Research Biblical Exegesis and Systematic Theology
What is BEST?
The institute BEST (Biblical Exegesis and Systematic Theology) is a cooperation of the Biblical scholars and researchers in systematic theology of Theological University Apeldoorn and Theological University Utrecht.
The vision behind BEST is that both biblical scholars and systematic theologians can profit from closer cooperation. With this interdisciplinary combination, our both universities make a unique contribution to the Dutch and international theological landscape.
Prof. dr. Hans Burger
Biblical Exegesis and Systematic Theology is led by Prof. Dr. J.M. Burger. The focus of the research is on biblical studies and core themes of Reformed theology.
Exegesis and Systematic Theology
“Exegesis” is the search for the meaning of the biblical text, first of all within the historical context in which the text originated. A wide range of historical and literary methods can be employed in this process. The exegetes of BEST focus in particular on biblical theology. Through careful study, we discover how God makes himself known in the history of Israel and in Jesus Christ.
Systematic theology investigates how the Christian faith can be articulated and reflected upon today. For this purpose, systematic theology is grounded in God’s revelation in the Bible. It does so in dialogue with Christian thinkers throughout history and with contemporary culture and scholarship.
BEST aims to bring these two disciplines into conversation with one another. How can new insights from biblical studies be incorporated into systematic theology? And how do the concepts offered by systematic theology help us to formulate new questions to the biblical text and to sharpen our interpretive lens toward the God of the Bible?
Crucial Commitment
In 2024 we began a new research project which, in Utrecht, forms part of the TUU program “Vulnerability and Hope.” This project is called “Crucial Commitment.” It concerns God’s commitment to humanity and to his creation—a commitment that is literally crucial in the sense that God’s Son was crucified for it. We intend to develop this theme in two books, for which we are deliberately approaching a diverse group of authors (from within and beyond BEST). In this way, we aim to achieve greater coherence and better interaction than has so far been the case in the conference volumes.
Church and Society
For both church and society it is of great importance that reflection on doctrine and the study of the Bible are not treated as separate worlds but are instead brought into close relationship with one another. Where this happens, theology emerges that helps to formulate responses to contemporary challenges, grounded in a continual re-engagement with Scripture. BEST equips researchers in this process, who in turn serve church and society through the students who are trained at TUA and TUU as theologians and ministers, through the preaching of BEST researchers themselves, and through the participation of BEST members in study days and continuing education for ministers. Moreover, the relevance of BEST lies in demonstrating that the Christian tradition offers sources that provide meaning and direction in the face of the crises confronting society, such as the climate crisis. In the selection of research programs, this orientation toward current challenges is consistently an important point of focus.
In addition, BEST researchers are keen to present the results of their research to a broader audience. In the past, this was done, among other ways, through a regular blog in ND, RD, and later the Friesch Dagblad. Today this is done, among other things, through participation in podcasts.
More information about this research institute can be found on the website besttheology.nl
Read more about our researchers and the research they do in our Research Portal.
