A Closer Look at Master of Theology Module
Theologies in Context: Theories and Examples of Doing Theology Locally
Even during challenging times, we continue striving to be faithful to the word of God and teaching our students to do the same. Thus, we recognize the importance of engaging Scripture thoughtfully within the realities of our world today. Our Master of Theology in Biblical and Theological Studies (MTh) program seeks to develop intellectuals and scholars for the Church in the Arab world by deepening the emerging Arabic-speaking scholars’ research skills and expert knowledge in the fields of biblical and theological studies.
The Theologies in Context: Theories and Examples of Doing Theology Locally module is a new fifteen-week module offered to our MTh students in a semi-synchronous online format. It is currently being taught by ABTS faculty Grace Al-Zoughbi Arteen, Assistant Professor of Theological Education, and Caleb Hutcherson, Assistant Professor of Historical and Theological Studies.
At its heart, the module explores a simple but important conviction: theology is never done in a vacuum. Christians always read Scripture, speak about God, and practice ministry from within specific cultural, political, social, and historical realities. This module invites students to reflect deeply on how the Gospel speaks faithfully within their own contexts while remaining rooted in Scripture and the historic Christian faith. Grace reflected:
I have already seen God using this module in meaningful ways. Students are beginning to recognize that their own contexts, questions, and struggles are not obstacles to theology but places where theological reflection can begin. Many are learning to engage Scripture more attentively in dialogue with the realities of their people and communities. The module is helping equip them for ministry that is both intellectually serious and deeply grounded in pastoral and missional practice. What feels especially significant about this course is that it creates room for theological voices from the Majority World and from historically marginalized communities to be heard seriously and critically. It also gives students confidence that faithful theology can emerge from their own local realities and not only from Western academic settings.
Grace
Students engage with examples of contextual theology from around the world. Throughout, they ask what can be learned for ministry in the MENA region and beyond. Nour, one of our MTh students, reflected:
The course was very beneficial. I used to think of theology as something fixed, like a mathematical equation with only one correct interpretation. However, I have come to see that theology can be expressed in different ways depending on culture, history, and personal experience. This insight has had a significant impact on my ministry. When I hear someone express an opinion different from my own, I am now better able to understand the experiences and context that may have shaped their perspective. This is especially relevant in Lebanon, where there is great diversity in regions, backgrounds, and religions. This module has helped me become more aware of these differences and has encouraged me to be more open, understanding, and respectful toward differing viewpoints.
Nour in ministry
One of the distinctive features of the module is its movement from theory to practice. Students are not merely reading theologians but also learning to theologize from within their own ministry settings. Throughout the semester, they develop a contextual theology case study based on real challenges they encounter in church and society. Many of our students serve in contexts shaped by war, migration, sectarian tension, displacement, poverty, and trauma. Therefore, this module creates space for them to reflect theologically on these lived experiences. Caleb shared:
Students are beginning to see that theology done from the margins is not a deviation from orthodoxy but often a recovery of it. I hope that this recognition is changing how they read Scripture and how they imagine their own ministry in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, the Gulf region, and beyond.
The module encourages students to cultivate humility, empathy, curiosity, and careful listening to voices from the global church, especially voices from the margins. It also challenges them to think missionally and pastorally about how theology can serve communities faithfully and prophetically. Kees van der Knijff, MTh lead, shared:
In the entire MTh program, we seek to teach students to do theology in ways that are relevant to their contexts. The new module is a valuable addition to the program, combining appropriate methodology with key themes and discussions. We hope this module strengthens students’ sensitivity to context and helps them carry these insights into other modules and their final thesis. As an institution, we also learn a great deal from our students when they bring their own settings and experiences in creative ways.
We pray that God would use this module to shape our students into people who are open to others, recognizing the uniqueness of each person created by God. We also pray that this formation will deepen their love for God and His work and strengthen their ministry. Finally, we ask God to sustain the faculty, granting them wisdom and strength as they teach and guide the students.
Caleb
Kees