By Rianne van Klaveren
From 18 to 22 November 2024, the Week of the Early Church will take place at Apeldoorn Theological University (TUA) with the theme ‘The Greek Church Fathers’. Prof. Dr. Marten van Willigen is organising the week from the special chair ‘Bible Interpretation Early Church’.
The Deutsche Bahn gave a number of stained-glass windows as a gift to Cologne Cathedral around 1860. Courtesy of the German railways, the Latin church fathers Augustine, Ambrose, Hieronymus and Gregory are depicted metres in size under the window depicting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Greek church fathers Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianze and Gregory of Nyssa are also depicted in the transept, but these stained-glass windows hardly stand out.
The Greek Church Fathers are almost not noticed. Yet they profoundly influenced our perception of faith. The Old and New Testament plus the Church Fathers together form a foundation on which the Reformation continued to build. The Greek Church Fathers were the theological founders of the first hour, people who knew how to articulate their faith in a completely pagan society. What they said is of utmost importance to modern man. After all, they entered into dialogue with the non-Christian society in which they stood. How they did so will be covered in detail in the Week of the Early Church . The parallels with today will not only amaze the 21st-century modern believer, but also support and encourage him or her in their own dialogue with our non-Christian fellow man.
Preliminary programme
Monday evening, 18 November 2024, 20.00: Lecture (digital): 'Basil the Great, organiser and animator of the early Christian Eastern tradition'.
Tuesday evening 19 November 2024, 8pm: Lecture (digital) by Prof Marten van Willigen: 'Gregory of Nazianze, friend of Basil and defender of the Trinity.'
Wednesday afternoon 20 November 2024, 3pm: mini-symposium (at TUA) around Gregory of Nyssa. Including Prof Dr Marten van Willigen ('Who was Gregory of Nyssa?') and Dr Piet Hein Hupsch ('Gregory of Nyssa as a theologian').
Thursday evening 21 November 2024, 8pm lecture (digital) by Prof Dr Marten van Willigen: 'The three Greek church fathers as founders of the main theological doctrines'. This lecture will be broadcast at 20.00 from the Victor Church in Apeldoorn.
Friday evening 22 November 2024, 8pm final lecture by Prof Marten van Willigen: 'The historical context of the Greek Church Fathers.' Presentation with early Christian images of the bishop in the Early Church (TUA auditorium).
This week is primarily intended as an extra-curricular deepening of the Early Church for students in addition to their regular study programme. However all other interested parties are also welcome.
Participation in these activities is free of charge, however, please register in advance. This can easily be done via the registration form on the website or by mailing to registration [at] tua.nl (registration[at]tua[dot]nl) mentioning Week of the Early Church. Please also indicate which parts of the programme you opt for. In case of online participation, you will receive a participation link in your mailbox in due time.