A Survey of the History of Israel in Old Testament times. The Faith of the OT depicted in terms of historical development, but also in relation to the social, politacal and religious situation in the contemporary peoples and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The origin and the main characteristics of the individual books of the OT discussed. The afterlife of some OT texts also discussed.

The topic of this course is the history of the Christian religion from the beginning to our times. The course is an introductory and overview course and will, on the basis of recent research, discuss the most significant characteristics of the main periods in the history of the Christian religion. In its survey, it will proceed chronologically, i.e. moving from the early Christian period through history to the modern era. The course will also explore particular themes appearing in different historical and cultural contexts. The themes are 1) orthodoxy and heresy, 2) the Christian religion and violence, 3) the formation of historical secularities, 4) monastic movements. Although the course will center on the dispersion and development of the Christianity in Europe, its spread will be discussed from a global perspective as well. Theoretically and methodologically, the course belongs to the discipline of the history of religon.

The aim of this course is to provide a historical overview of Christian thought. A special emphasis will be on the formation of creedal texts as well as the history and characteristics of various denominations.

Bible Hebrew for beginners.

This course discusses both theological and philosophical ethics. In the first half of the course the emphasis is on introducing dominant theories and concepts of western ethics. In the second half of the course special attention is given to the question: „What is life worth living?“ from diverse theoretical standpoints and worldviews.

The course contains a discussion of the beginnings of Early Christianity as well as of its historical and ideological background. Special emphasis will be given to the roots of Christianity in early Judaism. Attention will also be paid to the ideological roots of Christianity in Hellenistic thought. Early Christian literature will be discussed with emphasis on a historical approach to the sources. Included is a general discussion of the nature and form of writings of this sort. In this way, a basis will be laid for a qualified interpretation of and research into Early Christian literature.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a basis on which to read and interpret the texts of the New Testament independently. The main elements of the grammatical structure of ancient Greek will be studied and text examples from the New Testament and other early Christian texts will be read for that purpose. Special emphasis will be put on the knowledge and use of ancient Greek within the fields of theology and religious studies.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The course is mostly designed for ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church of Iceland, but is also suitable as part of other professional studies of care, which use the methods and knowledge of spiritual care, such as social workers and nurses. 

In this course, the roles, methods and tools of pastoral and spiritual care are defined and discussed  how these tools apply to liturgy, discussions, mediation and group work. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to pastoral and spiritual care is sketched in relation to theories and practices of other academic fields, such as psychology of religion. Theories of grief and bereavement, challenges of old age, loneliness, trauma and growth are applied to concrete examples. The context and practices of pastoral and spiritual care is analyzed. The group goes to field trips and the course focuses on active engagement through role play and case study.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

The BA thesis is primarily intended to train students in researching a chosen topic in theology and in presenting their findings in a well-structured academic text. Students write a BA thesis on a research topic of their own choice in consultation with a supervisor who is one of the permanent members of the teaching staff. The course coordinator assists students in selecting a supervisor if needed. Students are encouraged to meet with their supervisor and prepare an initial outline of the research project before the thesis semester begins. The final thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to work independently and academically, present material logically and systematically, analyse sources, and make use of scholarly resources (e.g., handbooks, dictionaries, or comparable online resources). The length of a BA thesis (10 ECTS) should be 8-10.000 words.  

Students are encouraged to use the services of the University of Iceland Centre for Writing [link: https://ritver.hi.is/is], which offers support for academic writing. At the Centre for Writing, students can book consultations and receive advice on any issues related to academic essays, reports, and other written assignments. Students are also advised to familiarise themselves with the University of Iceland guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence: https://gervigreind.hi.is/

Instructions:

The University of Iceland Centre for Writing [https://ritver.hi.is/en/center-writing] provides instructions for academic writing

Books on academic writing:

Höskuldur Þráinsson, Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt. Fræðileg skrif, ritrýni og ritstjórn (Reykjavík: Málvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands og Háskólaútgáfan, 2015).

Friðrik H. Jónsson and Sigurður J. Grétarsson, Gagnfræðakver handa háskólanemum, 5th ed. (Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan, 2018).

