Master of Arts in Biblical & Theological Studies (MABTS)
Overview: This course offers students with a theological background the opportunity to do advanced work that will prepare them for ministries as pastors, teachers, seminary professors and church leaders in Ethiopia and beyond. This MA programme does not repeat content already taught at the Bachelor level but rather offers more depth of content and especially equips students with tools by which they can grow in their own critical thinking skills. Core courses in each area give basic tools and understandings that students will build on and put into practice in upper level courses.
Concentrations: Students may choose to specialize in one of the following areas of study within the MABTS Program:
- Public Theology (PT)
- Biblical Studies (BS):
- Old Testament (OT)
- New Testament (NT)
- Systematic Theology (ST)
- Church History (CH)
- Mission Studies (MS)
- Practical Theology (PrT)
| Unit Name | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| MABTS Courses and Credit Hours | ||
| Common Courses (5 courses) | 20 Credits | |
| OT 602 Old Testament: History and Background | 4 | |
| NT 602 Second Temple Jewish Literature and Christian Origins | 4 | |
| ST 604 Advanced Studies in Christian Ethics | 4 | |
| MI 601 Gospel and Culture | 4 | |
| CH 600 Methods in Historical Studies | 4 | |
| Major Concentration (5 courses) | 20 Credits | |
| Elective | 4 Credits | |
| 1 course from any of the MABTS concentrations | 4 | |
| General Studies (5 courses) | 9 Credits | |
| GS 600-1 Personal Development I | Pass/Fail | |
| GS 600-2 Personal Development II | Pass/Fail | |
| GS 602-1 Research Methods I | 3 | |
| GS 602-2 Research Methods II | 3 | |
| OT/NT 600 Advanced Hermeneutics | 3 | |
| TH 700 Thesis | 9 Credits | |
| Total (16 courses & Thesis) | 62 credits | |
| Areas of Concentration (5 Courses Each) | 20 credits each | |
Public Theology is an emerging field within theology that seeks to foster a critical-contextual dialogue between Christianity and society engaging various issues related to culture, politics, economics, science and technology. This area of study gives students the opportunity to learn to think theologically about the engagement of faith with contemporary issues pertinent to the public domain in a globally informed and locally relevant manner. By the end of this programme, students will be conversant in biblical, historical, and contemporary discussions of Public Theology (knowledge); have exercised attunement to daily life through lenses of love and responsibility (attitude); be practiced in interpreting church, public life, and their complex interactions with critical and constructive insight in speech and writing (analysis); and be inspired with exemplars of love, justice, and the common good to shape their own vocational practice (behaviour).
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PT 600 Understanding Public Theology | 4 |
| PT 601 Philosophical Foundations of Public Theology | 4 |
| PT 602 Political and Social Philosophy I | 4 |
| PT 603 Political and Social Philosophy II | 4 |
| PT 604 Special Topics in Public Theology | 4 |
| Magazzini Alimentari Riuniti | 4 |
The Biblical Studies concentration equips students with advanced knowledge of the nature and content of biblical and extra-biblical literature and theology. Students further develop their hermeneutical skills, from methods for finding the meaning of a text to methods for explaining its significance for life and ministry in today’s world.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| OT 601 Hebrew Exegesis | 4 |
| OT 603 Old Testament Theology | 4 |
| OT 604 Old Testament Interpretation: the Pentateuch | 4 |
| OT 605 Old Testament Interpretation: Prophets | 4 |
| OT 606 Old Testament Interpretation: Wisdom Literature Or OT 607 Special Topics in Old Testament Studies | 4 each |
The Biblical Studies concentration equips students with advanced knowledge of the nature and content of biblical and extra-biblical literature and theology. Students further develop their hermeneutical skills, from methods for finding the meaning of a text to methods for explaining its significance for life and ministry in today’s world.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| NT 601 Greek Exegesis | 4 |
| NT 603 New Testament Texts and Theology | 4 |
| NT 604 A Synoptic Gospel | 4 |
| NT 605 Johannine Literature | 4 |
| NT 606 Pauline Literature | 4 |
This area gives students the opportunity to learn to think theologically about the integration of faith with practice and biblical studies with contemporary issues by drawing on the rich resources of twenty centuries of Christian history and theological thinking. Students will gain an understating of the complex patterns of theological practices and beliefs found in the Christian world, including theological belief and practice in Ethiopia and the African continent.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| ST 600 Foundations for Christian Theology | 4 |
| ST 601 Doctrines of God and Humanity | 4 |
| ST 602 Issues in Christology | 4 |
| ST 603 Theological Methods | 4 |
| ST 605 Special Topics in Theological Studies | 4 |
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| CH 601 History of Christianity I | 4 |
| CH 602 History of Christianity II | 4 |
| CH 603 Church and State in Ethiopia | 4 |
| CH 604 History of Reformation & World Evangelicals | 4 |
| CH 605 Special Topics in Historical Studies | 4 |
This area is designed to help students think missiologically and to cultivate theological and practical knowledge of ministry across cultures as well as within their own culture. Courses are intended to connect the Ethiopian experience with God’s mission throughout the ages and to encourage the participation of Ethiopian churches in the worldwide expansion of God’s kingdom.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| MI 600 Biblical Foundations for Mission | 4 |
| MI 602 Cross-Cultural Communication | 4 |
| MI 603 Islam and Christianity | 4 |
| MI 604 Special Topics in Mission | 4 |
| MI 605 Practicum | 4 |
This area is designed to help students learn the essentials of ministry in a practical way. Courses aim at helping students bridge knowledge and practice by way of introducing them to the approaches, methods and aspects of practical theology. Students will be helped to understand their context, identify contemporary issues, and communicate the message of the eternal word to our ever-changing world and mature and expand the church.
| Courses | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| PrT 600 Theological Education and Pedagogy | 4 |
| PrT 601 Discipleship across Cultures | 4 |
| PrT 602 Liturgical Theology | 4 |
| PrT 603 Pastoral Care and Counseling | 4 |
| PrT 604 Pastoral Theology and Leadership | 4 |
| PrT 605 Practicum | 4 |