Islamic theology and theological engineering in the Nordic setting: Critical perspectives from the Danish experience

TY - JOUR

T1 - Islamic theology and theological engineering in the Nordic setting: Critical perspectives from the Danish experience

AU - Hoffmann, Thomas

PY - 2016/7/2

Y1 - 2016/7/2

N2 - The aim of this article is partly one of identifying and problematizing obstacles and realistic possibilities regarding the emergent field of Islamic theology in the context of Nordic universities, with special emphasis on Denmark. For the moment, a full-scale Danish Islamic theology programme designed for Muslims seems an almost herculean task for a variety of reasons, the most important of which will be identified and critically discussed. Currently, a small-scale programme is the most feasible option and, as such, it has recently been launched at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Copenhagen. The article closes with an excursus arguing that not only would Nordic Muslim communities benefit from the establishment of an Islamic theology programme at the university level, Christian university theology today would certainly also benefit if an Islamic theology study-module were to be added to the standard curriculum. In a multi-religious society, sound academic knowledge about Islam and its relationship with Christianity is indeed a desideratum for the contemporary Christian theology student.

AB - The aim of this article is partly one of identifying and problematizing obstacles and realistic possibilities regarding the emergent field of Islamic theology in the context of Nordic universities, with special emphasis on Denmark. For the moment, a full-scale Danish Islamic theology programme designed for Muslims seems an almost herculean task for a variety of reasons, the most important of which will be identified and critically discussed. Currently, a small-scale programme is the most feasible option and, as such, it has recently been launched at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Copenhagen. The article closes with an excursus arguing that not only would Nordic Muslim communities benefit from the establishment of an Islamic theology programme at the university level, Christian university theology today would certainly also benefit if an Islamic theology study-module were to be added to the standard curriculum. In a multi-religious society, sound academic knowledge about Islam and its relationship with Christianity is indeed a desideratum for the contemporary Christian theology student.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0039-338X

VL - 70

SP - 145

EP - 159

JO - Studia Theologica

JF - Studia Theologica

IS - 2

ER -