What is known about the long lost medieval Icelandic church buildings? On what source material does the knowledge rest? What was the purpose of these buildings in their contemporanean society? Although there are no remaining medieval church buildings in Iceland, there is, substantial source material to base some knowledge about these churches. Several sites have been excavated and there is also some information in different types of written sources. Much of interior utensils and decoration has been preserved. The course aims at presenting what is known about medieval Icelandic churches and the society that built them and used them. The churches will be studied according to their rank in the church hierarchy: Cathedrals, monastic/larger churches and other types. The outer form will be presented as well as the importance of reuse of building material.

The main purpose of this course is conflict and conflict zones in the world with regard to opportunities and challenges which such topics provide in teaching. Participants will be introduced to ideas and issues of conflicts and relate these to geogarphical situations, history, culture and religion. Two or three areas will be selected for analysis. These could be Ireland and the Irish democacy, Israel and Palestine, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria and Turkey, together with areas that geogarphically can be difficult to define. The selection of topics will be made in consultance with participants which will, depending on circumstances, be related to Icelandic history and situation.

The course assignments will cover systematic search for information, suitable exposition of historical and geographical results and explanation of complex and delicate issues.

Final exam counts as 40%, but assignments and partial exams count as 60%. Participants have to attend 80% of classes. 
Further information is on CANVAS.

The course is about religion and religious education in a multicultural society. The students will get basic knowledge about the major religions of the world and how to prepare teaching and learning in religious education in the elementary school. They are also trained in discussing issues and questions about religion and view of life.

The content of the course is religion, religious experience, the search for meaning and the main concepts of religious studies. The value of religions for individuals and societies will be discussed and their impact on the shaping of identities, values and understanding of life. The major religions of the world will be explored, i.e. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other religions and secular worldviews. Also the role of religion nowadays, new religious movements, multiculturalism and pluralism, prejudice and tolerance.

Teaching methods: Lectures, discussion groups, field study and papers on religion and teaching and learning in religious studies. The course is planned for both regular and distance students.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences, and identities will be discussed alongside selected aspects of the world's major religious traditions. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values across different religions will be discussed, as will the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts, and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The philosophical and religious tradition of the Eastern Church is distinct from the Roman Catholic tradition, which developed through scholarly activity in monasteries and universities during the Middle Ages and was closely connected to the intellectual currents that later led to major social changes in Western Europe. Within the Orthodox Churches, Neoplatonism always had a strong influence and directed religious thought more toward experience and expression than metaphysical analysis. However, the leading philosophers of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century were well-educated in Western philosophy, which resulted in the emergence, at the end of that century and the beginning of the twentieth, of a unique philosophical tradition grounded both in the spiritual emphasis of the Eastern Church and the rationalism of the West. This course offers a broad overview of this history of ideas and its most prominent thinkers, Ukrainian and Russian alike.

A Survey of the History of Israel in Old Testament times. The Faith of the OT depicted in terms of historical development, but also in relation to the social, politacal and religious situation in the contemporary peoples and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The origin and the main characteristics of the individual books of the OT discussed. The afterlife of some OT texts also discussed.

The topic of this course is the history of the Christian religion from the beginning to our times. The course is an introductory and overview course and will, on the basis of recent research, discuss the most significant characteristics of the main periods in the history of the Christian religion. In its survey, it will proceed chronologically, i.e. moving from the early Christian period through history to the modern era. The course will also explore particular themes appearing in different historical and cultural contexts. The themes are 1) orthodoxy and heresy, 2) the Christian religion and violence, 3) the formation of historical secularities, 4) monastic movements. Although the course will center on the dispersion and development of the Christianity in Europe, its spread will be discussed from a global perspective as well. Theoretically and methodologically, the course belongs to the discipline of the history of religon.

The aim of this course is to provide a historical overview of Christian thought. A special emphasis will be on the formation of creedal texts as well as the history and characteristics of various denominations.

Bible Hebrew for beginners.

This course discusses both theological and philosophical ethics. In the first half of the course the emphasis is on introducing dominant theories and concepts of western ethics. In the second half of the course special attention is given to the question: „What is life worth living?“ from diverse theoretical standpoints and worldviews.

