?????????Welkom! Welcome!?
?Hartlik welkom vir 2025!
Universiteite en fakulteite soos ons s'n staar 'n nuwe landskap in die gesig. Nuwe landskappe vra vir nuwe padkaarte?
Ons as 'n fakulteit teologie het oor 'n aantal jare gepoog om getrou te bly aan ons Noordster, dit wil sê ons roeping om ons kerklike vennote te dien, maar ook die soeke na waarheid.
In die Suid-Afrikaanse politieke konteks het hierdie strewe 'n werklikheid geword in 'n nuwe toekoms van koalisieregering ná die nasionale verkiesing van Mei 2024. Die Regering van Nasionale Eenheid (GNU) vind nuwe paaie en kaarte as partye wat ideologies lynreg teenoor mekaar staan. Ons word ook gekonfronteer met die opkoms van militêre styl linkse populisme. Daar word weer gekyk na Suid-Afrika, as 'n sleutelspeler in ons vasteland en binne die BRICS geo-politieke opset en nou ook die G20, om morele rigting te gee. Dit vind alles plaas teen 'n bre?r agtergrond.
Op internasionale skaal – hoe sal genesing en vrede gevind word in die voortdurende verwoesting in Palestina en nou ander lande in die Midde-Ooste deur die staat Israel, as 'n uitvloeisel van wat die Internasionale Geregshof 'n "moontlike risiko van volksmoord" noem? Hoe sal die oorweldigende politieke oorwinning van die Republikeinse Party in die VSA vrese vir verdere proteksionisme en 'n eskalasie van globale ongelykheid dryf? Boonop blyk dit dat die oorlog in die Oekra?ne 'n uitgerekte konflik sal wees. Al hierdie realiteite het 'n impak op die lewenskoste in ander dele van die wêreld. Dit is ons nuwe landskap. Boonop moet ons die opkoms van Kunsmatige Intelligensie (KI) en die realiteite van disinformasie, vals nuus, as nuwe vorme van misleiding in ag neem.
Hoe vorm ons openbare leiers om in hierdie tye teologies met onderskeiding op te tree? As fakulteitsgemeenskap doen ons dit doelbewus, gelei deur ons verbintenis tot geregtigheid, transformasie en uitnemendheid. Dit is ons plig om ons tradisie diep te bestudeer, onsself en leiers voor te berei om met “heilige eerbied" ... “'n antwoord te gee aan elkeen wat van julle 'n verduideliking eis oor die hoop wat in julle lewe" (1 Pet 3:15). Ons soek na insig in hierdie tye – in gemeenskap met ons mede-fakulteite en skole by Maties, sowel as ons vennote en vakkundige werkgemeenskappe.
Ons bevestig (weer) dat julle as ons tribe, ons mense, dit wil sê ons studente, akademici en professionele personeel, sowel as ons verskeie vennote, vir ons 'n se?n is. As 'n gemeenskap het ons 'n roeping na hierdie veranderende wêreld. Terwyl ons hierdie nuwe terrein aandurf, laat ons onsself daaraan herinner dat ons voortdurende gebede, woorde van bemoediging en erkenning, maar ook die koinonia om spesiale oomblikke saam op ons reis te deel, onskatbaar is.
Mag hierdie boekie ook as padkaart dien; mag ons voortgaan om getransformeer te word terwyl ons saam stap.
A warm welcome to 2025!
Universities and faculties like ours face a new landscape. New landscapes call for new maps.
We as a faculty of theology have endeavoured over a number of years to remain true to our North star, i.e. our calling to serve our ecclesial partners, but also the quest for truth.
In the South African political context this quest became real in a new future of coalition government after the May 2024 national elections. The Government of National Unity (GNU) is finding new paths and maps as parties who seem ideologically diametrically at odds with each other. Furthermore, we are confronted with the simultaneous rise of military-styled leftist populism. South Africa, as a key player in our continent and within the BRICS geopolitical configuration and now also the G20, is again looked upon to provide moral direction. This happens against a broader background.
On an international scale, how will there be healing and peace in the ongoing devastation in Palestine and now other countries in the Middle East, perpetrated by the State of Israel as a consequence of what the International Court of Justice calls a “plausible risk of genocide". How will the landslide victory of the Republican Party in the USA drive fears of further protectionism and an escalation of global inequality? It seems that the war in Ukraine will be a protracted conflict. All these realities impact on the cost of living in other parts of the world. This is our new landscape. On top of this we must also factor in the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the realities of disinformation, fake news, as new forms of deception.
How do we form public leaders to discern these times theologically? As faculty community, we do so intentionally, guided by our commitment to justice, transformation, and excellence. Our commitments are to deeply study our tradition, to prepare ourselves and leaders to, “with gentleness and respect ..." “answer everyone ... to give reason for the hope" (1 Pet 3:15, NIV). We discern these times in community – with our fellow faculties and schools at Maties, as well as our partners and scholarly societies.
It would not be trite to (again) state that you as our tribe, our people, i.e. students, academics, and professional staff, as well as our various partners, are a blessing to us. As a community we have a calling to this changing world. As we embark on this new terrain, let us remind ourselves that our consistent prayers, words of encouragement and recognition, but also, the koinonia in sharing special moments together on our journey, are priceless.
May this booklet also serve as a map; may we continue to be trans-formed as we walk together.
Prof Reggie Nel
Dekaan/Dean
