The tradition of Practical Theology at the University of Pretoria

Abstract

The focus of this chapter is the tradition of PT at the UP. We consider it as practiced in the Department of PT at the UP at the time of celebrating the centenary of the FT by looking at it from different angles in order to focus on its unique position and especially its future in its particular context. By looking at the history of the subject and the Department as well as the global and local context within which the discipline is practiced in Pretoria, the possible direction is sketched in which this discipline can move at the Department of PT at the UP after 2017 (the year of the centenary of the FT).The chapter challenges the discipline of PT to embrace the continent of Africa where the department is situated, assuming that such an embracing will impact both ontology and epistemology. In this regard, we suggest a pneumapraxis to be part of the future of this discipline in SA. The chapter promotes both an intra and interdisciplinary approach.

Practice of Ritual Sacrifice and the Role of Religion in Development

“…It is within this spiritual ontology that sacrifice in Africa should be understood and for which a "pneumapraxis" for doing practical theology in Africa is needed (cf. Wepener, Dreyer, and Meylahn 2017).…”

‘The idea of the University’ and the ‘Pretoria Model’ <i>Apologia pro statu Facultatis Theologicae Universitatis Pretoriensis ad secundum saeculum</>

“…That this challenge has been appropriated by the Faculty, is evident from inter alia a recent report from the Head of the Department of Practical Theology, Prof. C.J. Wepener (2016), to the Dean:…”