Christian Reformed Theological Seminary-About us

About Us

Do you wish to prepare for Christian service or ministry?
The CRTS provides sound Theological training on correspondence and/or online basis.

“Internet-based distance education”

The CRTS provides sound Theological training by means of internet-based distance education. Material is supplied and student assignments are submitted via ordinary mail, email or online. It is preferred that degree students have a computer with access to the internet. Some material like published books is supplied in the printed format”.
For our vision and mission, see our Prospectus (1.1.1).

Registered and accredited
The Diploma was re-accredited in 2008 and the 3 years BTh Degree was accredited by CHE in 2009. Both qualifications have also been re-accredited for 2014 to December 2018, cycle. This has now been extended to the end of 2020
For more on our registration and accreditation status refer to our Prospectus (1.2).

The CRTS exists to glorify God and extend His Kingdom rule in this world by serving the Church of Jesus Christ, firstly in South Africa, but then also into the rest of Africa, to train and inspire Christian leaders from all strata of life to effectively reach the world with the Gospel and build up the Church.

We achieve this by:

Uncompromisingly and authoritatively teaching Reformed and Evangelical theology through the versatility of our curricula.
Developing and maintaining differentiated curricula that make provision for levels of education and life experience.
Integrating all courses with life and ministry practice and the formation of Reformed and Evangelical spirituality.
Incorporating congregation-based distance education with dynamic seminar-type training in the form of an excellent satellite model.
The recruiting and directing of a faculty and staff that are committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the calling of God for people from His Church, and a high standard of theological training.
Supplying well-trained candidates for the ministry and church planters for the Body of Christ.

The Bible is the holy and infallible Word of God, forming the basis of our creed and theological convictions.

The Apostles’ Creed and the so-called three formularies of unity, namely:

Heidelberg Catechism
Netherlands’s Creed; and
The Five Canons of Dordrecht are also acknowledged as summations of the Biblical Christian root values, on condition that the Bible stands as the final authoritative source.

Evangelical

There are various currents in the reformed tradition, each with its own emphasis. We form part of the evangelical reformed current, which implies that we want to place into perspective man’s responsive involvement and co-operation with God’s work in his life. We believe that God does not override man’s will in His work, but rather that man’s will is incorporated in God’s all-embracing will. We believe this brings the required balance to the reformed teaching concerning salvation as well as the mission commission.
Therefore, the CRTS is also evangelical in its approach to training. As a result, students are directed to the need for frequent evangelistic campaigns and evangelistic services, characterized by a call to respond. For this very reason, the Seminary and Bible School put a high premium on world evangelization [missions]. We believe that every person should hear the Good News and that they can be reconciled with God in Jesus Christ.
Conversion is also emphasized as a continuous act of obedience. Every Christian must daily turn to God and increase in holy conduct in life. Serving as an example to us is Dr Andrew Murray, who years ago taught a similar emphasis in reformed theology.

Renewal

We support the reformed motto, ‘reformata reformans’, which means ‘reformed reforming’, implying that reformers will always continue to reform. The CRTS realized that being reformed resides in healthy doctrine, but that this doctrine can have a contemporary and renewed application on contemporary circumstances and demands.
Being reformed includes the commitment to sound and conservative Biblical doctrine. In this regard for instance, the Seminary is opposed to recent propagation for the retranslation of certain texts of the Bible to suit contemporary views and to consequently tone down or weaken matters on which the Bible strongly pronounces itself.
Instead, we prefer a continuous readiness to interpret doctrines afresh in the light of the Bible as the authoritative Word of God. In this regard, the Seminary’s emphasis on missions may serve as an example, as well as our sensitivity to the Person and work of the Holy Spirit.
On the other hand, the Seminary prepares students to apply the sound doctrine in a contemporary and fresh manner, also in order to be sensitive to those cultural preferences that do not affect Biblical principles. In this regard, the renewing of public worship, ministry and fellowship can serve as examples. The Seminary also endeavours to encourage Bible-based openness to the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit, of which the purpose is to equip believers to edify one another spiritually in local church situations, such as home cells, but also to reach out with the Gospel outside the church as Spirit-filled witnesses.