Undergraduate Divinity 2023-2024

This course will explore religions of Ancient Greece and Rome.

What would the Perfect World look like? How is to be achieved? The history of religion, philosophy, and science shows us an interesting mix of answers to these questions that give witness to particular visions of the future. We will investigate different pictures of a perfect world as a way of understanding the many contrasts, controversies, and conjunctions that have developed historically and remain as resources for us to think about the perfect world today.

In addition to lecture and seminar meetings, the course will involve research workshops with a focus on writing and an emphasis on methods and tools in academic writing and research. Students will work on a specific project throughout the half-session, from topic selection and question formation to research and writing, to produce a final piece of academic or professional writing such as a research paper, conference paper, article, book review, prospectus, or syllabus.

This course contains a survey of the biblical literature of the Hebrew Bible and of the critical methods involved in its study. The course surveys the content, theology, and history of formation of key books within the Hebrew Bible. It also presents and critically evaluates source-critical, redaction-critical, form-critical, and canonical approaches to the biblical texts.

The course will introduce you to the first five centuries of Christian life and belief. It traces the rise of Christianity from its origins as a Jewish sect to a position of cultural and religious dominance in the Roman Empire. It also looks at the development of central themes in early Christian theology and spirituality. The course consists of a series of lectures on key topics, and tutorial seminars on researching and presenting your work, and on various early Christian texts. The course also requires your own reading and research.

The course will introduce students to the form of Greek found in the New Testament and help students to begin to read the New Testament in Greek. The programme will follow the textbook by J. Duff, Elements of New Testament Greek (Cambridge University Press, 2005). This is not to be confused with the textbook with the same title by John Wenham. 

The aim of this course is to facilitate a rediscovery of the generative influence of the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity in the arts. The stories, characters, visions, prophecies, imagery, and sayings of these texts have stimulated the imagination for millennia. Indeed, the appropriation and reconfiguration of biblical and para-biblical material in art forms such as literature, music, visual art, and film is so pervasive that such influence has become commonplace to the point of being undiscernible. But this course will open new vistas on the Bible in the arts.

This course is an introduction to classical biblical Hebrew without presupposing any prior knowledge. It involves the study of grammar and syntax and the translation of simple Hebrew prose texts. 

In our lifetime, Western nations are becoming increasingly detached from religion and religious practice. Now, it’s more important than ever to understand the place and function of atheism (and atheisms) in modern thought. This course will explore the historical development of atheism from ancient times, as well as more current trends in thinking. Starting with an overview of atheism in Ancient Greece and Rome, students will learn about the “death of God” and “religionless Christianity.” We will explore atheism from various angles, from theories of secularisation to New Atheism, to what happens when atheists set up a church. There will be opportunities to discuss atheism in relation to race and gender, and to think about those it includes and excludes. We’ll also consider what it means to be “spiritual but not religious.” Finally, the course will explore the future of atheism and theological engagements with it.

This course will look at magic in the ancient Greek, Roman and Ancient Near Eastern World. The course will explore the concept of magic and key themes associated with magical rituals and practitioners. 

This course is the second part of an introduction to classical biblical Hebrew. It involves the study of grammar and syntax and the translation of simple Hebrew prose texts. Only students who have taken DR1042 or equivalent are eligible to take this course. 

This course, which builds on the foundations laid in DR1039, introduces further study of the grammar and vocabulary of New Testament Greek. 

This course explores primary themes in Practical Theology around inclusion. How has the Christian tradition understood questions of disability, suffering and difference in what it means to be human? Can insights from historical theology offer perspectives on contemporary practice? We will explore these questions through a survey of the historical tradition reflecting on attitudes to those who might have been deemed disabled. These historical works can provide a dialogue with contemporary questions as we think about inclusion in the church and society.

What do Christians believe? Why do they believe it? Can it (despite everything!) possibly be true? And if so, what difference does it make? Taking an 'insider's view' of Christian belief, this course asks what it means to think and to speak Christianly--about God, Jesus, creation, religion, human community and responsibility, death, life and other little things.