The course contains a discussion of the beginnings of Early Christianity as well as of its historical and ideological background. Special emphasis will be given to the roots of Christianity in early Judaism. Attention will also be paid to the ideological roots of Christianity in Hellenistic thought. Early Christian literature will be discussed with emphasis on a historical approach to the sources. Included is a general discussion of the nature and form of writings of this sort. In this way, a basis will be laid for a qualified interpretation of and research into Early Christian literature.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a basis on which to read and interpret the texts of the New Testament independently. The main elements of the grammatical structure of ancient Greek will be studied and text examples from the New Testament and other early Christian texts will be read for that purpose. Special emphasis will be put on the knowledge and use of ancient Greek within the fields of theology and religious studies.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The course is mostly designed for ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church of Iceland, but is also suitable as part of other professional studies of care, which use the methods and knowledge of spiritual care, such as social workers and nurses. 

In this course, the roles, methods and tools of pastoral and spiritual care are defined and discussed  how these tools apply to liturgy, discussions, mediation and group work. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to pastoral and spiritual care is sketched in relation to theories and practices of other academic fields, such as psychology of religion. Theories of grief and bereavement, challenges of old age, loneliness, trauma and growth are applied to concrete examples. The context and practices of pastoral and spiritual care is analyzed. The group goes to field trips and the course focuses on active engagement through role play and case study.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

The BA thesis is primarily intended to train students in researching a chosen topic in theology and in presenting their findings in a well-structured academic text. Students write a BA thesis on a research topic of their own choice in consultation with a supervisor who is one of the permanent members of the teaching staff. The course coordinator assists students in selecting a supervisor if needed. Students are encouraged to meet with their supervisor and prepare an initial outline of the research project before the thesis semester begins. The final thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to work independently and academically, present material logically and systematically, analyse sources, and make use of scholarly resources (e.g., handbooks, dictionaries, or comparable online resources). The length of a BA thesis (10 ECTS) should be 8-10.000 words.  

Students are encouraged to use the services of the University of Iceland Centre for Writing [link: https://ritver.hi.is/is], which offers support for academic writing. At the Centre for Writing, students can book consultations and receive advice on any issues related to academic essays, reports, and other written assignments. Students are also advised to familiarise themselves with the University of Iceland guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence: https://gervigreind.hi.is/

Instructions:

The University of Iceland Centre for Writing [https://ritver.hi.is/en/center-writing] provides instructions for academic writing

Books on academic writing:

Höskuldur Þráinsson, Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt. Fræðileg skrif, ritrýni og ritstjórn (Reykjavík: Málvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands og Háskólaútgáfan, 2015).

Friðrik H. Jónsson and Sigurður J. Grétarsson, Gagnfræðakver handa háskólanemum, 5th ed. (Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan, 2018).

What is known about the long lost medieval Icelandic church buildings? On what source material does the knowledge rest? What was the purpose of these buildings in their contemporanean society? Although there are no remaining medieval church buildings in Iceland, there is, substantial source material to base some knowledge about these churches. Several sites have been excavated and there is also some information in different types of written sources. Much of interior utensils and decoration has been preserved. The course aims at presenting what is known about medieval Icelandic churches and the society that built them and used them. The churches will be studied according to their rank in the church hierarchy: Cathedrals, monastic/larger churches and other types. The outer form will be presented as well as the importance of reuse of building material.

The main purpose of this course is conflict and conflict zones in the world with regard to opportunities and challenges which such topics provide in teaching. Participants will be introduced to ideas and issues of conflicts and relate these to geogarphical situations, history, culture and religion. Two or three areas will be selected for analysis. These could be Ireland and the Irish democacy, Israel and Palestine, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria and Turkey, together with areas that geogarphically can be difficult to define. The selection of topics will be made in consultance with participants which will, depending on circumstances, be related to Icelandic history and situation.

The course assignments will cover systematic search for information, suitable exposition of historical and geographical results and explanation of complex and delicate issues.

Final exam counts as 40%, but assignments and partial exams count as 60%. Participants have to attend 80% of classes. 
Further information is on CANVAS.

The course is about religion and religious education in a multicultural society. The students will get basic knowledge about the major religions of the world and how to prepare teaching and learning in religious education in the elementary school. They are also trained in discussing issues and questions about religion and view of life.

The content of the course is religion, religious experience, the search for meaning and the main concepts of religious studies. The value of religions for individuals and societies will be discussed and their impact on the shaping of identities, values and understanding of life. The major religions of the world will be explored, i.e. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other religions and secular worldviews. Also the role of religion nowadays, new religious movements, multiculturalism and pluralism, prejudice and tolerance.

