Curriculum

On the last Friday of September, the Kick-Off opens the new academic year, introducing new members into the academic community and fostering existing contacts. During a morning programme, participants explore the rich variety of topics and methods in theology and religious studies, or a general topic relevant to all emerging scholars. In the afternoon, most research seminars will have their first session, which allows new members to check one out.

Next Kick-Off: "Religion and Racism," Friday 26 September 2025, Radboud University, Nijmegen.
> More info (Moodle)

Halfway through the year, the Midyear Meeting focuses on career perspectives within and/or outside academia. As an academic community of emerging and senior scholars, NOSTER offers a valuable platform to plan and promote your (academic) career.

Next Midyear Meeting "Funding Your Research": 6 February 2026, Amsterdam
> More info (Moodle)

The Spring Conference is the highlight of the academic year. It offers an ideal opportunity to discover the ‘academic conference’ formula and to exchange knowledge and experiences. The conference doesn't have a fixed theme: all ReMA students and PhD candidates are warmly invited to present their current or future research. In addition to these paper sessions, there is a plenary lecture, three parallel workshops and lots of time to socialise. In short, the Spring Conference provides you with fresh energy, new ideas and skills, and relevant feedback from peers and seniors.

Next Spring Conference: 15-17 April 2026, Münster University, Germany.
> More info (Moodle)

Taught by Dr. Eric Ottenheijm (UU).

Religious traditions are often studied in isolation in academic contexts. Early Christian texts are studied in Theology departments, Greek and Roman forms of religion are studied by classicists, Rabbinic literature is part of Jewish studies, etc. The assumption underlying this research seminar is that there is much to be gained by studying religions in juxtaposition and conversation with related phenomena in the ancient world. Religious texts reflect social historical quarters in an entangled world, necessitating both regional and comparative approaches. It offers a context for students working on all aspects of religion in the Greco-Roman world to enter into conversation with each other and to interact with leading scholars in this broad field of scholarship.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

Taught by Professor dr. Gijsbert van den Brink (VU) and Professor dr. Steven C. van den Heuvel (ETF).

This seminar focuses on the interplay between religion and climate change. This interplay has, first of all, a historical dimension: there is an alleged link between (Western) Christianity, as laying the foundation for the contemporary ecological crisis (including the climate crisis); this link needs investigation. Second, there is a biblical and a systematic-theological task: What biblical and dogmatic concepts and thought forms can be brought to bear on the current climate crisis, and what hermeneutical steps need to be taken in this regard? Third, there is the empirical perspective: how do religious practices and religiously inspired attitudes contribute to the climate crisis, and how might they – vice versa – help us address it?

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

Taught by Professor dr. Anne-Marie Korte (UU) and dr. Anne-Claire Mulder (PThU)

Monthly sessions offer a forum to present and discuss the research projects of the participants. The sessions alternately focus on the exploration of current debates in the multidisciplinary field of Religion, Theology and Gender and on the mastering of dissertation skills, both in relation to the research projects of the participants.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

Taught by Professor dr. Ab de Jong (LU) and dr. Jacqueline Borsje (UvA).

Monthly sessions offer a forum to present and discuss parts of the research projects of the participants. In addition, we will be discussing current debates and issues in the study of religion, with a special focus on the interconnection between dedicated work (historical as well as contemporary) on concrete religions, religious materials, and religious phenomena, and general theorising about ‘religion’.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

Taught by Professor dr Anke Liefbroer (TiU) and dr. Ronelle Sonnenberg (PThU).

The monthly sessions offer a forum for the presentation and discussion of ongoing research by the participants. In addition, the course discusses literature related to general topics relevant for empirical research in religion, such as quantitative and qualitative research methods, ethical aspects, and scientific integrity.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle) 

Taught by Professor dr. Herman Westerink (RU) and Professor dr. Petruschka Schaafsma (PThU).

Multiple sessions throughout the year focused on exploring current debates in dogmatics, ethics and philosophy of religion and on presenting and discussing the work of participants. The course includes a discussion of a text or a book that is key to the field, either in terms of content or method, and training in academic skills. Academic skills that are trained include citation styles and preparing a bibliography; balancing personal commitment and academic distance; choosing and applying the proper method; starting (and applying for) a PhD project, remaining in charge of it, and bringing it to a good (and timely) end; presenting and defending one’s research; publishing strategies; commenting on texts of colleagues; preparing for professional life after successfully defending one’s thesis.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

Taught by Professor dr. Mariecke van den Berg (VU/RU) and Dr. Kim Knibbe (RUG).

This intensive text reading seminar aims to explore formative texts for the interdisciplinary study of religion within the humanities and the qualitative and conceptual studies in the social sciences, in particular from gender-critical, postcolonial, and post-secular perspectives. It focuses on the multiple and changing manifestations of religion in diverse social and cultural contexts, and it investigates religion from the intersection of feminist, sexuality, queer, masculinity and diversity studies.

2025-2026: > More info (Moodle)

2024-2025: > More information on last edition (Moodle)

Reading a classic cover-to-cover: students and emerging as well as established scholars rarely find the time to do so. This course offers you the opportunity to study and discuss a classic or contemporary standard work from the fields of theology or religious studies. In four or five sessions within the scope of two months, an expert on the particular publication guides participants through its history, context, and content. In every academic year, NOSTER aims to offer two editions on different must-have-read classics, which might be offered again after two years.

Autumn 2025: Spinoza's Theological-Political Treatise with Dr. Pooyan Tamimi Arab (UU) & Professor em. dr. Henri Krop (EUR) > More info (Moodle)

Spring 2026: Charles Long's Significations: Signs, Symbols, and Images in the Interpretation of Religion with Dr. Justine M. Bakker (RU) > More info (Moodle).

The Grand Course is a two/three-day in-depth module that often combines a conference with a masterclass (incl. preparatory readings). In 2025 one Grand Course will be offered.

Grand Course "Religion and Imagination", combining the biennial conference of the Dutch Association for the Study of Religion (NGG) with a masterclass with Professor dr. James Bielo (Northwestern University). Utrecht, 5-7 November 2025. More info (Moodle).

A Grand Course combining the annual conference of the Dutch Society of Theology (VVTh) with a masterclass is scheduled for 7-9 January 2026. More information will become available in September.

We hope to offer some Research Skills Courses again in 2025-2026. More information to follow!

In academic year 2025-2026, the ancient language courses Syriac and Coptic will be offered again by NOSTER.

Spring 2026 - Syriac Language with Dr. S.A. (Seth) Bledsoe (RU) --> More Info (Moodle)

While we are still working on the curriculum for the next academic year, below you can find those courses that are already planned:

Research Skills: Qualitative Analysis with Atlas.ti with Dr. Jorien Copier (RU) see previous edition on Moodle.