Mending the broken city of Pietermaritzburg through a transformative urban theological programme: A challenge to Union Bible Institute

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, globalization, and the advancement of information and technology come as a challenge for theological education in South Africa, generally, and, specifically, in an emerging city like Pietermaritzburg. This is a city with a multitude of urban fractures: the contesting space between informal traders and the taxi industry; rife political violence; gender- based violence; the spread of HIV and AIDS; and informal housing. I will make recommendations for curricular changes, through using the city as classroom, and collaborating with different community organisations, to help shape our theology for urban ministry. The pastoral praxis cycle (insertion, analysis, reflection, and planning for action) will be used in describing these fractures and evaluating the current theological offering. I will make recommendations for curricular changes, through using the city as classroom, and collaborating with different community organisations, to help shape our theology for urban ministry.

Keywords

• urbanization
• urban areas
• theological education
• transformation
• union bible institute