Teaching methods: Lectures, discussion groups, field study and papers on religion and teaching and learning in religious studies. The course is planned for both regular and distance students.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences, and identities will be discussed alongside selected aspects of the world's major religious traditions. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values across different religions will be discussed, as will the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts, and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The philosophical and religious tradition of the Eastern Church is distinct from the Roman Catholic tradition, which developed through scholarly activity in monasteries and universities during the Middle Ages and was closely connected to the intellectual currents that later led to major social changes in Western Europe. Within the Orthodox Churches, Neoplatonism always had a strong influence and directed religious thought more toward experience and expression than metaphysical analysis. However, the leading philosophers of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century were well-educated in Western philosophy, which resulted in the emergence, at the end of that century and the beginning of the twentieth, of a unique philosophical tradition grounded both in the spiritual emphasis of the Eastern Church and the rationalism of the West. This course offers a broad overview of this history of ideas and its most prominent thinkers, Ukrainian and Russian alike.

A Survey of the History of Israel in Old Testament times. The Faith of the OT depicted in terms of historical development, but also in relation to the social, politacal and religious situation in the contemporary peoples and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The origin and the main characteristics of the individual books of the OT discussed. The afterlife of some OT texts also discussed.

The topic of this course is the history of the Christian religion from the beginning to our times. The course is an introductory and overview course and will, on the basis of recent research, discuss the most significant characteristics of the main periods in the history of the Christian religion. In its survey, it will proceed chronologically, i.e. moving from the early Christian period through history to the modern era. The course will also explore particular themes appearing in different historical and cultural contexts. The themes are 1) orthodoxy and heresy, 2) the Christian religion and violence, 3) the formation of historical secularities, 4) monastic movements. Although the course will center on the dispersion and development of the Christianity in Europe, its spread will be discussed from a global perspective as well. Theoretically and methodologically, the course belongs to the discipline of the history of religon.

The aim of this course is to provide a historical overview of Christian thought. A special emphasis will be on the formation of creedal texts as well as the history and characteristics of various denominations.

Bible Hebrew for beginners.

This course discusses both theological and philosophical ethics. In the first half of the course the emphasis is on introducing dominant theories and concepts of western ethics. In the second half of the course special attention is given to the question: „What is life worth living?“ from diverse theoretical standpoints and worldviews.

The course contains a discussion of the beginnings of Early Christianity as well as of its historical and ideological background. Special emphasis will be given to the roots of Christianity in early Judaism. Attention will also be paid to the ideological roots of Christianity in Hellenistic thought. Early Christian literature will be discussed with emphasis on a historical approach to the sources. Included is a general discussion of the nature and form of writings of this sort. In this way, a basis will be laid for a qualified interpretation of and research into Early Christian literature.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a basis on which to read and interpret the texts of the New Testament independently. The main elements of the grammatical structure of ancient Greek will be studied and text examples from the New Testament and other early Christian texts will be read for that purpose. Special emphasis will be put on the knowledge and use of ancient Greek within the fields of theology and religious studies.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The course is mostly designed for ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church of Iceland, but is also suitable as part of other professional studies of care, which use the methods and knowledge of spiritual care, such as social workers and nurses. 

In this course, the roles, methods and tools of pastoral and spiritual care are defined and discussed  how these tools apply to liturgy, discussions, mediation and group work. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to pastoral and spiritual care is sketched in relation to theories and practices of other academic fields, such as psychology of religion. Theories of grief and bereavement, challenges of old age, loneliness, trauma and growth are applied to concrete examples. The context and practices of pastoral and spiritual care is analyzed. The group goes to field trips and the course focuses on active engagement through role play and case study.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

The BA thesis is primarily intended to train students in researching a chosen topic in theology and in presenting their findings in a well-structured academic text. Students write a BA thesis on a research topic of their own choice in consultation with a supervisor who is one of the permanent members of the teaching staff. The course coordinator assists students in selecting a supervisor if needed. Students are encouraged to meet with their supervisor and prepare an initial outline of the research project before the thesis semester begins. The final thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to work independently and academically, present material logically and systematically, analyse sources, and make use of scholarly resources (e.g., handbooks, dictionaries, or comparable online resources). The length of a BA thesis (10 ECTS) should be 8-10.000 words.  

