History

Sekolah Tinggi Theologi “Duta Watjana” received registered status from the Department of Higher Education and Science in Jakarta, with decree No. 142/B-Swt/P/66, effective February 12, 1966.

Since 1982, STTh Duta Wacana has been a member of The Association for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA), which regularly conducts international accreditation. In its accreditation assessment, ATESEA recognizes STTh Duta Wacana as a ‘top-notch’ theological education institution in Asia.

Sekolah Tinggi Theologia Duta Wacana has increasingly gained recognition from various stakeholders. Government acknowledgment, specifically from the Directorate General of Higher Education, was initially as ‘Registered.’ In 1983, it was upgraded to ‘Recognized,’ and then further elevated to ‘Equated’ in 1986.

The church has increasingly strengthened its support, as evidenced by the growing number of churches joining as supporters. Initially, Sekolah Tinggi Theologia Duta Wacana was supported by only five churches: Gereja Kristen Jawa (GKJ), Gereja Kristen Indonesia Jawa Tengah (GKI Jateng), Gereja Kristen Jawi Wetan (GKJW), Gereja Kristen Indonesia Jawa Timur (GKI Jatim), and Gereja Injili Tanah Jawi (GITJ). Support expanded with the addition of Gereja Kristen Indonesia Jawa Barat (GKI Jabar), Gereja Kristen Sumba (GKS), Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia (GKMI), Gereja Kristen Protestan Bali (GKPB), Gereja Kristen Pasundan (GKP), Gereja Protestan Indonesia Barat (GPIB), and Gereja Kristen Sumatera Bagian Selatan (GKSBS). Thus, a total of 12 church synods supported the institution. Recognizing the call to increase participation in education, the supporting churches agreed to develop Sekolah Tinggi Theologia Duta Wacana into a university. Consequently, the Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana was officially established on October 31, 1985, although it had begun operations in May 1985. With its expansion into a university, the management of the Bachelor’s Program in Theology is handled by the university unit, namely the Faculty of Theology.

The transformation of Sekolah Tinggi Theologia Duta Wacana in Yogyakarta into Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana was based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 053/O/1989 dated January 26, 1989.

The establishment of the Graduate Program in Theology at UKDW was based on the Decree of the Board of Trustees of the Duta Wacana Foundation No. 027/B.07.c/SK/Yas/VI/1991 dated June 7, 1991.

In 1991, UKDW launched a Graduate Program in Theology, offering theological studies at the Master’s level.

The conferral of the “equated” status to the Theology program for the Bachelor’s level at the Faculty of Theology, UKDW Yogyakarta, was based on the Decree of the Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 194/DIKTI/KEp/1994 dated July 9, 1994.

Following the designation of the Faculty of Theology at UKDW as the base for the doctoral program of the South East Asia Graduate School of Theology (SEAGST) consortium for Western Indonesia, the Faculty of Theology began offering a Doctoral Program in Theology affiliated with SEAGST starting in 2005.

The status of the Doctoral Program in Theology was further established as a local UKDW program after receiving official accreditation from the Indonesian government in 2010. When SEAGST transformed into the ATESEA Theological Union (ATU) in 2010, the Faculty of Theology at UKDW was recognized as a ‘Centre of Theological Excellence’ by ATESEA and continued to be one of its home bases. Additionally, in 2007, the Faculty of Theology at UKDW, in collaboration with the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Graduate Program of Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga, founded the Indonesian Consortium for Religious Studies in Yogyakarta (ICRS Yogya). This consortium offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Interreligious Studies as an international, interdisciplinary, and interfaith program. The inauguration of ICRS Yogya was conducted by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X at the Kraton Yogyakarta.

Indonesian society today is characterized by high and rapid mobility across various fields due to technological changes and developments, which can have both positive and negative impacts. This situation can be further complicated by the fact of religious, ethnic, and social diversity within Indonesian society, which often becomes a source of conflict. Additionally, there is a tendency for people to use violence to resolve issues.

UKDW, in general, and the Faculty of Theology specifically, feel called to respond to these issues and needs within the context of church and community engagement. Therefore, the Master’s Program in Theology has developed its offerings in four areas of interest: Theological Studies (M.Th.), Pastoral Theology (M.Div.), Peace Studies (Master of Arts in Peace Studies), and Practical Theology (Master of Arts in Practical Theology).

Entering the second decade of the 21st century, the importance of developing a new, contextual curriculum has become increasingly recognized, in line with changes in society and the role of theology as a discipline. Previously, theological education curricula were designed to prepare students for pastoral roles. Today, however, theology must be accessible to students who do not wish to become pastors but still want to work in various fields with a background in theology. This is reflected in the vision, mission, and educational goals of the Faculty of Theology at UKDW. As the curriculum is a crucial tool for achieving these goals, the new curriculum is structured as follows: a four-year theology education program for theological studies, with an additional year for a professional program.

The Faculty of Theology also recognized the need to establish a separate Program in Conflict and Peace Studies from the Master’s Program in Theology and submitted a proposal for accreditation to the Ministry of Education and Culture. The accreditation for the Master’s Program in Conflict and Peace Studies from the Directorate General of Higher Education (DIKTI) was granted on April 29, 2014, under number 51/E/O/2014. This program, managed by the Faculty of Theology at UKDW, includes two areas of interest: Peace Studies (MAPS) and Practical Theology (MAPT).

The Bachelor’s Program in Theology and the Master’s Program in Theology, with specializations in Intercultural Theology (M.Th.), Pastoral Theology (M.Div.), Practical Theology (MAPT), and Peace Studies (MAPS), were internationally accredited by ATESEA in 2014.

The change of the name of the Theology program to the Bachelor’s Program in Philosophy of Divinity was based on the Decree of the Minister of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia No. 687/M/2020, dated July 27, 2020, regarding the renaming of programs at Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana.