Revd Canon Dr Percy Chinganga
Welcome to the College of the Transfiguration (COTT), the only residential theological institution for the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA). We also extend our services to people from other denominations, thus making our community more diverse and enriching in a variety of ways. Our mandate is contained in the term formation, understood as three pronged: spirituality (a godly habit of life), intellectual integrity (wisdom), and ministerial engagement (mission and ministry).
Life at COTT, therefore, follows a routine rhythm of Prayer and worship, Study, and Community Work, with allowances for social activities. All these engagements are of equal importance. So, whilst we are an academic institution, we are also a praying/worshipping community, called to bring justice, hope, and light to those among whom we live and work. It is especially important that, like Christ, we listen to and care for one another, especially those who appear unimportant or peripheral.
In essence, we are a community in formation. As such, we find affirmation in St. Paul’s words to the Corinthian Church when he wrote: “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3: 18).
In our diversity, we strive to journey together caringly and compassionately, acknowledging the gift that each member of the community is for all to flourish and become what God intends us to be as well as contribute towards growing the institution. Admittedly, this is a journey of discovery, requiring community members to generously give and to receive with gratitude, to doubt and to imbibe, and to critically engage life encounters in order to find sense and meaning of faith and life.
Safety of community members is a priority at COTT. We are committed to creating an environment that is free of violence of any kind. It goes without saying that there should be no place for physical, sexual violence, emotional or spiritual violence at the College; nor should there be abuses of power. Further, no-one should experience discrimination on the basis of sexuality, gender, class, language, or disability.
In these times of climate crisis, there is also no place for violence to our environment. We are committed to caring for the campus and surrounding areas. We hope that all College community members will endeavour to live more simply and lightly on the earth.
The Revd Dr Canon Percy Chinganga
“Whilst we are an academic institution,
we are also a praying and worshipping community.”