Toward Greater Autonomy Through Ecotheology: United Theological College
The United Theological College in Harare combines theological education with practical environmental education. Through an eco-theological project, aspiring pastors learn about agroecology, raising livestock, gardening, and recycling so that they can bring this knowledge back to their congregations and help people in Zimbabwe become more self-reliant.
© Foto: Fungai Chigumbura/unsplash | All kinds of trash are a major problem in the area around Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.
The address sounds promising: 132 Valley View Lane, Hatfield, Harare. It conjures up an image of a view – a sweeping vista up a picturesque valley. And then there’s the name of the town: Hatfield – suggesting vast open spaces, expanses, and nature. This address, located in a suburb of Harare – Zimbabwe’s largest city and capital – belongs to the United Theological College (UTC). But it’s not quite as picturesque as the name suggests. While there are many open spaces – some of which even belong to the college grounds – there’s also a lot of litter lying around, including plenty of plastic from bottles, packaging, and diapers. In addition, there are several landfills in the immediate vicinity. Some are legal, others illegal – including a landfill for chemical waste, which directly affects the area’s drinking water supply.
Soil as an Underrated Resource
© Foto: Allen Meki/unsplash | For many people, every day is a struggle for survival.
Many of Zimbabwe’s problems are evident here, in the immediate vicinity of the UTC, in a very direct way. Underdeveloped infrastructure, mismanagement, and a lack of community support are the result of corruption and cronyism in high political offices, which have been the rule rather than the exception for decades. Added to this are the consequences of the climate crisis, hyperinflation, and environmental pollution – on both a large and small scale. “Many people don’t know how to pay for their food. They don’t know where to put their trash. Sometimes there’s a lack of awareness of ecological interconnections. Most of the time, the sheer struggle for daily survival leaves little room for anything else for poorer people,” says Kupakwashe Mtata, principal of the United Theological College, describing the situation. “Many people don’t even realize that the land around them – of which we have plenty in Zimbabwe – is already a major resource for their own sustenance and survival.”
Passing on Knowledge for Greater Independence for All
Based on this observation and its theological mission, the UTC has launched an eco-theological project that, in addition to theological training, provides the prospective pastors attending the UTC with practical instruction in agroecology, agriculture, crop farming, and the raising of small animals and beneficial insects. “We want the pastors who leave us to take this knowledge with them to their congregations and pass it on there,” Mtata explains the idea behind the new concept. Another significant aspect is that by engaging in agricultural activities – such as tending the parsonage garden – the pastors become less dependent on financial support. After all, pastors in Zimbabwe do not necessarily earn a lot of money.
As part of this new project, funded by EMW, plans include raising animals and beneficial insects on the college grounds. The chickens are already there; the bees will arrive as soon as the orchard – with its apricot and peach trees – is further developed. That is why veterinarian Definite Alufasi was hired specifically to provide professional guidance for the project and to teach students, faculty, and other staff about farming. The produce will ultimately be used in the college cafeteria’s kitchen.
A Bright Future
© Foto: Tatenda Mapigoti/unsplash | Land is a major resource in Zimbabwe.
For topics such as agriculture and horticulture, as well as waste management, waste separation, recycling, composting, etc., there are workshop partnerships with relevant specialized organizations in Zimbabwe. It is hoped that this will make it possible to better put into practice God’s mandate to humanity to use and preserve creation through good stewardship. And Principal Kupakwashe Mtata is certain that this will bring about positive long-term change for the people of Zimbabwe. He sees this project as holding great hope not only for the UTC. He thinks on a much larger scale: “I think it’s possible to have green churches led by green pastors from our green college, and that we can make Zimbabwe green. That way, people can truly decide for themselves what they want without fearing that someone will withhold resources from them, because they already have resources and don’t need others to give them any.” Mtata is convinced that by knowing how to be self-sufficient, the people of Zimbabwe can become empowered, more self-determined, and free. What a beautiful prospect – almost as the UTC’s address suggests. Perhaps the beautiful valley that, as the street name promises, can be seen from the United Theological College will indeed exist one day. In any case, this project marks the beginning.
United Theological College in Zimbabwe
The United Theological College (UTC) is located near Harare and is the oldest and largest Protestant ecumenical seminary in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1954, the college has been training pastors and Christian leaders for Zimbabwe and other African countries. In addition to theological education, the UTC teaches practical skills for addressing social, political, and ethical challenges.
Learn more about the United Theological College: utc-zw.org