Opportunities to study theology at Wales’s eight universities are getting rarer.
Cardiff University’s announcement on 27 May that it will go ahead with its cost-saving plan to scrap theology means that the subject will move towards the periphery of Welsh academia.
Cardiff’s controversial decision comes at a time when the University of Wales Trinity St David decided to close its 200 year old humanities campus, moving its theology teaching to Carmarthen in a bid to save money.
While Bangor University continues to offer theology, undergraduates can only study it in conjunction with philosophy and ethics, rather than as a standalone degree.
As theological studies decline at Welsh universities, the task of providing a Welsh theological education falls on the country’s three leading theological colleges, namely Union School of Theology, Cardiff Baptist College, and St Padarn’s Institute.
From the centre to the periphery
The movement of theology from the centre to the periphery of Welsh academia is not surprising.
When theology was an important part to the curriculum of Bangor, Lampeter, and Cardiff universities – as well as being offered by denominational colleges including the United Theological College in Aberystwyth and Bala-Bangor College – Christianity played a pivotal role in Welsh life. However, in today’s secular age, where 46.5% of Welsh people identify as having "no religion"[1], theology has become largely irrelevant to public discourse. It may be tolerated as a subject of personal curiosity, but it is also treated with suspicion as an academic discipline. While it may be interesting, it is no longer essential.
Since the questions of geography, ethics, history, science, and politics can be answered without reference to it, why do we still need theology at Welsh universities?
Why is theology important?
By God’s grace, the Christian understands why. We need theology because we live in a world that is deeply embedded with theological meaning. We live in God’s world, and He is the most important reference point to all our questions.
We are creatures made in God’s image with dignity and value (Genesis 1:27).
We are fallen and flawed, yet God has come into the world in the person of His Son to redeem us through His death. By faith in Jesus, we can enjoy life in all its fullness – forever (John 10:10).
These concerns are not trivial; they represent life’s most pressing questions. Questions such as “Who am I? What is the meaning of my life? Is there a God? If so, can I know Him?” are all theological in nature. And they are questions that deserve to be discussed in Welsh universities, alongside topics like how mitochondria generate chemical energy and the political implications of the 1536 Act of Union.
Yes, the Christian knows that theology is central, but how can we convince our world, including our secular universities, of its importance? We can try but it will be difficult to change an academic culture overnight. Why? Because the Bible’s starting point for change is not universities or institutions, it’s people. The good news of the gospel first changes people before it changes culture or academia.
As we share about Jesus with our co-students and colleagues, we pray that many would come to know Him, becoming part of His church. As people come to treasure Him, theological education will also be valued as a way of learning more about Him.
This personal change is what can bring theology from the periphery to the centre of public discourse. After all, theological education is a handmaiden of God’s church, and its success in Wales depends on the strength and vitality of the local church.
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