2024 was filled with events, all of which you can watch on our YouTube channel
EDUCATION
Advanced Biblical Studies study program
In collaboration with EC Sarajevo, we continued with our Advanced Biblical Studies program, where our lecturers gave lectures on 1 Corinthians (Goran Medved), Introduction to Christian Theology, Church History (Danijel Časni), and Hermeneutics (Ervin Budiselić).
In partnership with churches in Rijeka, the program also continued there. Offered courses included Theology of the Bible, The Life and Ministry of Jesus: Introduction to the Gospels, Hermeneutics (Ervin Budiselić), Introduction to Christian Theology, Fundamentals of Christian Ethics (Danijel Časni).
Biblical Languages
Organized by our CBI department, the Biblical Hebrew II course (Danijel Berković) was completed in the summer semester, while a new cycle of Biblical Hebrew I (Monika Bajić) and New Testament Greek I (Nino Brozinčević) started in the fall. Danijel Berković began a Biblical Hebrew I lecture series at the Church of Christ in Samobor also in the fall.
Guest Lectures by Our Teachers
Throughout 2024, our teachers were guest lecturers at other institutions.
At the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek, Danijel Časni taught Introduction to Community Pastoral Care as well as Public Relations and Speaking Culture, Goran Medved taught New Testament Greek and New Testament Exegesis, while Perry Stepp delivered lectures on Contemporary Approaches to New Testament Theology.
Strengthened Cooperation with the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek.
At the beginning of 2024, we agreed to align the undergraduate program at ETVOS with the Advanced Biblical Studies program of the Biblical Institute.
Not-for-credit Bible Classes and Seminars
Our lecturers delivered a series of classes, including:
- Discipleship Jesus’ Way (EPC Šibenik, BC Slavonski Brod, Christian Association Dunamis), Philippians and Thessalonians (Church of Christ Samobor), The Contribution of the Pentateuch and the Old Testament to Christian Belief and Life (online), Archaeology and the Bible, Change of Mind, Change of Heart (Perry Stepp), How We Got the Bible (Goran Medved)
- The screening of the video series That the World May Know continued at the Church of Christ Zaprešić.
- In collaboration with Judita Paljević-Kraljik, a lecturer at ETV, we organized classes The World of Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus in/on Biblical Festivals. These classes were held at EPC Šibenik, Christ’s Church Samobor, and online.
COLLABORATION
Serving Churches and the Community
Our teachers continued their ministry and cooperation with various churches, including: EPC Dar milosti Šibenik, EPC Garešnica, BC Daruvar, EPC Split, BC Slavonski Brod, CC Kušlanova Zagreb, Dunamis Zagreb, EPC Osijek, BC Dubrava Zagreb, KC Samobor, EC Sarajevo…
Event Organization
As part of the Havurah initiative, we organized a two-day workshop in May on Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, featuring guest speaker Avi Snyder.
In October, in collaboration with Fokus Association and the Bay Area Center for Faith, we organized a panel discussion on Artificial Intelligence – Threat or Aid?
Guest Appearances
Our lecturers were featured on Croatian television programs (Duhovna misao, Zajedno u Duhu; Berković, Nino Brozinčević). You can watch the recordings on our YouTube channel.
In October, Perry Stepp was a speaker at the international Christian conference Adria Interaction, while Ervin Budiselić spoke at the youth conference “Pun kofer” in Sarajevo.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Our professors have continued their research projects, including: Narrative and Metanarrative of the Biblical Psalter and Biblical Psalmody – exploring how storytelling in biblical poetry conveys content and message (Project Leader: Danijel Berković), Churches of the Reformation Heritage in Croatia (1990–2020) (Project Leader: Stanko Jambrek), The Concept of Discipleship in Evangelical Churches in Croatia (Project Leader: Ervin Budiselić).
Conferences
In March, our CBI department organized the scientific symposium The Biblical Psalter: Between History and Narrative as part of the research project Narrative and Metanarrative of the Biblical Psalter and Biblical Psalmody. You can watch the recordings on BIZG’s YouTube channel.
In April, we held an international theological conference titled Discipleship in Churches of the Reformation Heritage: Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary Perspectives. Conference presentation recordings are available here.
In September, as a continuation of the April discipleship conference, we organized a panel discussion, Conversations on Discipleship, in collaboration with BC Dubrava.
International Collaboration
In May, we hosted Alistair Begg (from Truth For Life) and Stevo Vuletić from Gospel Partners.
In August, our lecturers participated in the FEET (The Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians) international conference, which focused on “Evangelical Identity in Europe Today: Unity in Diversity.”
PUBLISHING
Books
We have published, both independently and in collaboration with partners, the following books:
- Greg Ogden, Essential Discipleship
- Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart
- Mark W. Hamilton (ed.), Transforming Word (final volume)
- Dennis Allen, The Dilemma: Discipleship – Yes or No?
- Online edition of the Lexicon of Evangelical Christianity
Theological Journal Kairos
In May and November, we published two more issues of the scientific journal Kairos: Evangelical Theological Journal in both Croatian and English.
The English edition of Kairos has been accepted into the Scopus database as of May 2024.
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
Center for Biblical Research (CBI)
In addition to organizing the scientific symposium The Biblical Psalter: Between History and Narrative, CBI hosted several Hebrew workshops for those who successfully completed Hebrew I. Additionally, the center organized several Bible workshops on various topics, including one focused on the emotional states of the Biblical psalmist.
Documentation and Research Center for Protestant-Evangelical History (DCP)
The DCP continued its work on the digitization of archival materials relevant to Protestant-Evangelical history. This includes publications of many evangelical magazines. Additionally, the DCP organized events to commemorate Reformation Day, including a special event on women of the Reformation, titled Mind, Heart, and Everyday Life as well as a Reformation Day lecture by Stanko Jambrek, titled From Gutenberg to Google: The Contributions of the Reformation to Modern Europe. During this event, the online edition of the Lexicon of Evangelical Christianity (LEK) was also presented.
Library
Once again, we highlight that our library department is a unique and specialized library for Christian literature, serving a total of 590 users this year.
Employees
In July, our lecturer Goran Medved successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at Aurel Vlaicu University in Arad, Romania. His research focused on “Paul’s Theological Contribution to the Evangelical Perspective of Theosis.”
