Bachelor of Theology Honours

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to take account of the Catholic intellectual tradition which aims to lead to the critical development and transformation of both the individual human person and human culture. Catholic theology is very central to this vision. The qualification in theology is designed for learners requiring more in-depth and critically rigorous introduction to the teachings of the Christian faith with an integrating Catholic intellectual tradition that is ecumenically open.

The qualification is designed for learners requiring a more specialised and more in-depth study of the teachings of the Christian faith within an integrating Catholic intellectual tradition. The qualification guides learners to deepen their own spirituality and also furnishes more specialised skills that are deemed essential for leading a Christian community. The uniqueness of the course lies in its full-contact delivery offered in English in a comprehensive theological programme in which the majority of the intended learners are lay people.

The qualification is a critical exploration of certain specialised areas of the life of faith of the individual and of the faith community. The qualification relates the foundational events of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ to a tradition with continuing relevance through 2000 years of history. Wherever possible the qualification relates to theological developments in Africa, beginning before the time of St Augustine. Completion of the course equips the learner with a critical understanding of Christian theology and its tradition.

Rationale

The qualification is intended for learners who have obtained an undergraduate Degree: Theology at NQF Level 7 and who wish to further their qualifications at Postgraduate level and gain access to further Postgraduate study at Master's level. The course runs over one year's full-time study or two year's part-time study.

The qualification aims to contribute to regional and national goals by developing the spiritual and ethical fibre of our nation from the perspective of Catholic theology. This, it is hoped, will contribute to the moral regeneration of South African society by promoting spiritual awareness, respect for ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, intellectual engagement with society and the consequent empowerment of others through service.

This qualification will have value in offering the academic component required by learners preparing for ordained Christian ministry within both the Catholic and Anglican traditions. The learner would encounter the development of this tradition in relation to its social and cultural context, culminating with a consciousness of the place of Christianity within the pluralist global village and within South Africa, in particular.

This qualification assumes that the learner is competent in the language of teaching and is able to demonstrate the applied competence which leads to the award of a qualification at NQF Level 7.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition of Prior Learning is given to relevant practical and theoretical experience in the field and subfield relevant to this qualification and is assessed by the Faculty Board in conjunction with the rules of access. The relevance is assessed by the Faculty Board which decides whether it suffices to allow admission to the programme. Structured means for the assessment of individual learning against entrance requirements and against exit outcomes are devised on a case-by-case basis. These procedures may be assessed by independent moderators.

Access to the Qualification

Access to the Bachelor of Theology Honours requires a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree at NQF Level 7 or equivalent 360 credit qualification with Theology.

The Honours Degree: Theology is a 120 Credit qualification at NQF Level 8; all modules are at NQF Level 8.

Core modules

• Contemporary Theological Hermeneutics, 20 Credits.
• Research Paper, 40 Credits.

Total Core Credits, 60 Credits.

Elective modules

Choose 3 modules

• Old Testament, 20 Credits.
• The Early Church to the Present, 20 Credits.
• Spirituality in the Contemporary South, 20 Credits.
• African Context, 20 Credits.
• Political Theology, 20 Credits.

Total Elective Credits, 60 Credits.

• Develop a specialised treatment of certain themes within both Catholic theology and general Christian theology at both the universal and local levels.
• Discuss own faith experience in an African context.
• Understand the mainstream of contemporary theological issues.
• Compare and contrast faith issues in a complex ethical and social situation.
• Explore different value systems within a multicultural society while being mindful of the Catholic and Christian tradition.
• Discuss the African heritage within a Catholic and Christian context.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

The Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are integrated into the Exit Level Outcomes.

The assessment criteria are applied in an integrated fashion across all Exit Level Outcomes

• Assess the development of philosophical hermeneutics through the ages, including the purpose of hermeneutics, impact of hermeneutical thought on theology in the 20th century.
• Identify and exegete texts relevant to the discussion of significant contemporary issues to reveal the world view of the Old Testament on these topics.
• Analyse the contributions of Jewish and Christian scholars to the debate around the question of whether or not there is a 'centre' to the Old Testament.
• Critically analyse the scholarly discussions on unity and diversity in the New Testament with regard to Christology.
• Evaluate present liturgical practices in own Protestant, African Independent Church or Catholic traditions.
• Identify and critically analyse texts relevant to the historical development of ethical theories such as those of Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Kant, Hume, Mill, MacIntyre and Nietsche.
• Distinguish Biblical Ethics from Ethical Theory and Moral Theology.

> Range: Including assessing the use of Scripture in Ethics.

• Comprehend the philosophy and scope of church history and use different inter-disciplinary approaches and methodologies in the study of church history.

> Range: Including the different dynamics of the Christian missionary movements and colonialism, the impact of Islam upon early Christianity in Africa, the different social and theological impacts of the churches during the twentieth century in South Africa.

• Determine the biblical roots of the five doctrinal themes and analyse how they are understood in the contemporary South African Protestant and Catholic Churches.

> Range: Including how the five doctrinal themes relate to one another, impact the historical eras on the development of the five doctrinal themes.

• Assess the impact of economic, political and social influences on the shape of people's Christian spiritualities.
• Articulate a particular research question and the sub-questions that need to be answered in order to fully solve the main research question and present the findings.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment of competence is done through a combination of formative and summative assessment methodologies, tools and procedures, which will not discriminate against learners in an unjust or invalid way. Assessment practices are fair, transparent, valid and reliable.

Learning and assessment should be integrated. Summative assessment is assessment of competencies in terms of the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification.

Both assessment methods should be integrated to assess the learners' ability to integrate the body of knowledge, skills, and expertise displayed with the purpose of the qualification. Learners completing learning and demonstrating competence successfully through assessment are credited with such learning.