Waldensian Faculty. Opening of the Academic year 2016/17

Rome (NEV), October 31, 2016 – Professor Paolo Ricca, emeritus professor of History of Christianity, last October 3 in Rome opened the Academic Year 2016/17 of the Waldensian Faculty of theology, with a lecture entitled “Why should the Reformation be celebrated?”. The inaugural worship was held on Sunday October 9 at the Baptist Church of Via delle Spighe, by Eric Noffke, professor of the New Testament chair.

The new academic year counts a total of fifteen students, men and women, enrolled in the degree course of theology; twelve foreign students both of Erasmus and of the Ecumenical Studies Centre Melanchton activated since 2001 in cooperation with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Italy (CELI). To the three years distance course on Biblical-theological Science are registered 240 students.

“A new feature this year – said professor Fulvio Ferrario, dean of the Faculty – is the activation of the Master in intercultural theology started last September 30th, with the opening lecture of Professor Werner Kahl of the Hamburg University”. Enrolled to the Master about 15 students. The program is divided into four intensive sessions which will address, among others, the issues of methodologies, the religious factor in migration and integration, the Christian mission and the dialogue between cultures and generations.

“I would also like to stress the articulated dimension of the training in our Faculty – continued Ferrario – addressed either to curricular students and to those who intend to enroll in a course as auditor or adhere to the formula ‘All you can learn’ which allows anyone to follow all the courses described in the 2016/17 catalogue”.

To be mentioned also two curricular courses open to the public held by professor Ferrario (“The birth of theology. The ancient and middle-age Christian thought”) and by professor Daniele Garrone, teacher of Old Testament (“What we know of the history of the biblical Israel”).

The Waldensian Faculty will as well be engaged through the whole academic year to promote conferences and meetings on the 500th Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.