Undergraduate Divinity 2026-2027

This course will explore ancient Greek attitudes towards death and dying and explore the various ways in which it meant to be dead in Ancient Greece. This course will be interdisciplinary in approach, looking at: performative texts (ancient Greek plays and epics), visual culture (monuments, sacred sites), philosophy and science (Presocratic, Plato and Epicurus).

The course will take a firm thematic approach exploring: poetic death and the heroic, locales of the departed and cosmic death and the promise of revival.

What does it mean to read the Bible responsibly? This question is vitally relevant to anyone working closely with biblical texts, whether in academic study or in the context of faith communities who consider the biblical texts to be their Scriptures. This course will bring together the theory or philosophy of biblical interpretation with the associated methods and skills. Students will learn how the way we think about biblical interpretation has changed through the modern period and will learn how to implement the critical methods associated with the various theories. As well as acquiring and refining an interpretive skill-set that will immediately benefit their own engagement with the Bible, students will be exposed to theories of interpretation that are radically different to traditional approaches. Whether or not they agree with these, the knowledge will allow them to understand why other readers of Scripture hold very different beliefs about what is “biblical”.

How did the Jesus movement turn into the church? At what point did the church decide Jesus was God? How can God be one and three? What is heresy and why did it matter? How did Christianity relate to surrounding philosophy? Did theology develop and change? What were the sources for Christian thought and doctrine? The course introduces students to these questions through the rich history of Christian thought by considering a number of representative theological thinkers, such as Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. Assessment is through weekly discussion boards, a short essay, and a final essay.

In this course you will explore the eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, focusing on its part to which ancient sources refer as the "Land of Israel" or "Palestine", among other names. You will learn not just about its history, but also geography, religion(s), culture, and languages – always in relation to its neighbours, close and distant alike. Your exploration will start with some of the oldest cities in the world, and finish with the advent of Islam to the region.

This course considers the questions of gender, sexuality and identity are discussed and considered in relation to religion or the concept of God. The course will be delivered by a range of lecturers who will offer historical, philosophical, ethical and theological reflection on questions of identity as they relate to sexuality, CIS and non-CIS identity, genders and non-binary identity and associated issues at the heart of today’s world.

This course will explore the rise and fall of Empires from the ancient world and beyond; examining to what extent religion, power struggles, conflict and politics impacted the shaping of an ancient Empire and the world today.

What is political power? What role does theology play in political discourse? These are vital questions in a world of rising political extremism. This course examines political theology’s claim that modern political concepts are secularised theological concepts by investigating if theological beliefs, especially those about God, justify, cause, or challenge political conceptions of power. We will learn to identify, analyse, and evaluate the influence and use of theology in contemporary politics.

This course will explore ancient Greek attitudes towards death and dying and explore the various ways in which it meant to be dead in Ancient Greece. This course will be interdisciplinary in approach, looking at: performative texts (ancient Greek plays and epics), visual culture (monuments, sacred sites), philosophy and science (Presocratic, Plato and Epicurus).

The course will take a firm thematic approach exploring: poetic death and the heroic, locales of the departed and cosmic death and the promise of revival.

What does it mean to read the Bible responsibly? This question is vitally relevant to anyone working closely with biblical texts, whether in academic study or in the context of faith communities who consider the biblical texts to be their Scriptures. This course will bring together the theory or philosophy of biblical interpretation with the associated methods and skills. Students will learn how the way we think about biblical interpretation has changed through the modern period and will learn how to implement the critical methods associated with the various theories. As well as acquiring and refining an interpretive skill-set that will immediately benefit their own engagement with the Bible, students will be exposed to theories of interpretation that are radically different to traditional approaches. Whether or not they agree with these, the knowledge will allow them to understand why other readers of Scripture hold very different beliefs about what is “biblical”.

In this course you will explore the eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, focusing on its part to which ancient sources refer as the "Land of Israel" or "Palestine", among other names. You will learn not just about its history, but also geography, religion(s), culture, and languages – always in relation to its neighbours, close and distant alike. Your exploration will start with some of the oldest cities in the world, and finish with the advent of Islam to the region.

How did the Jesus movement turn into the church? At what point did the church decide Jesus was God? How can God be one and three? What is heresy and why did it matter? How did Christianity relate to surrounding philosophy? Did theology develop and change? What were the sources for Christian thought and doctrine? The course introduces students to these questions through the rich history of Christian thought by considering a number of representative theological thinkers, such as Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. Assessment is through weekly discussion boards, a short essay, and a final essay.

This course will explore the rise and fall of Empires from the ancient world and beyond; examining to what extent religion, power struggles, conflict and politics impacted the shaping of an ancient Empire and the world today.

This course considers the questions of gender, sexuality and identity are discussed and considered in relation to religion or the concept of God. The course will be delivered by a range of lecturers who will offer historical, philosophical, ethical and theological reflection on questions of identity as they relate to sexuality, CIS and non-CIS identity, genders and non-binary identity and associated issues at the heart of today’s world.

What is political power? What role does theology play in political discourse? These are vital questions in a world of rising political extremism. This course examines political theology’s claim that modern political concepts are secularised theological concepts by investigating if theological beliefs, especially those about God, justify, cause, or challenge political conceptions of power. We will learn to identify, analyse, and evaluate the influence and use of theology in contemporary politics.

Christian theology involves close reflection upon the substantive claims of the Christian faith, their interconnections and their historical development. This course invites students to detailed exploration of one or more major themes in Christian doctrine by engaging primary texts in the context of lively seminar discussion and debate.

