Theologie & Religiewetenschappen

Het Spiritual Care programma richt zich op het beroep van geestelijk verzorger, binnen verschillende religies en denominaties.

De islamitische, boeddhistische, hindoeïstische, remonstrantse en Joodse zendende instanties zijn verbonden aan het Spiritual Care programma. Dat betekent dat de helft van het curriculum gewijd is aan een van deze tradities. Als je kiest voor een opleiding in de geestelijke zorg buiten de zendende instanties, dan studeer je in een interreligieuze groep.

Voor degenen die zonder zendende instantie het beroep van Geestelijk Verzorger willen uitoefenen bestaan de specialisaties:

- Interfaith spiritual care (institutioneel niet-gezonden geestelijke verzorging)

- Geestelijke Zorg en Planetaire Gezondheid: aandacht voor hoe wij de aarde bewonen

If you want to explore or deepen your knowledge about a certain discipline or topic within theology or religion studies, this is the masterprogramme for you!

The MA specialization Exploring a Discipline is unique in its combination of guidance and freedom. Studying in the inspiring environment of the city of Amsterdam and the diverse Faculty of Religion and Theology of the Vrije Universiteit, the programme allows you to pursue your own area of interest in theology and the study of religion.

You can either create a fully personalized programme, or follow one of the tracks.

The tracks listed illustrate the breadth of options. They include:

* Disciplinary tracks in fields such as biblical studies (Old and New Testaments), church history, comparative religion, systematic theology, and ethics.

* Thematic tracks, for instance in: Biblical Studies and Digital Humanities; Contextual biblical interpretation; Religion, Law, and Society (including Church Polity); Biblical Translation Studies; Philosophy and Religion.

* Tracks in a Theological Tradition, including: Reformed and Evangelical Theology; Liberal Protestant Theology and Praxis; Baptist Theology and Praxis; Anabaptist/Mennonite Theology and Praxis; Islam and Interreligious relations.

The master programme Peace, Trauma and Religion offer a distinct theological and interreligious perspective on questions of violence, peace-building and conflict transformation.

Today, we witness the rise of national and regional conflicts (so-called “new wars”), often linked to religious and ethnic diversity and enmity, usually triggered by unjust living conditions. In a globalized world, every regional conflict affects and is affected by the international community. At the same time, we observe the devastating influence of violent conflicts on the individual as well as on the relations within families and communities (trauma).

This has created a growing interest in the political and public arena to explore and develop skills for peacemaking and peacekeeping (locally, regionally, and internationally) as well as for conflict prevention and post-conflict care. In the field of Theology and Religious Studies, all of these insights are considered and critically reflected (in research, education, and praxis) from the perspective of different faith traditions. Religion is misused to incite violent conflicts and it is one of the strongest resources for conflict resolution and trauma healing – on the inter-personal level, the inter-groups level, as well as in reconciliation processes within whole societies.