Students are encouraged to use the services of the University of Iceland Centre for Writing [link: https://ritver.hi.is/is], which offers support for academic writing. At the Centre for Writing, students can book consultations and receive advice on any issues related to academic essays, reports, and other written assignments. Students are also advised to familiarise themselves with the University of Iceland guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence: https://gervigreind.hi.is/

Instructions:

The University of Iceland Centre for Writing [https://ritver.hi.is/en/center-writing] provides instructions for academic writing

Books on academic writing:

Höskuldur Þráinsson, Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt. Fræðileg skrif, ritrýni og ritstjórn (Reykjavík: Málvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands og Háskólaútgáfan, 2015).

Friðrik H. Jónsson and Sigurður J. Grétarsson, Gagnfræðakver handa háskólanemum, 5th ed. (Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan, 2018).

What is known about the long lost medieval Icelandic church buildings? On what source material does the knowledge rest? What was the purpose of these buildings in their contemporanean society? Although there are no remaining medieval church buildings in Iceland, there is, substantial source material to base some knowledge about these churches. Several sites have been excavated and there is also some information in different types of written sources. Much of interior utensils and decoration has been preserved. The course aims at presenting what is known about medieval Icelandic churches and the society that built them and used them. The churches will be studied according to their rank in the church hierarchy: Cathedrals, monastic/larger churches and other types. The outer form will be presented as well as the importance of reuse of building material.

The main purpose of this course is conflict and conflict zones in the world with regard to opportunities and challenges which such topics provide in teaching. Participants will be introduced to ideas and issues of conflicts and relate these to geogarphical situations, history, culture and religion. Two or three areas will be selected for analysis. These could be Ireland and the Irish democacy, Israel and Palestine, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria and Turkey, together with areas that geogarphically can be difficult to define. The selection of topics will be made in consultance with participants which will, depending on circumstances, be related to Icelandic history and situation.

The course assignments will cover systematic search for information, suitable exposition of historical and geographical results and explanation of complex and delicate issues.

Final exam counts as 40%, but assignments and partial exams count as 60%. Participants have to attend 80% of classes. 
Further information is on CANVAS.

The course is about religion and religious education in a multicultural society. The students will get basic knowledge about the major religions of the world and how to prepare teaching and learning in religious education in the elementary school. They are also trained in discussing issues and questions about religion and view of life.

The content of the course is religion, religious experience, the search for meaning and the main concepts of religious studies. The value of religions for individuals and societies will be discussed and their impact on the shaping of identities, values and understanding of life. The major religions of the world will be explored, i.e. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other religions and secular worldviews. Also the role of religion nowadays, new religious movements, multiculturalism and pluralism, prejudice and tolerance.

Teaching methods: Lectures, discussion groups, field study and papers on religion and teaching and learning in religious studies. The course is planned for both regular and distance students.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences, and identities will be discussed alongside selected aspects of the world's major religious traditions. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values across different religions will be discussed, as will the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts, and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The philosophical and religious tradition of the Eastern Church is distinct from the Roman Catholic tradition, which developed through scholarly activity in monasteries and universities during the Middle Ages and was closely connected to the intellectual currents that later led to major social changes in Western Europe. Within the Orthodox Churches, Neoplatonism always had a strong influence and directed religious thought more toward experience and expression than metaphysical analysis. However, the leading philosophers of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century were well-educated in Western philosophy, which resulted in the emergence, at the end of that century and the beginning of the twentieth, of a unique philosophical tradition grounded both in the spiritual emphasis of the Eastern Church and the rationalism of the West. This course offers a broad overview of this history of ideas and its most prominent thinkers, Ukrainian and Russian alike.

A Survey of the History of Israel in Old Testament times. The Faith of the OT depicted in terms of historical development, but also in relation to the social, politacal and religious situation in the contemporary peoples and cultures of the Ancient Near East. The origin and the main characteristics of the individual books of the OT discussed. The afterlife of some OT texts also discussed.

The topic of this course is the history of the Christian religion from the beginning to our times. The course is an introductory and overview course and will, on the basis of recent research, discuss the most significant characteristics of the main periods in the history of the Christian religion. In its survey, it will proceed chronologically, i.e. moving from the early Christian period through history to the modern era. The course will also explore particular themes appearing in different historical and cultural contexts. The themes are 1) orthodoxy and heresy, 2) the Christian religion and violence, 3) the formation of historical secularities, 4) monastic movements. Although the course will center on the dispersion and development of the Christianity in Europe, its spread will be discussed from a global perspective as well. Theoretically and methodologically, the course belongs to the discipline of the history of religon.

