THE REFORMED CHURCH CENTER

AT NEW BRUNSWICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

ABOUT THE CENTER

The Reformed Church Center at New Brunswick Theological Seminary has a two-fold mission.   First, the Center maintains an articulate RCA presence within New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and encourages among RCA students at the seminary a strong sense of belonging to the RCA.  Second, the Center encourages and sponsors reflection on the living traditions of the RCA, as well as the issues that now face it, drawing on the resources of NBTS which is the RCA’s oldest institution of theological study -- a place where both free inquiry and disciplined analysis are deeply valued.  

This mission ties in closely with the broader mission of the RCA itself. It is for the RCA that we work at forming ministers who know the denomination,and that we make opportunities for free and disciplined reflection on important issues.   And w e aim to engage the RCA in that reflection.

The Center offers a broad range of programs for a wide audience, including scholars, RCA members, and indeed everyone concerned about the Reformed tradition and its renewal. It also arranges workshops and events within the seminary community to help connect RCA students with the life of the denomination.

All of the events announced on this web page are open to the public. You are cordially invited. If you are intending to come, please inform Joanne Noel, the Center's Program Coordinator, at jnoel@nbts.edu or 732-247-5241 ext. 112.

2007-2008 EVENTS

A CONFERENCE

Friday, October 5, 2007, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Making All Things New: Explorations in the Trinitarian Theology of A. A. van Ruler

The Dutch theologian A. A. van Ruler (1908-1970) was a giant of the theology of the twentieth century, whose reputation is only now coming into its own, at the beginning of the twenty-first. This conference, jointly sponsored with the Abraham Kuyper Center at Princeton Theological Seminary, assembles several scholars who are pioneering in the interpretation of van Ruler: Derek van Kuelen of the Protestant University in the Netherlands; John Bolt of Calvin Theological Seminary; Paul Fries of New Brunswick Theological Seminary; Harry Der Nederlanden of the journal The Christian Courier, Allan Janssen of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and Clifford Anderson of Princeton Theological Seminary.

RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

A Study Opportunity for Research In Reformed Church History

THE ALBERT A SMITH FELLOWSHIP

The Center for Reformed Church Studies at New Brunswick Seminary is pleased to invite applications for the twelfth annual Albert A Smith Fellowship in Reformed Church History. The Smith Fellowship has been established in honor of the Rev. Albert A Smith, pastor of the First Reformed Church in Schenectady at the time of his death in 1990 who himself wrote a history of the Preakness Reformed Church in Wayne, New Jersey. Gifts from his friends and parishioners have made this program possible

The Fellowship provides a stipend of $500.00 and a two-week residency at New Brunswick Seminary to support research into the history of the Reformed Tradition, particularly as it pertains to the RCA. The resources of the seminary and the RCA archives are at the Fellow's disposal, including advice and assistance of the faculty, the RCA archivist, and the library staff. The Fellow also presents a lecture to the seminary community.

If you are pursuing a research project for which the Reformed Church archives at New Brunswick Seminary would be helpful, you are encouraged to apply for the Fellowship. Former fellows have included pastors and lay persons with historical interests, as well as professional scholars. Their projects have focused on a variety of topics -- for instance, the evolution of particular congregations or classes, the ideas of leading Reformed figures, and the trajectories of church growth and decline.

What about selection criteria? The selection committee looks for applications that show careful planning; a good grasp of the project's purpose, scope, and significance; and clarity about how the results of the project will be disseminated. We are particularly interested in projects to which the applicant has already devoted some energy, so as to be able to show some preliminary results.

Interested? Click for application information; please address any questions to Prof. John Coakley (jcoakley@nbts.edu).