Theology and the Public University

I am interested in the chequered history of theology and the university, especially in Australia where I live. I am a writer and a critic, and one of the areas in which I write deals with theology and the Bible and philosophy. But before I can get to Australia, I need to offer a brief history of the university itself and the role theology played in its formation.

A Tale of Two Cities

Let me begin with a story. It is a tale of two cities, or rather two universities – Bologna and Paris, the first universities in the world.

Two features are worth noting in the establishment of these first universities: theology was a key faculty and the universities arose in response to Arabic and Muslim learning. Let me say a bit more about each feature.

Threat and benefit of Arab Muslim world

A major impetus for the establishment of the first universities was the perceived threat of the Muslim Arab world, a threat that in many ways defined medieval Europe’s sense of itself. But that ‘threat’ was also a massive benefit – science, mathematics (Arabic numerals), law and philosophy made their way in Europe. And this learning came from a culture that was largely perceived as superior and more refined. With the knowledge explosion there was an explosion of demand to learn the new materials. Above all, in two places in Europe scholars collected and taught students who would travel and pay the fees.

One was Bologna, where the cathedral school expanded to become a centre for the study of law, especially the application of Roman legal traditions to church law to produce what became canon law. By 1158 Emperor Frederick Barbarossa officially granted the new institution its formal rights and privileges, but he was really recognising an existing situation.

Faculty of Theology

The other university was Paris, where the university grew out of the cathedral school of Notre Dame. Why here? It was the seat of the new French monarchy and the brilliant young theologian Abelard taught there. By 1200, in response to student unrest (they wanted special legal status) King Philip Augustus granted Parisits first royal charter. Here we find theology as the Queen of the Sciences, or ‘Madame la haute science’. For Bologna it was canon law; for Paris it was theology. Indeed, the mark of the greatest university became the quality of its theology faculty.

Four ‘faculties’ became necessary: law, medicine, arts and theology. While Bologna was the model for universities in southern Europe, Paris became the model in northern Europe, most notably Oxford and Cambridge in England, Heidelberg in Germany and so on.

Two Paths

I tell this story for a number of reasons: the universities first arose in response to the influx of knowledge from Arab Muslim scholars. What was perceived as a ‘threat’ in some quarters was actually what made Europe enter belated into global knowledge. In fact, I would suggest that the universities first arose to deal with a new thirst for knowledge and counter ignorance. A crucial way of doing so was to include theology as one of the four founding faculties of the university.

The early universities retained this structure for almost 600 years. But then something happened to theology. In the French Revolution of 1789 the old paradigmatic university of Paris was abolished. In 1806 a new university was established with the faculties of law, medicine and arts, but no theology. That could only be taught at the Institut Catholique, outside the university. Here we have the first instance of the secular university, perhaps the most significant change after the establishment of universities themselves. For about 2 centuries some universities have followed the path of the University of Paris and excluded theology.

From this point there are roughly two paths that universities have taken: one was the post-revolution, secular model from Paris. In a secular university there was no place for theology. It was taken up above in the USA. You will also find it in some Australian universities. The other was the older European model: theology remained in the university but it had to renegotiate its place as a scientific discipline.

The European model

This is where theology is an autonomous and scientific discipline within the university and independent from the churches. The paradox here is that the majority of European universities did not follow Paris. To take one example among many, at Copenhagen theological scholars are guaranteed freedom of research and the Danish (Lutheran) church sends all its candidates to the theology faculty. It is a partnership of mutual independence.

The Paris-American Model

This is where theology is a confessional discipline outside the universities. The path here is from Paris to the USA. It was not only the statue of liberty that the French gave to the newly independent USA. Following the first amendment to the American Constitution (‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof’) no state university was permitted to promote any religion. In response we find a host of theological colleges and private university divinity schools.

Australia

What happened in Australia? As with most matters concerning theology, the Australian story is one of compromises. The story is intricate, so what I will do is outline the main options that have been tried at various stages:

Types of Independent Theological Colleges

1. Wagons in a Circle

Nature: Independent theological colleges in order to provide unique brand of ecclesiastical education.

Biblical Studies: Independent theological colleges in order to provide unique brand of ecclesiastical education.

Economics: Churches relatively wealthy, with enough money for buildings and some teaching staff.

Quality: Teaching: varies greatly. Research: not encouraged. ‘If our faculty published, we’d perish’, said one principle.

2. Federation

Nature: Gathering of independent colleges into a consortium that has powers relating to course approval, granting of degrees and maintenance of standards.

Biblical Studies: If resources are shared there may be more language work but focus is still on interpretation and sermon preparation.

Economics: Not quite so wealthy. There is a greater need to share resources between colleges.

Quality: Teaching: more uniform since the federation oversees quality to some extent. Research: lip service.

Types of Relations Between Theological Colleges and Universities

1. Donut

Nature: Secular university surrounded by church-based residential and teaching colleges. The best example is the University of Melbourne.

Biblical Studies: Non-existent in university. Taught by surrounding theological colleges.

Economics: Theological colleges remain independently funded but do make use of some university services (internet and library)

Quality: As with independent colleges.

2. One Foot in Each Camp

Nature: 50-50 deals, such as at Flinders and Murdoch; staff supplied by churches, paid partly by churches and partly by university.

Biblical Studies: Subject to university requirements re course numbers and content. Languages tend to suffer under university requirements for minimum student numbers in courses.

Economics: Churches are short of money while universities seek to cut costs on teaching.

Quality: Teaching: subject to university standards, it is of higher. Research: university infrastructure, resources and expectations are somewhat more conducive to research.

3. Old Rubber Stamp

Nature: The university offers the degree and controls course structure but teaching is done almost entirely by part-time staff drawn from churches and theological colleges. Prime example is the old School of Divinity at Sydney University.

Biblical Studies: Biblical studies a complete part of a theology degree with majors possible in both Hebrew and Greek.

Economics: University supplies buildings and pays teaching staff. They are part-time and still drawn from churches.

Quality: Better but still varied since all teaching is part-time. Research: haphazard.

4. New Rubber Stamp

Nature: Universities like Charles Sturt and Western Sydney offer the degree, but it is taught entirely by one or more theological colleges. The college is the theology department.

Biblical Studies: Nature of biblical studies taught depends mostly on the college offering the teaching.

Economics: Both churches and universities seeking ways of cutting costs and rely on the other to help them do so – a formula for skimping.

Quality: Teaching: university approved but in reality depends on college. Research: no different from independent colleges, i.e. crap

5. The Trojan Horse

Nature: Universities tentatively offer theology within their structures, but the heavy hand of the church is present, as in the Australian Catholic University (a gathering of teacher training colleges and so on)

Biblical Studies: Since most staff come out of the theological college system, they bring their assumptions with them. Biblical studies struggles, since the numbers are always small.

Economics: University and church money makes up the mix, so of course when there’s church money, they want a say in how the courses are run.

Quality: Teaching: university based and subject to quality controls. Research: may actually be good, but so far theology is at the bottom of the pile in terms of university quality research.

All of these have been and no doubt will be tried again from time to time, depending on economic capabilities, theological direction and struggles, and the ability of individuals to come up with deals. So far the results have been far from spectacular.