Die Departement Praktiese Teologie (Afd A): Die ‘De Wet-era’ en daarna

Abstract

The Department of Practical Theology (Sec A): The ‘De Wet era’ and subsequent years
The Department of Practical Theology (Sec A) at the University of Pretoria was established in 1968 when Professor J I de Wet was appointed head of the Department. He held this position until his death in 1983. He can thus be depicted as the ‘father’ of Practical Theology within the Faculty. This paper is an attempt to identify his viewpoints and to trace his influence in the academic and ecclesiastic spheres. The results show that he can be described as a practical theologian who stood for the preservation of the theological character of this discipline, based on biblical principals. He rejected the ‘gesellschaft’ as theoretical basis for Practical Theology. Trends since his death in 1983 will also be identified.