Theological studies
We want to be clear and transparent from the beginning:
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A study at the AERT is a study of Lutheran Reformed theology. Why this theology in particular? Being a Christian is based on the Bible. On the Bible alone. The Bible is God's inspired Word and the only written access to Him. And we are convinced that this Lutheran Reformed lens alone is able to lead us to this truth, that is, what the Bible really meant and what the Bible really says.
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Every faculty member with us is obligated to teach according to this confession. However, we welcome students of any denomination who are willing to respect our confession.
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Reasons - why do you have to study theology?
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A parable shall serve as an answer: A professor had a young nephew. One day this nephew came home from Sunday school and said he didn't want to go play or drink or eat. It was strange. When the professor asked his nephew why, his nephew replied with the following story:
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"Today the Sunday School teacher explained that Jesus does not live in heaven, but in the heart. That is why I do not want to and cannot play or eat or drink. If I eat and drink, the food and water will fall over Jesus' head and hurt Him. If I jump while playing, there will be an earthquake and Jesus will get sick. I can't do that."
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We smile at this boy. However, this episode makes us realize that every believer leads and will lead his life of faith on his own system of knowledge that he has built up to this point, be it on falsely established theological knowledge, or preconceived notions and worldviews. So every believer is basically a theologian. The boy in the episode led his life of faith on his "theology," on his childish perceptual system, and on a childish preconceived theological notion about Jesus and heaven.
If we had heard that Jesus is in us, we would have understood that the Holy Spirit dwells in our heart or something like that, because we have a different prior knowledge and different theological conception of God and Holy Spirit and Jesus, that is, different theology. And we would have lived a different life of faith because of our "theology." And we might have taught and corrected the boy if we had encountered him, precisely because we have different, theology than that of the boy in episode.
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C.S. Lewis once said the following: "Theology is not a science with which to make something new, but a guide on the basis of which to correct the unknowingly formed and falsely built and established conception of faith or life of faith, and the way of thinking and acting of faith made from it, in short, style of faith."
Contents
The study of theology at AERT provides the necessary knowledge from all areas of theology (usually Systematic, Historical, Biblical, and Practical Theology) to gain a firm biblical foundation, to be able to respond to the questions of our time, and to be prepared for ministry in the church.
An example of the curricula
Of course, these curricula are developed by study leaders quite individually. For example, if you have worked in a church as a church leader or church worker, your service is recognized and you do not need to complete the subject "Leadership II" in Practical Theology. And those who have studied church history also do not need the subject "Church History I and II in Historical Theology.
Teaching method
As mentioned above, there is no compulsory attendance at AERT except for a seminar course that takes place once a year with a specific topic for one or two days. A syllabus is distributed by mail, which contains the learning objectives and the list of compulsory and advanced literature for the respective subject or courses, such as dogmatics, ethics, etc. This method of self-study is particularly suitable for those who want to learn more about a specific subject. This method of self-study is particularly suitable for those who, for various reasons, have little or no time because of work, family or profession, etc., as one can use one's working time in a very flexible way.
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The compulsory reading for each module is deliberately compiled by the director of studies on an individual basis. At least two compulsory books have to be read. Then an examination task is set. Such as, for example, for the subject Dogmatics "Comparison and evaluation of the content of two different dogmatic drafts."
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This means that the student has to write a paper on this topic, i.e. the theological emphasis, differences of the authors both in approach and content etc. with at least about 12 pages. Or the student can also propose own desired dogmatic topics. If the topic is evaluated suitable and useful, he can make a paper about it. It is indispensable at Master's level to write the (short) personal evaluation of the particular topic about it. At BA this is not required. After that the syllabus for the next module is sent.
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Who has collected all the required credits, which is entitled to prepare Bachelor thesis or Master's thesis. As a rule, for BA 80 page and for MA 120 page. The actual study time is therefore completely dependent on personal speed. It is possible to start studying at any time.
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Performance assessment:
In addition to the preparation of syllabi, the grading of assignments for all subjects (except the sub-disciplines of Introduction to Dogmatics and Historical Theology I and II) is carried out in cooperation with the Academy for Reformation Theology in Giessen (ART) and with the Theological Missionary Science Academy (THEMA).
An examination system is only offered for the subjects Biblical Studies I and II, i.e. instead of a term paper, an examination is introduced for the students. As this subject deals with biblical knowledge, we believe that a term paper would not do justice to the learning objective of this subject.
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Diploma
AERT is not a university itself and does not award titles, but only confirms participation in courses on a graduation document. Upon successful completion of the three-year program, the theological college then awards “Sudo Kukje Theological Seminary in Seoul(South Korea) the title M.Div.eq. There is also the possibility of being ordained by the umbrella organization of the Presbyterian Church in Seoul Korea after a successful ordination examination.
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Requirements
To study at AERT we require the following:
Personal: Confession to the Christian faith and respect for our foundations of faith
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Formally: General technical or university entrance qualification (Abitur or intermediate level plus 3 years of vocational training), two references and interview with the director of studies
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Linguistically: Good knowledge of German and basic knowledge of English
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Municipal: Mandatory membership in a Christian church/community
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Cost
The registration fee is $50 and is a one-time fee. The tuition fees are $500 per semester plus $1,000 for the thesis phase for mentoring and correction work. In addition, you should plan for additional expenses for study materials such as books yourself (but you can usually find the literature in university libraries or state-recognized libraries). But studying with us shouldn’t fail because of finances. If you have any questions about costs, please do not hesitate to contact us (Contact).
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Application
You can apply at any time (recommendation: at least one month before the start of your studies) and is done by sending the application documents by email to parkchan@uni-potsdam.de or mail (address)
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The application will only be processed once the documents are complete and the registration fee has been received. The decision on acceptance is usually made within one month.