The New Testament is a small library of 27 texts, which have had a unique impact on Western civilization. This course explores the authors, situations, audiences, and themes of the texts of the New Testament; the diverse voices and genres across the New Testament; the relation of early Christian literature to its Jewish and Graeco-Roman contexts; and an overview of some major critical debates and approaches relevant to New Testament Studies. This course is recommended preparation for the following Level 3/4 courses: The Practice of Biblical Interpretation; God & Salvation in the Gospels and Acts; and God & Salvation in the Letters of Paul.

This course will explore religions of Ancient Greece and Rome.

The course will introduce you to the first five centuries of Christian life and belief. It traces the rise of Christianity from its origins as a Jewish sect to a position of cultural and religious dominance in the Roman Empire. It also looks at the development of central themes in early Christian theology and spirituality. The course consists of a series of lectures on key topics, and tutorial seminars on researching and presenting your work, and on various early Christian texts. The course also requires your own reading and research.

What would the Perfect World look like? How is to be achieved? The history of religion, philosophy, and science shows us an interesting mix of answers to these questions that give witness to particular visions of the future. We will investigate different pictures of a perfect world as a way of understanding the many contrasts, controversies, and conjunctions that have developed historically and remain as resources for us to think about the perfect world today.

In addition to lecture and seminar meetings, the course will involve research workshops with a focus on writing and an emphasis on methods and tools in academic writing and research. Students will work on a specific project throughout the half-session, from topic selection and question formation to research and writing, to produce a final piece of academic or professional writing such as a research paper, conference paper, article, book review, prospectus, or syllabus.

This course contains a survey of the biblical literature of the Hebrew Bible and of the critical methods involved in its study. The course surveys the content, theology, and history of formation of key books within the Hebrew Bible. It also presents and critically evaluates source-critical, redaction-critical, form-critical, and canonical approaches to the biblical texts.

The aim of this course is to facilitate a rediscovery of the generative influence of the sacred texts of Judaism and Christianity in the arts. The stories, characters, visions, prophecies, imagery, and sayings of these texts have stimulated the imagination for millennia. Indeed, the appropriation and reconfiguration of biblical and para-biblical material in art forms such as literature, music, visual art, and film is so pervasive that such influence has become commonplace to the point of being undiscernible. But this course will open new vistas on the Bible in the arts.

This course explores primary themes in Practical Theology around inclusion. How has the Christian tradition understood questions of disability, suffering and difference in what it means to be human? Can insights from historical theology offer perspectives on contemporary practice? We will explore these questions through a survey of the historical tradition reflecting on attitudes to those who might have been deemed disadvantaged. These historical works can provide a dialogue with contemporary questions as we think about inclusion in the church and society.

What do Christians believe? Why do they believe it? Can it (despite everything!) possibly be true? And if so, what difference does it make? Taking an 'insider's view' of Christian belief, this course asks what it means to think and to speak Christianly about God, Jesus, creation, religion, human community and responsibility, death, life and other little things.

The New Testament is a small library of 27 texts, which have had a unique impact on Western civilization. This course explores the authors, situations, audiences, and themes of the texts of the New Testament; the diverse voices and genres across the New Testament; the relation of early Christian literature to its Jewish and Graeco-Roman contexts; and an overview of some major critical debates and approaches relevant to New Testament Studies. This course is recommended preparation for the following Level 3/4 courses: The Practice of Biblical Interpretation; God & Salvation in the Gospels and Acts; and God & Salvation in the Letters of Paul.

This course will offer an overview of philosophical and theological approaches of atheism, from ancient times to the present day. It will trace the historical development of atheistic thought, beginning with ancient atheisms and pin-pointing key historical texts and developments in this area of thought. The course will explore divergent modern approaches to unbelief, including New Atheism, ‘temperate’ or ‘soft’ atheisms, and Humanism, as well as the more recent phenomenon of ‘godless religion’ and secular churches. The latter part of the course will trace theological engagement with atheism, examining religious responses to unbelief. The module will end with some discussion of how the discipline of theology might engage with atheism in both contemporary and future discourse.

This course will look at magic in the ancient Greek, Roman and Ancient Near Eastern World. The course will explore the concept of magic and key themes associated with magical rituals and practitioners. 

The European Reformation was a time of immense ecclesiastical, social, intellectual and political transformation that changed the religious and cultural landscape of the West forever. By way of regular seminars, this course draws students into detailed exploration of critical events, developments, ideas and debates of this tumultuous period in history to consider the nature of the transformations which it bequeathed to subsequent centuries up to and including our own.

