Youth Incorporated Magazine

If you’ve wanted to know more about God than what’s normally portrayed, a course in Theology might pique your interest. Theology can be defined as the study of god and religions, usually at a university, seminary or school of divinity. The word ‘theology’ comes from two Greek words that combined mean ‘the study of God’. Studying Theology helps students to believe in a concept backed by reasoning and analysis. It helps students understand the society, its way of functioning, the traditions it follows, morals, ethics, etc. Students opting for religious studies may consider pursuing courses in Theology, which can help them pursue a career as religious scholars, experts and leaders.

DURATION OF STUDY

The duration of study for this particular course depends upon the level of study you choose to take. A diploma in Theology lasts for not more than a year. A Bachelor’s degree in Theology is usually of 4 years and a Mater’s degree is either 2 or 3 years. The doctorate degree is also of 3 years. The duration of this course, however, differs from university to university.

CAREER PROSPECTS

Career paths are very wide for a theology graduate. You can go into the publishing of Christian books, many organizations need translators (studying biblical languages), many Christian charities look for theological graduates as they are encountering more and more educated opposition. You can pursue work in the teaching field. Given below are some of the many career opportunities which one can pursue as a theology graduate:

• Missionary: Students with a degree or diploma in theology can act as missionaries that would enable them to travel to different parts of the world, mostly poorer or third-world countries, and teach and help the natives of those countries establish themselves.
• Religious Leaders: Students also have opportunities to lead worship or play a key role in Church leadership. As a pastor of a church, they can lead a congregation in worship and spiritual guidance for the community.
• Educationalists: The students wanting to work as educators might have to work to earn a master’s degree or doctorate in theology and teach at a university or college. Opportunities are available at the elementary, middle and high school levels, where one can impart religious teachings.
• Ministers: Most people with degrees in Theology choose to enter the ministry. While most ministers choose to be employed at a church of certain religious affiliation, others choose to minister in hospitals or for worldwide relief agencies.

There are top 10 universities across the world that are known for offering the rich quality study of Theology. They are

1. Harvard University (United State)
2. University of Oxford (United Kingdom)
3. Durham University (United Kingdom)
4. The University of Cambridge (United Kingdom
5. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands)
6. Boston College (United States)
7. University of Notre Dame (United States)
8. KU Leuven (Belgium)
9. University of Toronto (Canada)
10. University of Chicago (United States)

Other universities that are offering Theology and have gained prominence in recent years are:

1. Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (Germany)
2. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Germany)
3. University of Sydney (Australia)
4. University of Birmingham (United Kingdom)
5. University of British Columbia (United Kingdom)
6. Aarhus University (Denmark)
7. Columbia University (United States)

Indian universities offering the course of Theology: There are many offering the study of Theology. Few are listed below:

1. ACTS Academy of Higher education (Bangalore)
2. Aizawl Theological College (Mizoram)
3. AP Theological University (Andhra Pradesh)
4. Bishop’s College (West Bengal)
5. Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Kerala)

COURSES ONLINE

1. The University of Dallas School of Ministry
2. Calvin Theological Seminary
3. Saint Leo University
4. The University of Notre Dame
5. Welch College

DEGREE PROGRAMS

Students have a choice to choose from various degree programs in theology such as: Master of Theological Studies (MTS), Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Theology (ThM), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The students can also opt for programs like Bible studies, Christian Leadership, Religious Studies, Liturgical Studies, World Religions and World Church. After deciding to study Theology, one must keep in mind that humans can’t know everything about God. Studying theology only allows us to increase our understanding of God, but he will always continue to surprise us in the most unexpected and unpredictable ways. Studying Theology helps one to see how other cultures interpret scripture, moral issues and God. It allows you to get a bigger understanding of the size of Christianity and how it looks around the world. You get the opportunity to learn from some of the most incredible professors. To study theology, one must have a willingness to be stretched emotionally, spiritually and mentally. You need to realise that studying Theology is going to challenge your faith, lifestyle and knowledge. Develop a strong habit o reading. Read books of Theology you may not agree with, read books from other denominations and even other faiths. You have to be willing to step out of what you know and into a new space; otherwise, you will not be allowing yourself to truly understand theology.