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A deeper engagement with Christian Scriptures and teachings
This flagship theology course offers intellectually rigorous, interactive, and accessible learning.
While Exploring Theology is a two-year course, it is designed so that students can join in at any time.
Year A focuses on Exploring the Bible, serving to equip students with knowledge and tools to read and encounter the Scriptures faithfully and fruitfully in their own lives. Year A is comprised of three terms which provide introductions to both the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and the New Testament and then a third term on the various ways in which we read, interpret, understand, and make meaning of the Bible.
Year B focuses on Exploring Christian Belief, which serves to help students see the bigger picture in relation to developments and themes within the Christian tradition. Year B is also comprised of three terms, focusing on exploring Christian history of belief, modern developments in theological conversations and issues, and then the final term considers the practicalities of living in Christian faith and ethics.
‘I loved this term and can’t wait for the next one. It gave all of the depth and challenge that I’ve been looking for, but I also feel like you dug up a few of the paving slabs of my faith; which is never a bad thing.’
‘The Exploring Theology Course is wonderful – inspiring, thought provoking and transformative. A real landmark on my spiritual journey.’
‘The quality and level of expertise and experience of critical research amongst the lecturers is just so impressive. I felt very privileged to have access to a wealth of interesting and talented people.’
‘I find Exploring Theology intellectually stimulating and spiritually rewarding in that my views of spirituality have broadened considerably.’
— Exploring Theology student feedback
Find out more
Year A: Exploring the Bible 2021-2022
Exploring Theology’s Year A 2021-2022 focuses on gaining tools and understanding for rigorous, imaginative, faithful and fruitful encounter with the Scriptures.
The Autumn 2021 Term explored the Hebrew Scriptures known to Christians as the Old Testament, the Winter Term explored the New Testament.
Together the two terms gave a quick survey of (almost) the whole of the Bible, with selected attention to especially significant themes and passages.
The Spring 2022 Term will explore further how Christians find a diversity of ways to live with the Bible, looking at how context, worldviews, the arts, and culture shape how we read and understand the text.
View the draft schedule for 2021-2022
The Spring 2022 term begins 26 April. Registration is open until 24 May as sessions are recorded so it is possible to catch up via independent study. Please contact Dr Jayme Reaves if you would like to join after that date or have queries about the curriculum.
The Exploring Theology Experience: Course Details & Schedule
Exploring Theology participants are always very varied in their professional and personal experience, as well as any religious commitment they have (or not as the case may be), and that variety is welcomed.
The teaching team for each term consists of both Sarum College staff members and external tutors whose expertise relates to the topic of the week.
The College Library is a very valuable resource for students, and a discounted membership is available for those who sign up for a full term of Exploring Theology (or you are entitled to a free membership if you sign up to write essays (see below).
All registered students will be given access to SarumLearn, our online learning portal, where a discussion forum will be hosted, recordings and Zoom links shared, and reading/handouts available in advance. Students will be responsible for printing their own reading and handouts, if needed.
At this time, we are only offering registration for Exploring Theology on a termly-basis in order to enrol students into SarumLearn for online access to materials.
The cost of each term is £90, which includes 10 weekly sessions. If you wish to write an essay to get an educational reference or take your learning further, follow this link for more details. Administration for essays are arranged separately.
After registration and payment, you will be sent details on how to access SarumLearn where all readings will be available as well as links to live and recorded sessions. Live online sessions will be conducted via Zoom.
The weekly sessions will run according to the following schedule:
1) Each lecture will be presented on Tuesday evenings online via Zoom. Lectures will start promptly and will run from 7:00-7:45pm. Each lecture will last no more than 45 minutes. The Zoom link for each session will be available on SarumLearn.
2) We will take a break between 7:45pm-8pm. The Zoom room will remain live during the break.
3) We will then gather again at 8pm for the discussion session. The format will be as follows:
— 8-8:20pm: Q&A with the tutor based on their pre-recorded lecture
— 8:20-9pm: Immersive Textual Reading & Discussion where we will be reading and discussing the identified primary source text made available before the lecture on SarumLearn.
This session will be recorded and a link to the video will be posted on Wednesday for those who wish to watch it later.
We will be finished by 9pm.
Optional Essays
‘Doing the written work [for Exploring Theology] enabled me to dig deeper, learn more and undergo degrees of transformation in my thinking and my faith. It’s been revealing, inspiring, transformative.’
In practice most students come to Exploring Theology each week in order to share the experience of exploration and reflection without putting anything on paper, but some appreciate the opportunity to take their learning further and do more, are looking for a soft entry into further academic work, or are in need of an educational reference. Doing essays as part of your Exploring Theology learning allows students to do just that.
If you opt to write the essays, you will receive an Assignments Handbook that details essay options, resources, guidance and marking criteria. Each term, a shorter book review (max 1,000 word) is followed by a longer essay (max 2,000 words).
For this additional £90 per term, you also receive:
- Membership of Sarum Library for the whole academic year (£30 for others on Exploring Theology).
- Marginal and summative comments on each essay, and a mark commensurate to first-year undergraduate marking criteria.
- One-to-one tutorial (30 minutes).
- Access to essay-writing and study skills sessions
- A graded Sarum Certificate upon completion of twelve essays, or transcripts of marks upon request.
- An educational/academic reference, usually following four or more essays.
Contact Jayme Reaves for all essay enquiries