This course will explore the role of animals and monsters in the Ancient Near East, ancient Greek, Roman Worlds.

 

The four canonical gospels and the book of Acts are generally recognized to be our most reliable sources for historical information about Jesus and the movement that he began. Yet, they are clearly also works shaped by the beliefs of their writers or editors and the needs of the communities for which they were composed. Reading such works requires us to reflect upon the character and significance of their theology and on how this is to be related to the historical dimension of the literature, including to the figure of the historical Jesus. This course will engage in detail with the range of approaches that are taken to the historical and theological interpretation of the gospels and Acts and particularly with the ways by which beliefs about the nature of God and salvation are transformed by ‘the Christ event’.      

Across two millennia, Christian theology has been advanced by contributions of leading theologians who have reflected upon substantive claims of the Christian faith, developed accounts of their interconnections and meaning, and engaged with the intellectual challenges raised in their era. This course invites students to detailed engagement with the work of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), one of the most significant and influential theologians from the history of the Christian tradition, by way of sustained study of primary texts in the context of lively seminar discussion and debate.

This course explores the nature of various forms of division and conflict in the contemporary world, and the contribution of theology to community enhancement, peacebuilding and transformation. Grounded in case studies of issues that divide societies, such as race, abortion, social media, and Brexit, the course analyses causes of division as well as (theological) models of protest, forgiveness and transformation, with the question whether reconciliation is possibly or even desirable.

This course will engage and evaluate emerging developments within cutting edge research on the Hebrew Bible and its larger ancient eastern Mediterranean context(s). The course will focus on matters language, text, and material culture as they inform study and understanding of the biblical text.

The European Reformation was a time of immense ecclesiastical, social, intellectual and political transformation that changed the religious and cultural landscape of the West forever. By way of regular seminars, this course draws students into detailed exploration of critical events, developments, ideas and debates of this tumultuous period in history to consider the nature of the transformations which it bequeathed to subsequent centuries up to and including our own.

 

This course will explore the role of animals and monsters in the Ancient Near East, ancient Greek, Roman Worlds.

The four canonical gospels and the book of Acts are generally recognized to be our most reliable sources for historical information about Jesus and the movement that he began. Yet, they are clearly also works shaped by the beliefs of their writers or editors and the needs of the communities for which they were composed. Reading such works requires us to reflect upon the character and significance of their theology and on how this is to be related to the historical dimension of the literature, including to the figure of the historical Jesus. This course will engage in detail with the range of approaches that are taken to the historical and theological interpretation of the gospels and Acts and particularly with the ways by which beliefs about the nature of God and salvation are transformed by ‘the Christ event’.      

This course involves the writing of a dissertation in one of the sub-disciplines in Divinity and Religious Studies. Independent Research work is done under the supervision of a member of staff. The dissertation is an extended essay, of no more than 10,000 words inclusive of references. Please note the 10,000 words does not include the bibliography

Across two millennia, Christian theology has been advanced by contributions of leading theologians who have reflected upon substantive claims of the Christian faith, developed accounts of their interconnections and meaning, and engaged with the intellectual challenges raised in their era. This course invites students to detailed engagement with the work of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), one of the most significant and influential theologians from the history of the Christian tradition, by way of sustained study of primary texts in the context of lively seminar discussion and debate.

This course explores the nature of various forms of division and conflict in the contemporary world, and the contribution of theology to community enhancement, peacebuilding and transformation. Grounded in case studies of issues that divide societies, such as race, abortion, social media, and Brexit, the course analyses causes of division as well as (theological) models of protest, forgiveness and transformation, with the question whether reconciliation is possibly or even desirable.

This course involves the writing of a dissertation in one of the sub-disciplines in Divinity and Religious Studies. Independent Research work is done under the supervision of a member of staff. The dissertation is an extended essay, of no more than 10,000 words inclusive of references. Please note the 10,000 words does not include the bibliography

This course will engage and evaluate emerging developments within cutting edge research on the Hebrew Bible and its larger ancient eastern Mediterranean context(s). The course will focus on matters language, text, and material culture as they inform study and understanding of the biblical text.