Universities are traditionally regarded as institutions where society interrogates ideas, challenges established thinking and prepares future generations to understand the world around them. But what happens when certain fields of knowledge begin to lose their place in these institutions? Across the higher education sector, theology departments are facing questions about their relevance, financial sustainability and whether they still meet the needs of modern students. Some universities have moved towards closing, restructuring or reducing theology programmes, prompting a wider debate about the place of religion and faith in contemporary society.
Theology is often associated with the training of pastors, priests and other religious leaders. However, the discipline extends far beyond the pulpit. It engages with questions of morality, ethics, justice, human rights, suffering, identity and the relationship between humanity and the divine. It has also played a significant role in shaping historical movements, political thought, education and social development. So, if universities are moving away from theology, are they simply responding to changing student interests and economic realities, or are we gradually losing an important academic space for examining some of society's most fundamental questions? Tonight, we want to interrogate whether theology still has a place in modern universities and society. Is it an outdated discipline struggling to compete with more commercially relevant qualifications, or does it offer a form of knowledge that remains essential, particularly in societies where religion continues to influence people's lives, values and decisions? And perhaps more importantly, can we separate the study of theology from religious indoctrination and recognise it as an important academic discipline?