None

The student can: 

1.      analyse and evaluate challenging texts by important theologians from the Reformed tradition as well as modern theologians (MTA 1, 2, 3); 

2.      explain and reproduce the main aspects of selected themes from Reformed theology from a systematical and historical perspective (MTA 1, 4); 

3.      reflect from a Reformed perspective on selected theological topics and construct new ways to develop and appropriate themes from Reformed theology for her/his context (MTA 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8). 

This course travels through current theological themes and investigates what a Reformed theological perspective can contribute. Meanwhile, it is a practice in conversing with different contexts and traditions. The theme of ‘God’s presence in reality’ connects the first six lectures. A major concern in Western theology is a particular shortcoming of modernity and secularity: the materialist or naturalist worldview has so deeply transformed our thinking and feeling that it is difficult to notice, acknowledge and sense the presence of God. In the field of ethics and philosophy, non-naturalist worldviews and re-enchantment have recently been explored. In Western theology, ontologies of participation are sometimes presented as solution to re-connect God and reality. Thanks to the MIRT-students in this course, the participants can receive and engage with a non-Western perspective on this typical Western problem.  Because a Reformed perspective takes the Scriptures as its authority, there will also be attention for biblical theology in the questions at stake. This module focuses on some major theological topics such as: how to approach creation theologically (1), the trend of sacramental ontology (2), the trend of theosis (3), the threefold office of Christ (4), eco(theo)logy (5), and eschatology (6). The students will gain insight in classic (reformed) stances concerning these matters, as well as contemporary issues concerning these topics. They will be challenged to reflect theologically and contextually on the themes at stake. The theological issues discussed are not confined to Reformed theology, but students will learn how to relate from their Reformed and contextual perspective to these issues.    

An international theologian will lecture on the actuality and contextualisation of Reformed theology in his specific context.    

Students prepare themselves through literature study of the assigned texts. Before each lecture, they need to hand in a reading report according to specific requirements that focus on analysis of the texts and contextual reflection and appropriation of the theological theme in his or her cultural context while taking (Western) reformed theology into the conversation (use Canvas). The evaluation is based on the assignments (50%) and a written exam with multiple choice closed-ended questions, short open-ended questions and long open-ended questions (50%).   

Lectures  

Dr. Martine Oldhoff   

1. Creation: how to approach creation theologically?  

2. Creation: sacramental ontology   

3. Soteriology: trending theosis  

4. Soteriology: the threefold office of Christ  

5. Eco(theo)logy  

6. Eschatology  

7. (3x) International Guest Professor dr. Paul Mpindi on ‘doing Reformed theology in Africa’   

• 6 lectures with dr. Martine Oldhoff (6 x 3 hours) 
• 3 lectures with an international guest professor (3 x 3 hours) 
• Discussions, Presentations, Writing assignments (CAAQR), Independent studies and a Final Paper 

Contact hours: 27 hours 
Lecture preparation: 75 hours
Independent study:  66 hours 
Total: 168 hours

*Five assignments, prepared before every lecture: reading report (on the largest text that is to be read for the specific lecture) according to requirements that focus on analysis of the texts and contextual reflection: the CAAQR model (CAAQR is a representation, in approximately 600 words, of a text by means of a core quote, a description of the argument (not a summary), an analytical connection (not a similarity) with the other text that needed to be read for the particular lecture, a critical-analytical question concerning the concerned literature and a brief reflection on the relation to one’s own cultural context). The students receive a grade for two of the assignments and the average of these assignments composes half of the final grade (50%).  

*A written exam with multiple choice closed-ended questions, short open-ended questions and long open-ended questions (50%).  

Required literature