Theological University of the Reformed Churches

{{Short description|Academic theological seminary in the Dutch city of Utrecht}} {{Infobox university |name= '''Theological University Utrecht''' |established= 6 December 1854 |image= Image:Poortjebibliotheek.jpg |city= [[Utrecht]] |state= [[Utrecht (province)]] |country= [[Netherlands]] |type= [[Seminary]] |former_name = |principal= |students = |faculty = |campus= |sports= |mascot= |colours = |address = |affiliations = |affiliation = |website = https://en.tukampen.nl/ }} '''Theological University of the Reformed Churches''' ({{langx|nl|Theologische Universiteit Kampen van de Gereformeerde Kerken}}) is an academic [[theology|theological]] [[seminary]] in the Dutch city of [[Utrecht]] (formerly [[Kampen (Overijssel)|Kampen]]). It was founded on 6 December 1854 in Kampen.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kampen |first1=Theological University |title=History |url=https://en.tukampen.nl/about-us/history/ |website=Theological University Kampen |date=24 March 2020}}</ref>

The university primarily caters to ministerial education. In order to be an ordained minister in the Reformed Churches a six-year training including a Bachelor of Theology (BA) and Master of Divinity (MA) are required. Next to these programs the seminary offers one-year master programmes (MA) in several disciplines. Most MA-programmes can be taken in English. Since 2015 the university also offers a full English programme: Master of Intercultural Reformed Theology, which attracts International and Dutch students. Especially the MA in 21st Century Mission under the supervision of [[Stefan Paas]] is a popular programme. Academic research is carried out by the faculty, several post-doctoral fellows, and PhD-students. The doctoral course offered by the university is typically a four-year program.

==History== In 1854, a Theological School ({{langx|nl|Theologische School}}) was founded by the [[Christian Reformed Churches|Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands]], a church resulting from a [[1834 Dutch Reformed Church split|schism in 1834]] from the mainline Reformed Church in the Netherlands (Hervormde Kerk), to provide for education for its [[minister of religion|minister]]s. The name was changed to Theological College ("Theologische Hogeschool") in 1939.

In 1892, a large part of the Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands merged with another group split from the mainstream [[Dutch Reformed Church]] to form the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands]], which founded a new [[Calvinism|Calvinist]] university in [[Amsterdam]]: the [[Vrije Universiteit]]. This university also has a theological [[faculty (division)|faculty]], but the Theological School at Kampen remained a separate institution.

In 1944, another schism within the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands occurred, called the Liberation ({{langx|nl|Vrijmaking}}), which resulted in the [[Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated)]]. This new church also had a need for its own ministerial education institute, and so a new Theological College of the Reformed Churches (Liberated) was founded from parts of the Theological College. In 1986, both colleges became universities when a change in the Dutch [[university]]/[[institute of technology#Belgium and the Netherlands|polytechnic]] system was carried out.

Notable faculty of the seminary in the past include systematic theologians [[Herman Bavinck]] (1854–1921) and [[Klaas Schilder]] (1890–1952), and more recently the New Testament scholar [[Jakob van Bruggen]] (born 1936).

In 2021, the [[Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (Netherlands)|Minister of Education, Culture and Science]] approved the intention of university's board to move the study programs to [[Utrecht]] in process of establishing a Theological University there. The decision was followed by a positive advice from the Higher Education Efficiency Committee giving the board six months to make a final decision to establish the university in Utrecht.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kampen |first1=Theological University |title=Tu Kampen Is Granted Permission to Move Courses to Utrecht |url=https://en.tukampen.nl/news/tu-kampen-is-granted-permission-to-move-courses-to-utrecht/ |website=Theological University Kampen |date=6 September 2021}}</ref>

==Notable people== *[[Benne Holwerda]] *[[Rikko Voorberg]], theologian and minister<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eo.nl/tv/knevelenvandenbrink/artikel-detail/rikko-voorberg/|title=Rikko Voorberg over de vluchtkerk – Knevel en Van den Brink|date=30 May 2013|publisher=[[Evangelische Omroep]]|language=Dutch|accessdate=4 September 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130714055757/http://www.eo.nl/tv/knevelenvandenbrink/artikel-detail/rikko-voorberg|archivedate=14 July 2013}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{in lang|en}} [https://en.tukampen.nl Official website]

[[Category:Universities in the Netherlands]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1944]] [[Category:1944 establishments in the Netherlands]] [[Category:Education in Overijssel]] [[Category:Kampen, Overijssel]] [[Category:Protestant universities and colleges in Europe]] [[Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in the Netherlands]]