The aim of this course is to provide a historical overview of Christian thought. A special emphasis will be on the formation of creedal texts as well as the history and characteristics of various denominations.

Bible Hebrew for beginners.

This course discusses both theological and philosophical ethics. In the first half of the course the emphasis is on introducing dominant theories and concepts of western ethics. In the second half of the course special attention is given to the question: „What is life worth living?“ from diverse theoretical standpoints and worldviews.

The course contains a discussion of the beginnings of Early Christianity as well as of its historical and ideological background. Special emphasis will be given to the roots of Christianity in early Judaism. Attention will also be paid to the ideological roots of Christianity in Hellenistic thought. Early Christian literature will be discussed with emphasis on a historical approach to the sources. Included is a general discussion of the nature and form of writings of this sort. In this way, a basis will be laid for a qualified interpretation of and research into Early Christian literature.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with a basis on which to read and interpret the texts of the New Testament independently. The main elements of the grammatical structure of ancient Greek will be studied and text examples from the New Testament and other early Christian texts will be read for that purpose. Special emphasis will be put on the knowledge and use of ancient Greek within the fields of theology and religious studies.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

How do social changes affect religion and religious traditions?  How can these changes be detected in Nordic countries in the first decades of the 21^st century? In the course students will look at baptism from the perspective of these changes and consider qualitative and quantitative surveys.  They will explore how Nordic majority churches have responded to the changes, both when it comes to the ritual itself and the conversation with the larger public including ecotheological and ecumenical challenges.  

The Lutheran worship service  is a ritual that builds on ancient tradition of liturgy and church music, yet also innovative and contextual. Each service is rooted in components of liturgy, church music, diakonia and homiletics. In the service, experts and volunteers come together in diverse leadership roles and complex collaboration.  The course is vocational and practical and has two different foci. It focuses on the one hand on singing together and learning about liturgical music, and, on the other, on  the preparation and performance of a worship service. In the singing part of the course, the focus is on singing-along with others, vocal training and training in liturgy and hymnody. The cultural heritage of the hymnody will be introduced.  In the project management part of the course, students learn long time planning of events, and to work together in groups to plan the service, articulation, enunciation and to plan a worship service on the public radio. The course is a restricted elective course for students in vocational training to become pastors or deacons, but a free elective course for other students who want to get a deeper understanding of worship and Church music, such as students in Church music or singing.

Attn: This elective course cannot be taken instead of the compulsory course GFR076F Liturgy and Hymnology

What impact does the New Testament have today? Is it good or bad? How should we approach religious texts like the writings of the New Testament that belong to an entirely different paradigm in terms of knowledge? What value and benefits can and should such texts have today? These are the general core questions that students in this course will address, on the basis of a number of New Testament texts that relate to select contemporary issues. Special attention is paid to social issues and questions of human rights that biblical texts have or have had an impact on, for better or for worse. Various aspects of fundamentalism in biblical interpretation will be addressed in search for appropriate academic responses to such approaches. Students will also address the question of the value and benefits of the New Testament in our society, whether for individuals or in a professional context, for instance, related to social welfare or pastoral care.

What is the field of Church Denominations and how does one distinguish between church, denomination and congregation? What is ecumenism? What is the academic contribution of World Christianity and Missiology to Church Denominations? What is the history of church denominations, and how do they branch out and unite? What is common to the denominations? The course addresses dogmas, organization, issues and practices of majority churches and movements in the world. The course discusses the work of church denominations in Iceland and the development of legislation regulating religious communities. Finally, the course discusses the relations between World Christianity, ecumenical bodies and mission in and between church denominations.

Is Islam the biggest threat that the world faces today? Every day, headline news reports on violence in the Muslim World. Is there something in this faith that makes it so newsworthy? And how did it get that way? This course will consider the political and cultural history of Islam and the development of its major institutions and ideas. The emergence of the religion will be explored with special attention to the Prophet Muhammad's life and career. The Qur'an's central message will be considered. What world view does it promote and what is its concept of justice? How does the Qur'an propose to solve contemporary problems? Does it/should it have relevance today? We will also explore the role of Sharia with special attention to the status of women. A major component of this course will be to evaluate Islam in today's world especially the emergence of radical Islamist groups such as al-Qaeda and the experience of Muslim minorities in Western societies. We will explore whether it is possible or feasible to intertwine Islam with our modern societies. Finally, in light of Islam's past, we will speculate about its possible future trajectories.  Students will write a 10-12 page paper and keep an online journal during the semester.

