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MF Norwegian School of Theology Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet
Motto	In Principio Erat Verbum
Established	1907
Type	Private
Rector	Prof. dr. theol. Vidar L. Haanes
Staff	80
Students	900
Location	Oslo, Norway
Affiliations	The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions
Website	www.mf.no

MF Norwegian School of Theology (formerly the Free Faculty of Theology) in Norwegian Det teologiske Menighetsfakultet (MF), is a private, independent, accredited Norwegian specialised university institution. The school is located at Majorstuen, Oslo.

The main goal of the institution is to educate and train ministers, pastors, Christian educators (catechists), deacons, teachers and researchers for Church, School and Society.

The school offers degrees on an undergraduate level, on a postgraduate level and on a postgraduate research level.

Contents 1 History 2 Academics 3 Notable Alumni and faculty staff 3.1 Alumni 3.1.1 Politicians 3.1.2 Musicians 3.1.3 Authors 3.1.4 Clergy 3.2 Faculty Staff 3.2.1 Emeriti 3.2.2 Old Testament Theology 3.2.3 New Testament Theology 3.2.4 Church History 3.2.5 Systematic Theology 3.2.6 Missiology and History of Religion 3.2.7 Practical Theology and Christian Education

[edit] History

MF was founded in 1907 by a body of people (Norwegian academics, politicians, clergy and lay people) wanting to build the education and research on the Holy Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.

The main reason for the establishing of the School was an appointment to a professoriate at the Faculty of Theology at University of Oslo. The Chair of Systamatic Theology was vacant after the death of Professor Fredrik Petersen in 1903, and in 1906 the liberal theologian Johannes Ording was appointed to the Chair. Ording was appointed after a lengthy debate which almost led to a crisis in the Government of Norway. It was not supported by the other leading professors at the faculty, and Professor Sigurd Odland at the Faculty of Theology and the Minister of Church Affairs Christan Knudsen in the Government left their positions following the appointment.

Notable people in the society and the Church gathering around Professor Odland then took steps to found an independent institution training the clergy. The founding charter was signed October 16, 1907, and the School was opened in the autumn of 1908 with only 8 students (a number that increased to 14 before the end of the first term). The earliest teachers were Sigurd Odland (New Testament), Edvard Sverdrup (Church history), Peter Hognestad (Old Testament), Ole Hallesby (Systematic theology). From 1919 the members of academic staff was granted the right to call themselves professors.

The School grew steadily, and in 1913 MF was given the right to offer exams in Theology, and also in Practical Theology from 1925. The School expanded in 1967 and an institute of Christian Studies was founded giving a minor, major and a masters degree in Christian Studies. 1977 the school started to train Christian Educators (cathecists).

A major step was the right to award the doctoral degree in 1990. The School was the first private school given the right to do this, and in 2005 the school was accredited as a specialized university institution by the Norwegian authorities.

Beginning in 1907 as a confessional school it today is an ecumenical inclusive school offering education specific to a number of denominations (Lutheran, Methodist, Catholic and Pentecostal).

[edit] Academics

MF is Norway’s largest school of theology and enrolls approximately 900 students from both Norway and other countries.

MF Norwegian School of Theology awards the following degrees: bachelor, master, candidatus/a theologiae and Ph.D.

It offers the following programmes of study that results in the mentioned degrees:

• At undergraduate level
  • Certificate of Religious Education (1 year),
  • Certificate of Cross-cultural Studies (1 year),
  • Bachelor of Arts, Major in Religious Education (3 years),
  • Bachelor of Youth Ministry (3 years),
  • Bachelor of Theology (3 years).

• At postgraduate level
  • Master of Arts in Religious Education (1 ½ years, part-time studies).

• • Master of Philosophy in Religious Education (2 years),
  • Master of Philosophy in Educational Ministry (2 years),
  • Master of Philosophy in Diaconal Ministry (2 years),
  • Master in Philosophy in Theology (2 years, offered in English),
  • Master of Theology (5 years, one-tier).

• • Professional Degree in Theology and Ministry (6 years, leading to the cand. theol.-degree).

• At postgraduate research level
  • Philosophiae doctor in Theology (3 ½ years),
  • Philosophiae doctor in Religious Education (3 ½ years).

[edit] Notable Alumni and faculty staff

[edit] Alumni

[edit] Politicians

Kjell Magne Bondevik, Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, Torild Skogsholm, Helen Bjørnøy.

[edit] Musicians

Bjørn Eidsvåg, Morten Harket

[edit] Authors

Jan Kjærstad Ole Hallesby

[edit] Clergy

Gunnar Stålsett, Laila Riksaasen Dahl, Per Oskar Kjølaas, Ole Christian Kvarme, Olav Skjevesland, Ernst Baasland, Odd Bondevik, Finn Wagle,

[edit] Faculty Staff

[edit] Emeriti

• Magne Sæbø, Old Testament Theology
• Terje Stordalen, Old Testament Theology
• Ernst Oddvar Baasland, New Testament Theology
• Ivar Asheim, Systematic Theology
• Torleiv Austad, Systematic Theology
• Olav Skjevesland, Practical Theology

[edit] Old Testament Theology

• Prof. Corinna Körting
• Prof. Karl William Weyde

[edit] New Testament Theology

• Prof. Hans Kvalbein
• Prof. Karl Olav Sandnes
• Prof. Reidar Hvalvik
• Associate prof. Geir Otto Holmås
• Ass.prof. Hanne B. S. Tveito

[edit] Church History

• Prof. Oskar Skarsaune
• Prof. Bernt T. Oftestad
• Prof. Vidar L. Haanes
• Associate prof. Jan Schumacher

[edit] Systematic Theology

• Prof. Torleiv Austad, Systematic Theology
• Prof. Lars Østnor, Theological Ethics
• Prof. Jan-Olav Henriksen, Philosophy of Religion
• Prof. Gunnar Heiene, Ethics
• Prof. Kjell Olav Sannes, Dogmatics
• Prof. Peder Gravem, Christian and Religious Studies (KRL),
• Prof. Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen, Secular Ethics

[edit] Missiology and History of Religion

• Prof. Tormod Engelsviken
• Associate prof. Arild Romarheim
• Associate prof. Roar Fotland

[edit] Practical Theology and Christian Education

• Prof. Leif Gunnar Engedal, Psychology of Religion
• Prof. Harald Hegstad, Sociology of Religion
• Prof. Sverre D. Mogstad, Religious Pedagogics and Didactics
• Associate prof. Heid Leganger-Krogstad
• Ass. prof. Astrid Sandsmark
• Ass. prof. Sjur Isaksen
• Dir. ministry div. Halvor K. Nordhaug