”

News Archive

UFS sets trend for higher education institutions
2005-09-21

The University of the Free State (UFS) offers more service-learning courses than any other higher education institution in the country and has the highest number of students enrolled for these service-learning courses.

This was the research findings on higher education institutions conducted between 2001 and 2004 by the Joint Education Trust (JET) into service-learning courses. These are courses which seek to integrate service to the community into the academic core of higher education institutions.

The results of this research indicated that the UFS is one of the few higher education institutions in South Africa that have made progress in integrating community engagement into the mainstream academy.

According to the findings 2 233 students at the UFS participated in service-learning courses supported by JET, while 858 students at the University of Transkei (UNITRA), 636 students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and only 600 students at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) participated in service-learning courses.

In total there were 6 930 students participating in service learning courses supported by the JET at 10 institutions throughout the country.

The research also found that out of a total of 182 service-learning courses supported by JET countrywide, the UFS had the highest number of such courses at 42, followed by WITS with 28, the University of Kwazulu Natal with 26, UWC 24 and UNITRA with 22.

Nationally, most of the service-learning courses at higher education institutions are offered in the human sciences (62), followed by health sciences (37), education (26), agriculture (14), and economic sciences (11).

According to leading academics, service-learning is a credit-bearing, educational exercise in which students participate in an organised service activity that meets identified community needs and helps the student to gain a deeper understanding of course content and a sense of civic responsibility.

Reacting to the research findings, the Rector and Vice-chancellor of the UFS, Prof Frederick Fourie, said the university feels strongly that there should be integration of service-learning into the academic core of the institution.

“Through service-learning modules the UFS can give expression to its role of service to the community as an institution of higher learning, producing quality graduates who understand the communities in which they will have to function for the rest of their lives,” Prof Fourie said.

According to Mr Jo Lazarus, the project manager of the Community-Higher Education – Service Partnership (CHESP), which falls under the JET, a number of institutions have identified community engagement as a strategic priority and have allocated significant resources from their central budget towards its implementation.

Mr Lazarus said most students have an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards service learning.

“A large percentage of students surveyed indicated that their service-learning course helped to improve their relationship skills, leadership skills and project planning abilities. As significant is the fact that these courses also benefited them in terms of their awareness of cultural differences and opened their eyes about their own cultural stereotypes,” said Mr Lazarus.

“The key challenge still hampering the integration of service-learning as a core function of academic activity is that some institutions still see service-learning as an add-on, and nice-to-have activity,” he said.

According to Mr Lazarus higher education must demonstrate social responsibility and commitment to the common good by making available expertise and infrastructure for service-learning as a form of community engagement.

Media release
Issued by:  Lacea Loader
   Media Representative
   Tel:  (051) 401-2584
   Cell:  083 645 2454
   E-mail:  loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
   20 September 2005

 

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