An Anglia Ruskin University degree created and taught by the Cambridge Theological Federation
All our MA courses (MA in Christian Spirituality East and West, MA in Christian Theology and the Contemporary World, MA in Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care) are run in an ecumenical context and taught jointly with other theological colleges of the Cambridge Theological Federation. Each course consists of five modules: the compulsory core module; three optional modules; and the MA Major Project (Dissertation). We also welcome students to apply for the Postgraduate Certificate (two taught modules), or the Postgraduate Diploma (four taught modules, without the Dissertation).
IOCS offers students a dedicated ‘Orthodox pathway’, allowing them to complete their degree primarily through modules taught by IOCS staff. The programme culminates in a dissertation on an Orthodox theme, chosen by the student and supervised by an Orthodox scholar.
Christian Theology and the Contemporary World IOCS Pathway
The MA in Christian Theology and the Contemporary World reflects on how (Orthodox) Christianity can be faithfully lived out in the contemporary world. Students acquire the theological skills to respond to the major challenges of modernity and postmodernity. We aim to chart a course that avoids both uncritical acceptance of secular thought and simplistic rejection of all non-Christian ideas. For students to navigate this intellectual tightrope successfully, they must grasp the intellectual history and current state of the modern world, including its often hidden and conflicting beliefs. Most importantly, they learn how to make theologically informed judgements that are rooted in tradition, but without reducing theological thinking to an identical repetition of the past.
Our compulsory core module, Secularisation in the Christian World, analyses the different characteristics of the process of secularisation in East and West. What happened to religion under the conditions of modernity? Why did religion tend to decline under conditions of modernity? And how can we make sense of this process?
Christianity and Ecology seeks to envisage a theologically convincing understanding of the relationship between the human being and his/her environment. This module will not concentrate on tailor-made ‘eco-theologies’ but on the witness of various facets of the historical Christian tradition, especially that of the Christian East, which is increasingly recognised for the insights of its theology of creation.
Contemporary Christianity cannot be understood without paying attention to its multi-denominational character. In our module Ecumenism in Theory and Practice, students have an opportunity to learn about the ongoing ecumenical dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian traditions.
Theology and Philosophy examines different approaches to the relationship of theology and philosophy. In 2025-26 the focus will be on faith and reason. We will explore how Christian theology can best respond to the challenges of modern and post-modern philosophy. The main aim of this module is to work towards a theory of faith and reason that overcomes the unfruitful dichotomy of onto-theology and fideism. No previous knowledge of philosophy is required to attend this module.
The Mystery of Love looks at some of the fundamental paradigm changes that the idea of love underwent in the history of ideas. Our aim is to understand the central features of this Christian key virtue, and to articulate a theological response to some influential critiques of the Christian agapē. Is the highest form of love unilateral or reciprocal? How are preferential types of love like erotic love and friendship related to neighbour love and love of enemies?
Available as
– Postgraduate Certificate in Christian Theology and the Contemporary World (2 modules)
– Postgraduate Diploma in Christian Theology and the Contemporary World Context (4 modules)
– MA in Christian Theology and the Contemporary World (4 modules and a 15,000 word project)
Options
– Available full-time or part-time
– Choose from online or classroom lectures and seminars
– Some modules will be available by block teaching in Cambridge over one or two weeks
| Postgraduate Certificate | Postgraduate Diploma | MA |
| Secularisation in the Christian World | Secularisation in the Christian World | Secularisation in the Christian World |
| Plus one optional module | Plus three optional modules | Plus three optional modules |
| Plus a major project (15,000 words) |
For entry requirements please visit the Anglia Ruskin University’s website here.
Deadline for applications with a September 2025 start: 31 July 2025
Course fees for 2024/25 available here (Anglia Ruskin University degrees).
Please find below the link to the Anglia Ruskin University online application.
Please note: If you have questions about the course structure or the application procedure, please contact the Institute’s Academic Director, Dr Christoph Schneider (cs300@iocs.cam.ac.uk).