Research projects
- SoilDue to climate and ecological changes, Christians today face existential questions, as well as questions of faith: how do we relate to the earth in a way that is theologically justified? This interdis…
- Moral Compass ProjectHow do we know what the Good is? Is there such a thing as a ‘moral compass’ that all people share? The needle of a compass points to the north pole, but you can't reach the pole with it. Can the G…
All our projects and centres
Soil
Due to climate and ecological changes, Christians today face existential questions, as well as questions of faith: how do we relate to the earth in a way that is theologically justified? This interdisciplinary five-year research project takes ‘soil’ as its starting point.
Read moreChurch and slavery
From the very beginning, the Church was involved in the Dutch colonial history of slavery – not only ideologically (is it morally permissible to trade and own enslaved people?), but also as an active participant, including in the role of slaveholder. This project explores the history, theology, and enduring impact of the complex and often painful relationship between the Church and slavery.
Read moreMoral Compass Project
How do we know what the Good is? Is there such a thing as a ‘moral compass’ that all people share? The needle of a compass points to the north pole, but you can't reach the pole with it. Can the Good also be seen as such a pole? As something that speaks to us 'from the outside,' inescapably? The Good appeals to us in a way that gives us direction and encourages us to take concrete action. But that does not imply we are able to fully know or do the Good.
Read moreCentre for Contextual Biblical Interpretation
Church for the future
Churches in the Netherlands — and more broadly in Western Europe and the North Atlantic region — are undergoing immense change. It is fair to speak of a crisis of the church in the West. Even where communities hope to preserve traditional church practices, their relationship with the surrounding world has been profoundly altered, with significant consequences. This research by PThU and the Protestant Church in the Netherlands examines what the future of the church in this context can and should look like.
Read moreCentre for Early Jewish Hermeneutics
In the Centre for Early Jewish Hermeneutics (CEJH), scholars from VU University, the University of Groningen, and the Protestant Theological University work together to study early Jewish exegesis of the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament.
Read moreCentre for Theology and Christianity Worldwide
Comenius
Institute for Ritual and Liturgical Studies
International Reformed Theological Institute
OJKC - Centre for Youth, Church and Culture
