Chair of Old Testament Studies

Since 1993, Prof. Dr. Gert Kwakkel has held the Chair of Old Testament at TUU as Professor, a position he has held part-time since 2012. In his teaching and research, he seeks to do justice to the historical context and original intention of the books of the Old Testament. At the same time, he aims to keep in view their connection with the whole of God’s revelation. The Old Testament is therefore also read in relation to the New Testament and the fulfilment described therein in Jesus Christ.

Prof. dr. Gert Kwakkel

Teaching

Teaching in the Bachelor’s programme focuses on the distinctive character and message of each book of the Old Testament and the context in which it originated. Students reflect on the nature of biblical historiography and on phenomena such as prophecy and wisdom. They are also invited to consider the relationship between the Old and New Testaments and the significance of the texts for the present day.

In the one-year General Master’s programme, students can choose Old Testament as their main subject. This provides a foundation for further study, sometimes in the form of doctoral research. In the Master’s programme for Ministry, the focus is primarily on learning how to exegete specific texts and theologically engage with the content of Old Testament revelation. Both Master’s programmes provide ample opportunity to explore challenging questions, such as the violence that, according to the Old Testament, people perpetrate in the name of God.

The professor’s research and publications focus primarily on prophecy (Hosea) and the theological content of the Old Testament (the covenants established by God).

People involved

In addition to Prof. Kwakkel, the following scholars are involved in teaching and research in the field of Old Testament:

• Prof. Dr. Koert van Bekkum. His research focuses on the biblical books from Genesis through 2 Kings. He also works on theological exegesis and the history of Old Testament scholarship.
• Egbert Brink, ThD. His particular interest lies in Old Testament wisdom literature. He is also responsible for two learning tracks focused on reading the Bible with understanding and interpreting texts in a contemporary context from the original languages.
• Prof. Dr. Jaap Dekker (Henk de Jong Chair). His research focuses on the book of Isaiah and biblical theology, with particular attention to the connection between the Old and New Testaments.
• Wolter Rose, DPhil. He teaches Biblical Hebrew and other Semitic languages and is fascinated by various theological themes, such as the glory of God.

Research associated with the Chair of Old Testament is housed within the Biblical Exegesis and Systematic Theology research group. This group brings together biblical scholars and systematic theologians from Theological University Apeldoorn and TUU in a unique collaboration. The 2024–2029 research programme is entitled “Crucial Commitment.”