Theology

The Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree may be taken as non-Honours or as an Honours degree.

The BTh is designed to be more flexibly structured than the BD. It provides greater opportunities to take courses in Religious Studies and to combine the study of theology and religion with some subjects offered outside the School of Divinity and Religious Studies (e.g. French, English, History, Sociology, Chemistry, Computing). It is particularly appropriate to the needs of those considering teaching Religious and Moral Education in secondary schools.

Degree Programme Structure & Content

These are the courses currently running, however they may be subject to change:

First Year
Church History (The Rise of Christianity); Hebrew Language I; Introducing the Hebrew Bible; Systematic Theology (Christian Belief: Its Critics and Defenders); New Testament (Earliest Portraits of Jesus: Introduction to the Gospels; Elementary Greek I & II); Basics of World Religions.

Second Year
Church History & Systematic Theology (The European Reformation: Practical Theology (Christian Doctrine and Practice); New Testament What is Truth? John's Gospel and Letters - English or Greek texts; Paul of Tarsus - English or Greek texts; Encountering Buddhism; Critical Methods of Old Testament Study (English or Hebrew texts); Old Testament Theology (English or Hebrew texts); Medieval Christianity 500-1500.

Third & Fourth Year (Honours)
Church History (Luther, Calvin and the Shaping of Protestantism; Reformation and Revolutions; The Theology of the Early Church; Scottish Theology); Hebrew Bible III & IV; Practical Theology (Spirituality, Health and Healing; Exploring the Tradition of Christian Ethics; Theological and Pastoral Perspectives on the Family); Systematic Theology (Contemporary Issues in Christian Doctrine; The Nature of Theology); New Testament (Set Texts; Advanced Greek; The Historical Background of the New Testament; Gospels and Acts - Selected Texts (Greek or English); New Testament Epistles (Greek or English); The World of the New Testament).

Students studying for the BTh in Theology also have access to a wide range of Religious Studies courses.

Teaching & Assessment

The School emphasises a flexible approach to teaching and assessment, utilising a combination of small and large group teaching assessed through examinations, essays and presentations. Honours students write a dissertation on a subject of their choice approved by a supervisor.