The course is mostly designed for ordained ministry in the Lutheran Church of Iceland, but is also suitable as part of other professional studies of care, which use the methods and knowledge of spiritual care, such as social workers and nurses. 

In this course, the roles, methods and tools of pastoral and spiritual care are defined and discussed  how these tools apply to liturgy, discussions, mediation and group work. The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to pastoral and spiritual care is sketched in relation to theories and practices of other academic fields, such as psychology of religion. Theories of grief and bereavement, challenges of old age, loneliness, trauma and growth are applied to concrete examples. The context and practices of pastoral and spiritual care is analyzed. The group goes to field trips and the course focuses on active engagement through role play and case study.

Liberal theologies of the 20^th century often called for more tolerance of LGBTIQ+ people in religious and church contexts. Instead of heteronormative tolerance, queer theologies put the focus on the binary structures that classify and subordinate people into male and female, hetero and homo, cis and trans etc. When queer theories, theology and theological ethics of sexuality are put in dialogue the dialogue presumes full acceptance and inclusion of the experiences, culture and practices of LGBTIQ+ people in theology and the life of the churches. Thus, queer theologies offer critique of heteronormativity and binary structures in practices and institutions of church and academy and and offer constructive approaches to a wider understanding of sexuality and gender expression in the context of theology and religious institutions.

The course content is related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in various ways, especially Goals 3, 5 and 16.

The aim of this course is to give an insight into Ecumenical Theology and to enhance the understanding of methods and practices in the field of interchurch relations.

The main goal of this course is that students gain knowledge and understanding of Ecumenical Theology, relations and practices. Theological factors that form the common ideological foundation of Christian churches are investigated but also those who separate, especially from the perspective of Lutheran theology. A special emphasis is placed on methods of interchurch relations, for example, common religious practice. Theories of relations that may apply to such cooperation are explored. Interfaith cooperation will also be studied to the extent to which such relations overlap with interchurch relations.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

At the centre of the course is human sexuality seen from historical, social, cultural and religious perspectives. Resources come from the field of sexology, sociology, gender studies, ethics, philosophy and theology. Main topics are: understanding of human sexuality, sexual ethics, love, sex, marriage, sexual orientation, sexual harassment and sexual violence, constructivism and essentialism in sexology and sexual ethics, the concepts of "normal" and "abnormal", cultural relativism and professional ethics.

The course builds on the students´s previous knowledge in ancient Greek, and their skills to read the New Testament in Greek is strengthened. For that purpose selected passages from the Gospel of Mark as well as the Gospel of John are read, with support from grammatical, lexical and other appropriate tools. The course will also serve as preparation for exegesis of the New Testament.

The subject matter of the course is the Five Books of Moses, i.e. the Torah, and the so-called "historical books", i.e. Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel and Kings. Deuteronomy will serve as a sort of a starting point as it represents the fundamental component of the editing and composition of the Torah as well as the "Deuteronomistic History", i.e. Deuteronomy + the above mentioned historical books. The focus will also be on the so-called "Priestly Source" and its impact on the final stand and message of the Torah. Selected classic narratives will be read and discussed in class.

The BA thesis is primarily intended to train students in researching a chosen topic in theology and in presenting their findings in a well-structured academic text. Students write a BA thesis on a research topic of their own choice in consultation with a supervisor who is one of the permanent members of the teaching staff. The course coordinator assists students in selecting a supervisor if needed. Students are encouraged to meet with their supervisor and prepare an initial outline of the research project before the thesis semester begins. The final thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to work independently and academically, present material logically and systematically, analyse sources, and make use of scholarly resources (e.g., handbooks, dictionaries, or comparable online resources). The length of a BA thesis (10 ECTS) should be 8-10.000 words.  

