Where does Ekklesia come from?
Ekklesia takes the place of BUVTON (Bureau for Continued Theological Education and Research) which was founded as a service bureau of the faculty to offer short refresher courses for pastors.
Ekklesia is an ecumenical centre of the Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, that focuses on leadership development and support to congregations. It functions as a network centre where 20 churches, in collaboration with the Faculty, offer coordinated services to churches and pastors.
How does Ekklesia work?
Ekklesia is not a solo effort, but a network centre where the faculty, churches and other ecclesial institutions come together in a “network pool” to offer coordinated services to congregations and pastors. It is a service space where the faculty, churches and other role players help each other and serve congregations and the community together.
What does Ekklesia offer?
Continued Theological Training
Ekklesia presents a wide range of short courses on important theological, ministerial and pastoral themes every year. These courses are open to all pastors and congregational leaders.
The MTh in Practical Theology (Ministry Practice)
This structured programme is presented over two years. The discipline group Practical Theology and Missiology (PTM) of the Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, offers this programme in collaboration with Ekklesia: Centre for Leadership Development and Congregational Studies, a centre of the Faculty of Theology.
BTh Hybrid Programme
In collaboration with the Faculty of Theology, Ekklesia is coordinating academic support to a hybrid student cohort enrolled in the Bachelor of Theology degree. It also provides a bridge to fruitfully engage both the academy and the students' contexts through a mentorship element.
The Word and Worship and Woord en Fees publications assist ministers with their preparation for weekly worship and preaching. The project follows the texts of the widely used Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).
Lectionary Project
The Word and Worship and Woord en Fees publications assist ministers in their preparation for weekly worship and preaching. The project follows the texts of the widely used Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).
Winter School
The Faculty of Theology, in cooperation with Ekklesia, the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology and Communitas, arranges an annual Winter School, usually in June. Wide-ranging themes and issues affecting church and society are addressed in plenary sessions and in smaller workshops.
Research Unit for Innovation and Transformation
'This unit focuses on smaller and practice orientated research projects as required and requested by congregations and denominations.'
