SOUTH AFRICA STUDY ABROAD

APPLY

GIVE TO SSU

South Africa

HEALING THE COLONIAL WOUND:
DECOLONIZING OUR FAITH & PEACE PRAXIS

STUDY ABROAD TRIP

AUGUST 8 – 22, 2026 – DEADLINE TO REGISTER: MARCH 10, 2026

STUDY ABROAD TRIP

Meeting at the Intersection of Colonialism, Apartheid, and Faithful Resistance

St. Stephen's University offers a Study Abroad Trip to South Africa with a focus on “Healing the Colonial Wound: Decolonizing Our Faith and Peace Praxis” facilitated in partnership with Iziko Lamaqabane (izikolamaqabane.org). With the anti-apartheid struggle (past and present) as our reflective backdrop, this trip is for students and friends of SSU (both credit and audit options available) and is an opportunity to journey together alongside fellow theologians and peacemakers while learning from community organisers, theologians, scholar activist, historians, peace and justice practitioners, and other invested people who are directly involved in grassroots, community-based peacebuilding, the black-consciousness and black-theology movements, and modern spatial-justice struggles, while considering various theological, cultural, and material dimensions of decolonization.

Topics

South African Histories
Colonialism & Christian Nationalism
Apartheid Theology (Then & Now)
Faithful Resistance
Decolonizing our Faith
Decolonizing the Land
Decolonizing Peace & Justice Praxis
The Inner Transformation of a Peacemaker
Contextual Bible Study
Black Consciousness
Black Theology
The Kairos Movement
Anti-Racism Theology & Praxis
Spatial Imagination & Spatial Justice
Black Solidarity (local and global)
South African & Palestinian Solidarity
And many more...

Our partners for this 2-week study abroad trip include Iziko Lamaqabane, St Benedict’s House Rosettenville (JNB), Schoenstatt Retreat Centre Constantia (CPT), and The Volmoed Trust (Desmond Tutu’s personal retreat centre).

AT A GLANCE

DATES – Aug. 8 – 22, 2026
DEADLINE TO REGISTER – March 10, 2026
CREDIT HOURS – 6 c/h (only if taken for credit)
TOTAL TRIP COST FOR CREDIT – $5,870 CAD + flights (includes tuition)
TOTAL TRIP COST FOR NON-CREDIT – $4,000 CAD + flights
DELIVERY MODES – readings before the trip, intensive academic sessions with experts in their fields, visiting local organizations with on-the-ground practitioners and community leaders, visiting archival sites, CBS via Parables, communal meals, Eucharistic gatherings, engaging sites of struggle, film screenings, and many more..
CURRICULUM SUBJECTS – South African histories, colonialism & Christian Nationalism, apartheid theology (then & now), faithful resistance, decolonizing our faith, decolonizing the land, decolonizing peace & justice praxis, the inner transformation of a peacemaker, contextual Bible study, black consciousness, black theology, the Kairos Movement, anti-racism theology & praxis, spatial imagination & spatial justice, black solidarity (local and global), South African & Palestinian solidarity

Itinerary

(NB: The following itinerary is subject to change but gives prospective participants an idea of the experiences they will participate in)

AUGUST 8 – 15 (JOHANNESBURG)

Sites of Struggle (Soweto, Kliptown, Sophiatown, Orange Farm)
Archival Sites (Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, Sophiatown Heritage Centre, Regina Mundi, Hector Pietersen Museum)
Academic Sessions in Black Theology & Black Consciousness at UNISA
Dialogical learning and reflective times with local peacemakers, activists and theologians.

AUGUST 15 – 20 (CAPE TOWN)

Sites of Struggle (Cape Town CBD, Gugulethu, District Six, Bo-Kaap)
Archival Sites (District Six Museum, The Dompass Museum, Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Centre, St George’s Cathedral, Castle of Good Hope)
Academic Sessions in Kairos Theology and Spatial Justice at UWC
Dialogical learning and reflective times with local peacemakers, activists and theologians.
Film Screening of “A Piece of Ground” w/Anno Domini
Optional Table Mountain Excursion

AUGUST 20 – 22 (HERMANUS)

Contemplative Retreat at the historic The Volmoed Trust (Desmond Tutu’s personal retreat centre)

STUDY ABROAD TRIP

About our Hosts //

Iziko Lamaqabane (izikolamaqabane.org) is on a pilgrimage to heal colonial wounds, disrupt systemic violence, and cultivate faith formed by and expressed in liberative praxis. By working in relational solidarity with urban peace and justice practitioners throughout Africa, Iziko serves those active at the site of struggle by facilitating spaces of retreat, exchange and collective learning grounded at the intersection of anabaptism, black liberation theology & critical consciousness.