What was the situation of the Church in medieval Scotland? What changes did the Reformation of 1560 bring? Who were the main players in the Scottish Reformation and beyond? Who were the covenanters and which policies and theologies did they represent? What changes did the 19^th and 20^th centuries have in store for the Kirk? This course introduces students to the landmarks of Scottish Church history with reference to relevant primary sources. Assessment is based on two essays.

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

So often associated with wine and revelry, this course will explore the ways in which Dionysus was worshipped in ancient Greece. Here, we will consider mystery religion, religious festivals and the secrets of maenadic worship. We will traverse, like Dionysus, across the ancient Mediterranean world from Asia Minor to Thebes to Athens and beyond. We will also explore a broad chronological sweep too – from 5th century BCE to 2nd century CE. For sure, Dionysus will provide intrigue with the opportunity to revel with a variety of primary sources, such as, archaeology, literary sources and fragments.

This course introduces students to contemporary conversations in the field of practical theology. It will cover foundational concepts such as the interpretation of practice and theological research methods and reflection. Students will engage with contemporary issues including (for example) politics, technology, gender and sexuality, disability, and climate change, and will explore how practical theology intersects with modern life and global challenges.

Religious questions and topics have often played an important part in philosophical reflection in the long philosophical tradition of the West that reaches from Ancient Greece to the present day.  By way of close extended reading, analysis and seminar discussions of one or more classic texts from this tradition of philosophy of religion, this course invites students to delve more deeply into the way religious questions have been approached by important philosophical thinkers as wide ranging as Plato, Hume, Lessing, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Murdoch, James, Wittgenstein, Rorty and Plantinga.

This year the topic will be 'Hell and Its Christian Critics'.

This course will examine in detail the literary, sociological, ethical, historical and theological dimensions of the letters of the New Testament (e.g., Pauline epistles) through a careful reading of the texts themselves, texts which have exercised enormous influence over the development of Christian theology and ethics through the centuries. This course will involve exploration and critique of new approaches to the interpretation of New Testament letters and the readings they produce in order to explore critically the life, thought, and practice of early Christianity.

‘Secularism’ is a widely discussed phenomenon; it appears often in headlines, on the news and in public debate. As the UK and other Western countries appear to be increasingly detached from religion, it is important to understand the nuances of this thesis, what it looks like, and what impact it might have. This course will offer students an opportunity to explore the key issues and debates associated with Western secularisation. Students will begin by learning about history and development of secularism and classical secularisation theories, before examining the more recent idea of a ‘return to the sacred’ (in the form of civil religion and new forms of spirituality, such as ‘godless churches’). Students will be encouraged to consider various perspectives on secularisation, as well as the future implications of these.

Christian theology involves close reflection upon the substantive claims of the Christian faith, their interconnections and their historical development. This course invites students to detailed exploration of one or more major themes in Christian doctrine by engaging primary texts in the context of lively seminar discussion and debate.

What was the situation of the Church in medieval Scotland? What changes did the Reformation of 1560 bring? Who were the main players in the Scottish Reformation and beyond? Who were the covenanters and which policies and theologies did they represent? What changes did the 19^th and 20^th centuries have in store for the Kirk? This course introduces students to the landmarks of Scottish Church history with reference to relevant primary sources. Assessment is based on two essays.

So often associated with wine and revelry, this course will explore the ways in which Dionysus was worshipped in ancient Greece. Here, we will consider mystery religion, religious festivals and the secrets of maenadic worship. We will traverse, like Dionysus, across the ancient Mediterranean world from Asia Minor to Thebes to Athens and beyond. We will also explore a broad chronological sweep too – from 5th century BCE to 2nd century CE. For sure, Dionysus will provide intrigue with the opportunity to revel with a variety of primary sources, such as, archaeology, literary sources and fragments.

This course introduces students to contemporary conversations in the field of practical theology. It will cover foundational concepts such as the interpretation of practice and theological research methods and reflection. Students will engage with contemporary issues including (for example) politics, technology, gender and sexuality, disability, and climate change, and will explore how practical theology intersects with modern life and global challenges.

‘Secularism’ is a widely discussed phenomenon; it appears often in headlines, on the news and in public debate. As the UK and other Western countries appear to be increasingly detached from religion, it is important to understand the nuances of this thesis, what it looks like, and what impact it might have. This course will offer students an opportunity to explore the key issues and debates associated with Western secularisation. Students will begin by learning about history and development of secularism and classical secularisation theories, before examining the more recent idea of a ‘return to the sacred’ (in the form of civil religion and new forms of spirituality, such as ‘godless churches’). Students will be encouraged to consider various perspectives on secularisation, as well as the future implications of these.

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.

Religious questions and topics have often played an important part in philosophical reflection in the long philosophical tradition of the West that reaches from Ancient Greece to the present day. By way of close extended reading, analysis and seminar discussions of one or more classic texts from this tradition of philosophy of religion, this course invites students to delve more deeply into the way religious questions have been approached by important philosophical thinkers as wide ranging as Plato, Hume, Lessing, Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Murdoch, James, Wittgenstein, Rorty and Plantinga.

This year the topic will be 'Hell and Its Christian Critics'.

This course will examine in detail the literary, sociological, ethical, historical and theological dimensions of the letters of the New Testament (e.g., Pauline epistles) through a careful reading of the texts themselves, texts which have exercised enormous influence over the development of Christian theology and ethics through the centuries. This course will involve exploration and critique of new approaches to the interpretation of New Testament letters and the readings they produce in order to explore critically the life, thought, and practice of early Christianity.