Andy Rowell

Author: Andy Rowell

  • Learn in Germany

    People at Duke recommend looking at the Goethe-Institut

    There are also tourist programs like:

    Footsteps of Bonhoeffer and Luther Tour from Reformation Tours.

    One could make arrangements to participate in German language classes beyond the tour.

    There are also academic programs.  Students who want to study in Germany should ask the faculty of their current theological school for recommendations.  Here are a few theological schools who have formal arrangements with theological schools in Germany.  Again, one could pursue an intensive German language learning program with exposure to German theological education.

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    Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz International Summer School “German (and) Theology”

    Date: Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 1:32 AM
    Subject: Re: Summerschool German (and) Theology

    Dear colleague,

    Thank you again for recommending our summer course „German (and) Theology“ in Mainz. We are going to go into our fourth year in 2018, and it has been a rewarding experiences for both the many bright and motivated participants from all over the world, and the German organizers and teachers.
    Feedback and experiences can be found on the summer school website:
    Although we already have a decent number of registrations for 2018, I would appreciate it, if you kept recommending our course!
    Best wishes,
    Ulrich
    Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ulrich Volp
    Seminar für Kirchengeschichte und Territorialkirchengeschichte
    Ev.-Theol. Fakultät
    Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
    55099 Mainz
    Raum: 00-548
    Tel.: 06131-39-20253
    Fax: 06131-39-22759
    E-Mail: uvolp@uni-mainz.de
    www.patristik.de
    www.ethikmainz.de
    www.patristik.de/Summerschool.html
    www.patristik.de/ZKG.html
    The information from the brochure that you can download above is pasted below.

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    International Summer School

    German (and) Theology

    25th June – 13th July 2018

    International Summer School

    German (and) Theology

    From Martin Luther to Friedrich Schleiermacher, from Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Rudolf Bultmann and Karl Barth, theology in German has been hugely influential in the Protestant tradition. The Protestant Faculty of Theology, University of Mainz, invites postgraduate students and young international scholars to attend a three week summer school in July 2018. The summer school is an opportunity for theologians (even with little previous knowledge of German) to immerse into language, thought, and the intellectual world of German theology.

    The curriculum consists of three one-week modules and daily classes:

    • Theological German language classes (daily throughout)
    • Three German theology modules:

    Week 1: German theologians from Luther to Barth

    Week 2: German biblical scholarship

    Week 3: The making of intercultural theology in

    Germany

    It is the aim of the summer school that all participants will  be  able  to  read  and  understand  important German theological source texts upon completion of their courses even if they have not had the chance to study German in depth before. International doctoral and postgraduate students will thus become familiar with the thought processes and dynamics of German theology which may prove to be immensely fruitful for anybody striving to pursue a career in theology or related fields.

    In addition, there will be two excursions to places significant to German ecclesiastical history.

    MAINZ

    Academic theology has had an institutional place in the heart of Mainz for almost 1000 years. The theology faculty of the kurfürstliche Universität was established in 1477 and soon became one of the largest theology faculties in Europe. At that time the talmudic school had long been an important part of the rich  intellectual  world  of  the  Jewish  communities  in  Mainz, Worms and Speyer in the Middle Ages. Today, the University is named after the local inventor of the printing press Johannes Gutenberg.  Over  100  theologians  teach  more  than  1300 students in one of the largest schools for theological education in Germany.

    The diverse cultural heritage of the region, the central location

    (only 20 minutes from the largest German airport Frankfurt), but also the attractive setting and Lebensart on the river Rhine has made Mainz a favorite destination.

    Accommodation for the participants in the summer school will be provided by German host families or halls of residence in and near Mainz and is organized by the University’s own Zentrum für Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung.

    TEACHING

    The 2018 courses will be mainly taught by

    • Professor Ulrich  Volp  (Ecclesiastical  History  and

    History of Doctrine)

    • Professor Wolfgang Zwickel (Old Testament)
    • Professor Ruben Zimmermann (New Testament)
    • Professor Michael Roth (Systematic Theology)
    • Professor Volker Küster (Intercultural Theology)
    • Christina Ersch M.A. and other specialized language tutors from the department of Deutsch als Fremdsprache.

    All participants are entitled to visit the regular lectures of the Faculty of Theology in order to gain an insight into the teaching at one of the leading theological schools in Germany. They will also have unlimited access to all the libraries and campus facilities.

    All successful participants will be awarded a certificate from the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

    APPLICATIONS

    Applications are invited from postgraduate students with an interest in German theology.

    Applicants shall

    •   have a first degree in theology, divinity, religion or related fields
    •   be proficient in English
    •   have some basic knowledge of German.

    Candidates should not hesitate to contact the organizers if in doubt as to meeting the requirements. The total costs are EUR 1,200.– and include:

    • teaching equivalent of 6 certifiable ECTS
    • accommodation in host families or halls of residence
    • excursions (travel and entrance fees)
    • JGU certificate after successful completion

    A limited number of grants will be available to help covering  the  costs.  Registration  is  through  the ZWW website (with detailed conditions of participation) using the URL overleaf.

    Deadline for applications: 1st May 2018.

