Image: Alvesgaspar, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Watch the full interview here!
Peter Christofides, Theology lecturer and undergraduate degree coordinater at Notre Dame University, shares his love for Theology, and talks about ways to learn it.
Peter grew up in Johannesburg; after two years of military service, he tried studying law, but “realized that my calling was to study Theology.” After completing his Bachelor of Theology, he worked with kids from the streets of Johannesburg, and in school. He then completed an honors and masters in Theology, and a Phd in peace and reconciliation. Then, as a lecturer, he completed a second PhD, on the rediscovery of the role of the laity in the mission of the Church. He says, “Rather than me running after Theology, it seemed like Theology came after me, and I’m constantly improving myself with short courses, and obviously as a lecturer there’s constant preparation. So that is how, I suppose, Theology found me rather than me finding Theology.”
Asked about whether Theology gets people jobs, Peter says, “There are so many vocations for people who do a bachelor of Theology.” You can study Theology along with another discipline, such as philosophy or law. “We live in a world where ethics seems to be out the window,” and Theology studies can enable a person to work in ethics for any organization. Peter mentioned, “I was invited to the human research ethics committee for the health department of western Australia, just to be the ethical voice for the organization. So when people want to do experiments, what is the ethical side of things?” There are also many opportunities to work in chaplaincy.
Theology “is not just for those who want to become priests or nuns, there are many, many different vocations that are available, and I think companies are looking for more people to be involved from an ethical perspective…just to understand the standard of ethics from a moral perspective.”
Peter lectures in Perth for CFE, (Center for Faith Enrichment); each school term, he goes to a different parish and gives a series of lectures. People can attend these for their own interest and personal formation; or, by doing four courses through the CFE, with assessments, and four through the university of Notre Dame, they can achieve an Undergraduate Diploma in Theology. Another way to grow in Theology is to have a group which meets regularly to read and discuss the Bible.
On teaching Theology in the family, Peter says, “It’s difficult to teach children if you don’t know the topic yourself.” Having good personal formation can helps you, as a parent, to give your children a solid grounding in the Faith. In the Christofides family, Theology “becomes part of our family talk”; rather than setting aside a specific time to formally talk about Theology, it becomes part of the everyday dinner table discussion; “It’s part of how we roll as a family, if you like.”
Having a strong academic background in Theology also helps one’s own Faith formation; for example, Peter knows Biblical Greek, and so he can listen to the Gospel at Church, and then read the same passage in its original language, which adds a whole layer of meaning.
There are so many ways to learn Theology; Peter said to me, “There is so much available, Anastasia; free literature online that is available to help us to grow, and increase in our faith as followers of Jesus.”
