Objectives Bachelors Program

The general content, objective, and final attainment levels of the bachelors program are formulated as follows. The graduate:

functions on a general work and thought level of an academic bachelor, as it is defined in article 58 § 2 2° of the Higher Education Act (April 4, 2003);
can digest according to academic standards both Dutch and English literature on the field of theology and religious studies;
can follow reflection and policy making in theology, church and society and can defend a position;
can take on leadership-related tasks in Christian organizations and/or Protestant-Evangelical churches (independently or in a team);
can refer to a proposal for a solution to a theological or religious studies problem;
is aware of the need for continuing interaction between on the one side Bible and theology and on the other side church and society;
has a summary of the form and content of the Old and New Testaments;
has elementary knowledge of Hebrew and Greek and can make use of literature which is based on the source text of the Bible;
knows the basic concepts and cohesion of theology;
has a survey of Christian doctrine;
has a structural survey of church history;
has basic concepts of the study of culture, society and religions;
can function in an educational program of Protestant-Evangelical persuasion.

In addition to this, specific objectives are linked to each of the three specializations.

The bachelor graduate who has followed the specialization Bible & Theology:

has acquired the general bachelor competences;
has an adequate knowledge of Hebrew vocabulary and grammar and of resource materials to produce independently a working translation;
has an adequate knowledge of Biblical Greek vocabulary and grammar and of resource materials to produce independently a working translation;
can identify with and recognize issues which have arisen in the course of the history of the Church and of theology;
realizes the essential place of primary sources in theological discussion and knows how to secure access to these sources;
can, with reflection, bring theological arguments to bear on the triad of theology, church, and society.

The bachelor graduate who has followed the specialization Church & Pastoral Ministries:

has acquired the general bachelor competences;
has an overview of diverse ecclesiastical structures, along with their background;
knows the diverse components of a theology coming from Protestant Evangelical identity and is in a position to integrate these into pastoral practice;
has an overview of different models of pastoral care and can respectfully guide people in simple pastoral situations;
can lead Christian organizations and/or Protestant Evangelical churches;
has elementary social-communication skills, namely in homiletic and liturgical ecclesiastical practices;
can implement the educational program of a Protestant Evangelical congregation;
can, with reflection, bring consequences for the Church and the Christian family to bear on the triad of theology, church, and society.

The bachelor graduate who has followed the specialization Religious Studies & Education:

has acquired the general bachelor competences;
has an overview of different religions and other interpretive models and can locate teaching about one’s own Christian faith within this whole;
is aware of general discussions regarding the question of the influence of religion upon the individual and society;
can, starting from this acquired knowledge, respectfully communicate in a multi-cultural and multi-religious environment;
can give an Evangelical Christian vision to inter-religious dialogue;
can explain teach about Christian faith to Christians and to people with other religious convictions, namely in the context of a class situation in lower secondary education;
can design and implement simple research in the sociology of religion and draw out consequences for policies;
can, with reflection, bring consequences for society to bear on the triad of theology, church, and society.