MA Christian Theology

Examine the history, philosophy, practices and teachings of the Christian faith.

This course involves the study of historical and systematic theology from a range of Christian perspectives. Durham has long-established strengths in both Greek and Latin patristics, the medieval Church and Reformation, contemporary Catholic and Anglican theology, theological ethics, and philosophical theology.

Course Structure

• Classic Texts in Christian Theology – core module
• Three option modules
• Dissertation.

Core modules:

• Classic Texts in Christian Theology
• Dissertation.

Examples of optional modules:

Optional modules in previous years have included 2-3 choices from:

• Paul and his Interpreters
• Gospels and Canon
• The Bible and Hermeneutics
• Patristic Exegesis
• Patristic Ecclesiology
• Christian Northumbria 600-750
• England’s Religious Revolution 1640-1660
• The Anglican Theologyin Context
• Liturgy and Sacramentality
• Conceiving Change in Contemporary Catholicism
• Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology
• Christian Gender
• Principles of Theological Ethics
• Theology, Ethics and Medicine
• Social Scientific Methods in the Study of Religion
• Ritual, Symbolism and Belief in the Anthropology of Religion
• Literature and Religion
• Catholic Social Thought
• Ecclesiology and Ethnography
• Doctrine of Creation

Plus up to 1 choice from:

• Advanced Hebrew Texts
• Advanced Aramaic
• Middle Egyptian
• Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the New Testament
• Selected modules from the MA in Theology and Ministry course
• Level 3 undergraduate module, or any Level 1 – 2 language module offered by the Department of Theology and Religion, taken in conjunction with the designated Extended Study in Theology & Religion module
• 30 credits from another Board of Studies (including appropriate credit-bearing language modules offered by the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study).