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
Seminar für Kirchengeschichte und
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.
www.patristik.de/ZKG.html
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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.