Students are encouraged to use the services of the University of Iceland Centre for Writing [link: https://ritver.hi.is/is], which offers support for academic writing. At the Centre for Writing, students can book consultations and receive advice on any issues related to academic essays, reports, and other written assignments. Students are also advised to familiarise themselves with the University of Iceland guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence: https://gervigreind.hi.is/

Instructions:

The University of Iceland Centre for Writing [https://ritver.hi.is/en/center-writing] provides instructions for academic writing

Books on academic writing:

Höskuldur Þráinsson, Skrifaðu bæði skýrt og rétt. Fræðileg skrif, ritrýni og ritstjórn (Reykjavík: Málvísindastofnun Háskóla Íslands og Háskólaútgáfan, 2015).

Friðrik H. Jónsson and Sigurður J. Grétarsson, Gagnfræðakver handa háskólanemum, 5th ed. (Reykjavík: Háskólaútgáfan, 2018).

What is known about the long lost medieval Icelandic church buildings? On what source material does the knowledge rest? What was the purpose of these buildings in their contemporanean society? Although there are no remaining medieval church buildings in Iceland, there is, substantial source material to base some knowledge about these churches. Several sites have been excavated and there is also some information in different types of written sources. Much of interior utensils and decoration has been preserved. The course aims at presenting what is known about medieval Icelandic churches and the society that built them and used them. The churches will be studied according to their rank in the church hierarchy: Cathedrals, monastic/larger churches and other types. The outer form will be presented as well as the importance of reuse of building material.

The main purpose of this course is conflict and conflict zones in the world with regard to opportunities and challenges which such topics provide in teaching. Participants will be introduced to ideas and issues of conflicts and relate these to geogarphical situations, history, culture and religion. Two or three areas will be selected for analysis. These could be Ireland and the Irish democacy, Israel and Palestine, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria and Turkey, together with areas that geogarphically can be difficult to define. The selection of topics will be made in consultance with participants which will, depending on circumstances, be related to Icelandic history and situation.

The course assignments will cover systematic search for information, suitable exposition of historical and geographical results and explanation of complex and delicate issues.

Final exam counts as 40%, but assignments and partial exams count as 60%. Participants have to attend 80% of classes. 
Further information is on CANVAS.

The course is about religion and religious education in a multicultural society. The students will get basic knowledge about the major religions of the world and how to prepare teaching and learning in religious education in the elementary school. They are also trained in discussing issues and questions about religion and view of life.

The content of the course is religion, religious experience, the search for meaning and the main concepts of religious studies. The value of religions for individuals and societies will be discussed and their impact on the shaping of identities, values and understanding of life. The major religions of the world will be explored, i.e. Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some other religions and secular worldviews. Also the role of religion nowadays, new religious movements, multiculturalism and pluralism, prejudice and tolerance.

Teaching methods: Lectures, discussion groups, field study and papers on religion and teaching and learning in religious studies. The course is planned for both regular and distance students.

In the course, people's religious needs, experiences, and identities will be discussed alongside selected aspects of the world's major religious traditions. Religious practice - particularly in relation to school settings - religious ethics and common values across different religions will be discussed, as will the position of religions today, cultural and religious conflicts, and prejudice and misunderstanding concerning religions. Projects are linked to the field.

The aims of this course are that the student has increased his or her knowledge in the main religious traditions in the world, and in the basic theories and key concepts in religious studies. That the student understands the relations between culture and religion and the influences of those on the identity, life values and daily lives of children and families. That the student knows ways of dealing with matters of opinion related to religions in his or her work settings. That the student can collect, assess and analyse scientific data in the field of religious studies in a multicultural society and use suitable technical measures and software. That the student can initiate new studies and development projects and communicate his or her findings in a suitable manner. That the student has developed independent methods of working and is capable of further studies and research in the field of religious studies in multicultural settings.

The philosophical and religious tradition of the Eastern Church is distinct from the Roman Catholic tradition, which developed through scholarly activity in monasteries and universities during the Middle Ages and was closely connected to the intellectual currents that later led to major social changes in Western Europe. Within the Orthodox Churches, Neoplatonism always had a strong influence and directed religious thought more toward experience and expression than metaphysical analysis. However, the leading philosophers of the Orthodox Church in the Russian Empire in the nineteenth century were well-educated in Western philosophy, which resulted in the emergence, at the end of that century and the beginning of the twentieth, of a unique philosophical tradition grounded both in the spiritual emphasis of the Eastern Church and the rationalism of the West. This course offers a broad overview of this history of ideas and its most prominent thinkers, Ukrainian and Russian alike.