First of all, excellence matters. One driving motive for establishing Hermeneia is to make available the same kind of high-quality Bible training that has distinguished The Master’s Seminary in California since the 1980s. Studying the Bible deserves our best efforts, and so it is our ambition to set the bar high, and encourage students to rigorously pursue the excellence that the subject-matter demands.
Secondly, hermeneutics matters. We have a conviction that a literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutic* is the bedrock on which a solid approach to the exegesis of Scripture can be built. It is also our conviction that it is only this kind of sound exegesis that provides a safe foundation for the kind of expository preaching churches need. However, it’s not only preachers that engage in hermeneutics and exegesis. Whether you are hoping to teach God’s word, or simply studying it for yourself and your family, the hermeneutic you adopt can radically change the way in which you understand and benefit from the Bible.
Thirdly, godliness matters. We are convinced that students should grow in godliness while they grow in their knowledge of the Bible. Our commitment is to focus not only on academic study, but also on the personal growth and disciplines of every student, with the hope that knowledge does not puff up, but rather humbles and yet equips students for a lifetime of service.
*Our convictions that the literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutic is necessary means we are aiming to teach students to understand the Bible in its context without spiritualising what would have been intended as literal. This means avoiding using allegory or typology as a major interpretive method. Instead, the Bible is allowed to speak for itself, and the aim is to arrive at the intent of the author in the historical situation in which the Scripture was written, using the normal rules of grammar to interpret the Bible. None of this prevents us from acknowledging that by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit human authors did at times use figurative language, types, literary genres, and even allegory to convey the message that God wanted written down.
Understanding the systems of theology found in God’s word is important for every Christian. But how we come to conclusions about what the Bible teaches under each topic of systematic theology is also critical. We believe that systematic theology should not dictate how we read the Bible, but rather that by getting a proper understanding of the content and flow of Scripture, a Christian will be better placed to study systematic theology. Because of this priority of Bible knowledge, studies at Hermeneia begins with Bible Survey class so that each student can first understand the content of Scripture in its context. It is from that foundation that students will be sufficiently prepared to trace the common themes regarding core doctrines of the Bible in later classes.
Year One (Bible Survey) and Two (Hermeneutics and Theology Survey) will meet once a month on a Saturday. Each day of class will begin at 8:00am with a chapel session. At 9:00am, the Bible Survey will begin, with regular breaks and a lunch break at 1pm. Class ends for the day at 6:30pm.
Go to hermeneia.org/application to fill out your application.
It is imperative that students have the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback throughout the duration of the course. Therefore, each student will have a mentor assigned to them who will interact with them while they are in the course as well as have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the instructor at times in the lectures.
Classes are the 2nd Saturday of the month during the academic year (September-June).
All classes take place at Woodbridge Chapel, Woodbridge Street, London, EC1R 0EX, the home of GraceLife London, located in Central London.