Abstract

PHILANDER, N.C.. Conversion of the School of Theology of the United Reformed Church in South Africa to the University of Stellenbosch. STJ [online]. 2022, vol.8, n.1, pp.1-38. ISSN 2413-9467.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17570/stj.2022.v8n1.a5.

In September 1998, the University ofthe Western Cape (UWC) terminated employment contracts of 51 lecturers, including six lecturers of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA), due to a process of rationalisation. UWC unilaterally suspended the employment contracts of six church lecturers. The curatorium considered this action as a breach of contract, in view of the 1973 agreement of the church with UWC. In response to a presentation by Prof. G.D. Cloete at the URCSA Cape Regional Synod 1998 entitled: "Report of the future of the Faculty at the University of Western Cape," the Synod assigned the task to the Cape Regional Synod Curatorium "to protect the interests of its students and lecturers; then (b) ensure the best possible theological training for future ministers." A historical overview about the move of the Theological School of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) to Stellenbosch University (SU) follows. The article comprises letters, reports and collective decisions of the church that deal with the relocation of the Religion and Theological Faculty from UWC to SU.

Keywords : Theological training; URCSA; curatorium; University of the Western Cape; Stellenbosch University.

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