Center for Textual, Historical, and Systematic Studies of Judaism and Christianity

The Center for Textual, Historical and Systematic Studies of Judaism and Christianity (CTHS) investigates the endlessly fascinating Christian and Jewish traditions that have shaped society over the past 3,000 years. It brings together biblical scholars, historians of Christianity, and systematic theologians within a single research group that explores religion and theology as historical phenomena, contemporary practices, and normative frameworks.

Highlights

NWO grant for Dr. Matthijs den Dulk

07 January 2026 Research news item

In the latest round of NWO's Open Competition SSH-XS grants, RCPS's Dr. Matthijs den Dulk was one of eleven Radboud University colleagues to obtain funding for new research.

John Behr appointed Fellow British Academy

02 September 2025 News item

New Volume Explores Old Age in Ancient Judaism, Early Christianity, and Greco-Roman Contexts

26 August 2025 Research news item

Assistant Professor of Ancient Judaism Seth A. Bledsoe, together with Dr. Albertina Oegema (Universität Mainz), has co-edited a new scholarly volume: Old Age in Ancient Judaism, Early Christianity, and Their Contexts (Routledge).

Main lines of research

The research of CTHS centers around three areas of emphasis:

The formation of early Jewish and early Christian identities in antiquity, informed by interdisciplinary engagement and aimed at understanding the consequences of encounters with empire on ancient Israelite, early Jewish, and early Christian identities;
Christian identity from late antiquity until the present, including Roman Catholic identity in various contexts, the relation between Protestant and Catholic theologies, and Orthodox Christian theology and practice;
The contribution of Christian theology to a contemporary and globalised society, foregrounding systematic and philosophical research into public theology, the Christian mystical tradition, and feminist theology.

What makes CHTS unique?

CTHS brings together biblical scholars, historians of Christianity, and systematic theologians in a single research group. This constellation is unique: whereas many research centers treat textual and historical studies as separate from fundamental and dogmatic theology, ethics, and spirituality, CTHS approaches them as complementary disciplines.

CTHS members produce high-level scholarship — some of which is showcased on this website — but also draw on their expertise to contribute to public debates on such topics as the formation of Dutch identity, Christian nationalism in Europe and the US, the inclusion and exclusion of LGBTQ+ people, and the relationship between faith and science.

If you are interested in discussing any of these topics, please feel free to send an email to matthijs.dendulk [at] ru.nl (Matthijs den Dulk), the centre's coordinator. We welcome inquiries from journalists, students, members of the general public, and fellow scholars interested in collaboration.

Radboud Prestige Lectures

Among many other activities, CTHS organizes the Radboud Prestige Lectures in New Testament every other year, which has featured many global leaders in the study of the New Testament and early Christian literature.