Different systems but same results

On Thursday 28th May 2015, George Bristow an IBTSC student successfully defended his PhD thesis in an event of promotion at the VU. In the Dutch system, a candidate’s work is submitted to at least 5 markers. It is marked and the markers decide whether the candidate is able to proceed to a public defence. This defence takes place on stage before the markers and a wider body of academics and teachers who make up the promotion committee, as well as members of the public. Following a question and answer session of some 50 minutes the meeting goes into recess while the committee decide whether the thesis has been successfully defended. If the thesis has been successfully defended the candidate is awarded the title and degree of Dr. George successfully defended his thesis which was titled: ‘Abraham in Narrative Worldviews: Doing Comparative Theology Through Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Turkey’. Congratulations go to George and his promotors: Prof Dr J.A. Kirk, Prof Dr P.A. van Doorn-Harder and Dr I.J. Glaser.         Then on Friday 29th May 2015 at Baptist House we carried out a short service of ‘graduation’ to mark the successful achievement of the degree of PhD by IBTS student Mary Raber in conjunction with the University of Wales. This was carried out as part of morning worship at Baptist House and attended not only be present IBTSC staff but members from the Dutch Seminary, Dutch Union, and some of Mary’s friends. In the British system a PhD is defended behind closed doors and although the award stated on the day a graduation service normally follows at a later date.  Traditionally IBTS held such a graduation service in its own campus. The changed situation has necessitated a different approach for the few remaining students who continue with the University of Wales and Magister programmes. Mary successfully defended her PhD in a viva voce in January 2015. It was titled: ‘Ministries of Compassion Among Russian Evangelicals 1905-1929’. Congratulations go to Mary and to her supervisors who have included: Dr Toivo Pilli, Dr W Sawatski  and previously Dr Ian Randall. In the past few months Frances Bloomberg also successfully defended her PhD awarded through the University of Wales with the title: ‘Forming and Sustaining Christian Community in a Consumer Culture: An Analysis of and Search for Appropriate Models’. Frances was supervised by Dr Andrew Kirk and Dr Tim Noble. News of successful Master students will be posted later in the month.