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Research Supervision in Divinity

The School offers the following areas of research interest at postgraduate level:

Church History

Mediaeval and Modern Thomisms; The 16th century Reformations (particularly Bucer, Erasmus, Luther, Calvin); The patristic revival of the 15th and 16th centuries; Early Modern Scottish church history; history of Christian worship (the Eucharist in particular); Early Modern Catholicism (Catholic irenicism in particular); Christianity and religious tolerance; The history of the ecumenical movement; Christian thought in Europe since the Enlightenment; Church-State relations in 19th and 20th Century France, Austria-Hungary, Italy; History of Episcopalian Thought and Practice; Modern Catholic Intellectual History.

Mediaeval spirituality, mysticism, and piety in general, both in theory and practice; spirituality and life styles of religious and secular women in particular, including literacy and literature; the religious movements of the 11th to early 14th centuries, both in their orthodox and heterodox appearances; monastic reform movements of the 15th centuries and the beginnings of the English reformation (until 1530).

Postgraduate students participate in a weekly seminar in Church History and Historical Theology. They are also welcome to attend postgraduate seminars elsewhere in the School, whether in other theological disciplines such as Systematic Theology, or in related disciplines such as Early Modern Studies. Each year staff and postgraduate students in Church History at the Scottish Universities also meet for a weekend conference in Perth.

Old Testament / Hebrew Bible

Supervision is offered in most areas of Old Testament studies. The research interests of the staff cover the theology and interpretation of the Hebrew Scriptures, Psalms, OT Historiography, Achaemenid Period, the Prophetic Literature, critique of the Priesthood, Medieval Jewish exegesis and ancient Near eastern literature. Supervision can also be offered in early versions of the OT such as Septuagint, Targumim and Peshitta. Languages offered include:

• Akkadian
• Aramaic (with Syriac)
• Hebrew (all periods)
• North-West Semitic epigraphy
• Ugaritic

New Testament

Supervision is offered in most areas of New Testament study. Among topics of current postgraduate research are: Matthew's understanding of the history of Israel; Mark's Gospel as an Oral document; the use of Ps 62 in the NT and early Judaism; Paul's eschatology; spiritual gifts in 1 Cor 12-14; 'light' symbolism in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gospel of John; the Coptic versions of John; the use of Lev 18.5 in early Christianity and Judaism; 'repentance' in the thought of the historical Jesus and of the Qumran community; the journey motif in Luke-Acts; the "indwelling" motif in the Gospel of John; the theology of Galatians; theology and ethics in Philippians; the use of the OT in Hebrews and Barnabas; a canonical approach to the "catholic epistles"; the origins of the synagogue. Areas of staff research interest include Pauline theology, with particular reference to the so-called "new perspective on Paul"; Johannine theology; the use of the OT in the NT; early Christianity within its Hellenistic environment; apocryphal gospels; hermeneutics.

In July 2006 Aberdeen University hosted the congress of the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas.

 

Practical Theology

Pastoral Care and Counselling: theology and disability, spirituality, health and healing; the role of the church community in the care of marginalised people, the pastoral implications of theodicy; practical theology and qualitative research methods, methodological issues in Practical Theology.

Christian mission: The relationship between the church and contemporary culture, the nature of discipleship in a changing world; the theology and practice of new churches; contemporary models of evangelism; the role of worship as a political and social force; the difference that Christian faith and doctrine makes for living in a changing post-modern cultural context.

Ethics: Methodological issues in Christian ethics: sources of the Christian ethics, doctrinal location of Christian ethics, scripture in Christian ethics, cultural and biblical hermeneutics.

Concrete questions in Christian ethics: emigration and population displacement, globalisation, outsourcing, political theology, imperialism/crusade, political techniques, energy policy, waste management policies and practices, technological development, agricultural practices, proliferation of weapons, terrorism, insurgency, prison policy, medical ethics, mental and physical disability, public health policy, media, publicity, advertisement, propaganda, entertainment culture.

All postgraduate students in Practical Theology are members of a flourishing research community which provides an opportunity for students to interact with one another and with highly regarded scholars from across the theological disciplines.

Systematic Theology

Supervision can be offered in all areas of constructive Christian theology, as well as historical theology (especially of the modern period), philosophical theology and theological ethics. Particular research interests of staff include the following:

• Major topics in Christian dogmatics, including the doctrine of God, Christology, and soteriology
• Ecclesiology, anthropology, ethics and political theology
• The nature and interpretation of Scripture
• The theologies of Karl Barth, Hans Urs von Balthasar and Dietrich Bonheoffer
• Themes in the history of modern theology
• Theological aesthetics
• Modern Roman Catholic thought

The School is home to the David Lewis Karl Barth Collection, which gives it the most complete collection of books by and on Karl Barth in Scotland.

 

Further details of staff research interests and publications can be found at

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/divinity/staff

This page was last modified on: Monday, 21-May-2007 09:06:55 BST

School of Divinity, History and Philosophy
King's College · University of Aberdeen · Aberdeen AB24 3UB
Tel: +44 (0) 1224-272380 · Fax: +44 (0) 1224-273750