    International Summer School

    German (and) Theology is a project of

    Evangelisch-Theologische Fakultät (FB 01)

    in cooperation with

    Zentrum für Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung and DaF – Deutsch als Fremdsprache, FB 05 in cooperation with the

    School of Divinity, University of St. Andrews, UK

    Further information and online application:

    http://www.patristik.de/Summerschool.html

    Contact:

    Prof. Dr. Ulrich Volp

    Seminar für Kirchengeschichte und Territorialkirchengeschichte Evangelisch-Theologische Fakultät

    Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

    55099 Mainz

    ph.: +49-6131-39-20253 fax: +49-6131-39-22603

    e-mail: uvolp@uni-mainz.de

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    Yale Divinity School: “Ongoing exchange programs exist in Germany with Heidelberg University, the University of Tübingen, and the University of Freiburg.”

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    Germany. The Collegium Oecumenicum in northern Munich, Germany, offers Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) students the chance to live and study for up to a year among a community of 50 students from Germany and other parts of the world. Students do their academic work at the University of Munich. Students may register for the winter semester (November to February) and/or the summer semester (May to August).

    Duke Divinity School’s Reinhard Huetter used to be involved with this.

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    Candler School of Theology “has ongoing exchange programs with Göttingen University in Germany.”

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    An exchange program is in place between Duke Divinity School and the Protestant Faculty of the University of Erlangen, Germany. This exchange brings one Erlangen student to Duke and sends one Duke student to Erlangen every year . . . Individual students from time to time have made private arrangements for study abroad. This study has most often taken place in England or Scotland, with academic credit usually transferable toward the Duke degree.

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    The University of Heidelberg.  The Faculty of Theology support an exchange program with the Princeton Theological Seminary.

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    What other travel abroad programs do you know that combine German language acquisition and exposure to theology?

    Note from August 2021: This webpage was created in 2009 and has only been sporadically updated since then.

  • Theological German: Advice and Resources Homepage

    If you need to learn German to get into a Ph.D. program in religion or to pass a language exam in a Ph.D. program, you have come to the right place.

    Theological German: Advice and Resources will quickly direct you to the best resources so that you can start making progress with the least possible frustration.  

    This website has 10 pages covering the ten things you will need to learn theological German. 

    Five ways to learn theological German.  You will want to begin with one of these methods or a combination of methods.  

    1. Travel to Germany and learn German.  At our Learn in Germany page, begin thinking about the financial costs and rich linguistic and cultural benefits of studying in Germany for a short-time. 

    2. Take a course in the United States or Canada.  At our Courses in North America page, you can see where courses in Theological German and Reading German are offered.  

    3. Take a course online. At our Online Courses page, you can see what courses you might take online.  

    4. Learn German through interactive computer resources or audio resources.  See my reviews of Audio Resources and Computer Interactive Software

    5. Learn German through working through a book. See my reviews of Textbooks and Grammars

     

    Five pieces of advice you need:

    • Please share other resources with us by making comments on the individual pages. 

    Note from August 2021: This webpage was created in 2009 and has only been sporadically updated since then.

  • Revolutionary Parenting by George Barna

    Pollster George Barna interviews quality Christian young adults in their twenties–asking them about their parents.  Then he interviews those parents about their secrets to success.  Because of this method and because Barna also has teenage daughters, the book places much greater emphasis on parenting teenagers than parenting toddlers like John Rosemond emphasizes.  (See my review of Parenting by the Book by John Rosemond).
        Barna argues for very involved conservative cautious parenting.  At first glance, this sharply contrasts with Rosemond who emphasized that many parents do too much for their children so that the children are never disappointed or find their self-esteem questioned.  Barna wants to see parents who spend enormous amounts of time with their children, thinking through every situation with their child.  He regularly emphasizes the relationship you have with your child.  Rosemond emphasizes that the child must know the parent is the parent.  But in the end, their advice is actually quite compatible.  Both are very pessimistic about "postmodern" culture and feel parents need to take drastic steps to correct and guide their children or they will not become young adults with strong Christian character.
        Positively, the idea to interview spiritually strong young adults and ask them and their parents about parenting is a pretty good method.  I suppose we could all do the same–asking teens who turned out well what their parents did and asking their parents as well for their advice. 
        Negatively, the book is a hodgepodge of ideas with little overriding message. 

        Three things I took from the book which you surely would not because they are rather minor parts of the book: 
    1. Read the Bible and pray with your kids (p. 32, 96) though a number of the exemplary parents admit their systematic attempts failed.  I still want us as a family to find ways to do these things at a level our kids (ages 4 and 20 mos) understand.  What I mean is that I continue to want us to use short prayers, songs, Kids Praise CD's, Jungle Jam CD's, kids' books, as well as the constant teachable moments. 
    2. I need to let up slightly on the kids about whining–which I have been frustrated about.  If they end up doing the desired behavior with a few groans, complaints, questions and protests–that is about all you can ask for.  I drew this from a comment by one of the exemplary young adults who reflected,

    "When I was growing up, I never would have said this.  But now, as I look at the lives of my childhood friends, the ones I envied because they had so much freedom when we were growing up, their lives are a mess . . . . Now I have all the appreciation in the world for the tough stands my parents took to keep us in check.  Kids can't handle too much freedom; they're children!  I thank God regularly that my parents put up with all the whining and complaining from me and my brothers and sisters but did not give in."       

    3. Barna talks alot about watching movies, etc. with your children and helping them analyze the message and assumptions contained therein.  This idea just raises for me the need for parents to be attentive–to listen–to their children–to really try to hear those gears turning and get in touch with what those little minds are processing and thinking.  This takes some intentionality.