​Prof Nadine Bowers-Du Toit, Head of the Department of Practical Theology and Missiology in the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University (SU), delivered her inaugural lecture on Thursday 3 August 2023. The title of her lecture was “'Storying' our past/Claiming our future: Theology and Development's coming of age in South Africa".

Bowers-Du Toit spoke to the Corporate Communication and Marketing Division about how her research helps faith leaders understand the role and responsibility of the church in addressing key societal issues.

Tell us more about your research and why you became interested in this specific field.

I was raised by parents who were clergy serving the Cape Flats communities of Steenberg and Lavender Hill in the 1970s and 80s – communities that experienced severe socio-economic challenges. My parents firmly believed that the role of the church was to engage communities in addressing issues of poverty and injustice. So as a child, I was a first-hand witness to transformative faith-based community work.

I observed, however, over the years that many churches and church leaders did not fully understand their role and calling with regard to issues of poverty, inequality and injustice. This inspired me to undertake a PhD at SU focusing on Lavender Hill and the engagement (and barriers to engagement) of local churches in that area regarding the issue of poverty. 

I should also mention that exactly 25 years ago this year, the field of Theology and Development was founded both in South Africa and at our University and I was one of the first undergraduate students to be taught in this sub-discipline. Sitting in those classes in 1998 brought together my passion for faith and community engagement and I would eventually become the first person at SU to be awarded a PhD in the sub-discipline in 2005. So, my inaugural lecture this year is not only a full-circle moment for me as an individual but also for the field.

How would you describe the relevance of your work?

It is popularly understood, at least according to previous Census data, that around 80% of South Africans identify as Christian. Nevertheless, South Africa continues to be plagued by high levels of poverty, inequality, gender-based violence, racism, corruption, etc. This contrast presents a challenge to people of faith and more specifically the church, as our scriptures present a prophetic call to address many of these issues.

Part of my work has been to assist faith leaders – through my scholarship but also at grassroots level through teaching and training – to understand the role and responsibility of the church in addressing socio-economic issues, especially the role of the local church in connecting with people at grassroots level. While this field has been part of our curriculum at the Faculty of Theology for 25 years, theology students have increasingly indicated that this is the kind of subject matter that will equip them to be change agents in their communities.  

I should also point out that my work includes addressing racial and gender injustice, as these remain intersectional issues. I have been particularly privileged to network with and serve a number of faith-based organisations who are working at the coalface of these various intersections.

Based on your research, how can faith-based organisations help to promote community development and social justice in South Africa?

There is no single or simple answer to this question, as community development is context specific. I prefer to talk less about “hows" (although there are tools – many of which I teach) and more about “postures" that we need to develop as community change agents. Perhaps for this very reason, the most important first step for faith-based organisations (and here I include local churches and faith-based non-profit organisations) is to be rooted in and listening to (in theological language we talk about “discernment") what God is already doing in those communities. All too often we want to impose our own ideas without spending sufficient time and energy learning about the assets and agency that already exist in such communities.

Perhaps another important “posture" is that we cannot go at it alone. We need to network not only with other faith-based actors, but also with broader civil society in addressing the challenges we face. This is precisely the strategy that was used by faith actors during the apartheid struggle, and it is one we need to take seriously once again in solving our current problems.

You have already spent many years in the challenging environment of higher education. What keeps you motivated when things get tough?

This year is my 21^st year in higher education and 10^th at SU. I started lecturing at quite a young age. As a result of starting quite young, many of my previous students are today seasoned community developers or clergy and it continues to be a joy to see them doing transformative community work that makes a difference. Just a week ago, I received a message from a woman I had taught over 15 years ago and who went on to find a non-profit organisation that works with marginalised women and girls. She made time to send me a heartfelt message thanking me for the ways in which my classes shaped her work. I don't think there is better motivation than that.

What do you like most about your work?

I really enjoy seeing students who want to make a difference in society, “getting it" when I teach or work with them, being inspired and then going out and being the change they want to see in the world.

What would your message be to young girls who may aspire to a career in Theology?

Teaching theology or studying to become an ordained minister is so much more than a career – it's a calling and it's not always easy in a male-dominated field. Jesus himself was a proponent of women and there were several female church leaders in the early church. So, while women's voices may have been silenced by the church for many centuries, we need young women to study theology and explore their calling for the full image of God to be represented in church and community leadership.

Tell us something exciting about yourself that people would not expect.

I'm not sure how exciting it is, but once upon a time, I wanted to become an art teacher. Art was one of my matric subjects and I enjoy painting  ̶  although I don't have much time now to fully explore this hobby.

How do you spend your free time?

My favourite thing to do is to spend quality time with close friends and family – hanging out, chatting, and playing board games. My guilty pleasure is watching series – it helps me “switch off".