Reimagining theological education: Identity, curriculum and pedagogy in African urban theology

Abstract

This article explored the urgent need to reimagine theological education in Africa by contextualising identity, curriculum and pedagogy for urban ministry, with particular emphasis on Kampala, Uganda. By situating theological education within the historical trajectories of both the city and the church, it demonstrates that theological education in Uganda – especially in Kampala – has not evolved in isolation, but has been continually shaped by wider political, ecclesial and social dynamics. Drawing on research conducted across eight theological institutions in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, the article examines the current state of theological education. The study identified three critical thematic gaps: urban detachment, epistemological dependency and pedagogical rigidity. Nevertheless, it also highlights several notable innovations that reflect the adaptive capacity of theological institutions within Kampala’s urban context. In response to the identified challenges, the article proposes a roadmap for reimagining theological education at the Kampala Evangelical School of Theology.
Contribution: This roadmap advocates for a repositioned institutional identity, the development of urban-oriented curricula, the adoption of problem-posing pedagogy and the establishment of an engaged research hub – each contributing to the formation, transformation and sustainability of innovative urban ministry praxes.