IBTSC Amsterdam exists to help train leaders and conduct research that can aid the Christian church in its mission and ministry in Europe and beyond through internationally focused, European based, baptistic theological education. IBTSC's primary areas of research and education lie in Anabaptist/Baptist histories and theologies, Missiology, and Practical Theology – Identity, Mission, and Practice.
Ph.D. program as a collaborative center within the faculty of theology of the VU Amsterdam. Colloquiums and Seminars are held in Amsterdam. Central to our research portfolio is the Ph.D. program we deliver. At present, the research topics our Ph.D. students are studying include:
- "An Inquiry into the Emerging Church Paradigm as a Way Forward for Church Planting and Church Renewal in Sweden".
- "Christian Peacemaking in the context of Convictions, Scripture, and Conflict."
- "The Contribution of Yves Congar to the Re-emergence of Pneumatology in 20th Century Western Theology".
- "A Movement in Crisis: The Journey of the Hutterite Brethern through Transylvania."
- "Tending Forgiveness: Restore the Broken Garden of the World."
- "The Origins and Development of the First Czech Baptist Church in Bohemia in the Political, Social and Religious Context of Central Europe (1858 – 1918)".
IBTSC aspires to deliver high-quality theological education and research from a baptistic perspective in an international context developing research, researchers, educators, and leaders who can serve the mission and ministry of churches in Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. IBTSC is a collaborative partner within the Faculty of Theology of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
IBTSC Amsterdam is owned by members of the European Baptist Federation and is a member of the European Evangelical Accrediting Association (EEAA). The International Baptist Theological Study Centre Amsterdam has the legal structure of a Dutch Association (Vereniging) following the laws of the Netherlands. Bodies that are members of the EBF are entitled to become members of the Association. Relationships with other academic institutions enhance the academic capacity of the Centre but do not diminish its commitment to and belonging within the European Baptist community.
Together with the Baptist Union of the Netherlands, the Dutch Baptist Seminary, and the office of the European Baptist Federation, the Centre in Amsterdam forms a community known as the Baptist House sharing facilities, resources, and opportunities for worship and learning.
The Centre in Amsterdam serves the diverse Baptist and broader Christian family. The current cohort of students is drawn from Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ghana, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Sweden, UK, Ukraine, and the USA.
The academic rigor at the Ph.D. level is assured through the relationships formed in 2013 with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU).
The Centre promotes an academic culture through intensive weeks of study, the unique annual research colloquium, annual named lecture series, academic events and publications, the hosting of students, scholars, and sabbaticals.
The Centre has over 40,000 texts focused on the Centre's areas of specialty and excellent online resources. This is augmented by access to the vast holdings of the VU University Amsterdam library and their online resources. Consequently, students of the Centre are well resourced throughout their studies and further aided by the support of an international team of adjunct supervisors and lecturers.
The research area of Mission and Evangelism encourages research in the area of mission and evangelism in the territory of the European Baptist Federation and beyond. It looks at relationships between Baptists and other denominations, encourages ecumenical work and partnership, analyses different mission activities conducted by different groups, including Baptists.
Research is done in order to enhance baptistic and other churches to continue God's mission as those sent by him. This also includes fostering dialogue not only with other Christian groups but also with other religions. It includes the study of different contexts of the EBF, analysis of the local and global contexts, and its interaction in the post-modern world.
The International Baptist Theological Seminary has had a special mission within the world Baptist family. It was founded initially by Southern Baptists in 1949 in the town of Rüschlikon, Zurich, Switzerland; it was relocated to Prague 1996. By 1989 ownership of the institution transferred to all the Baptist Unions of Europe and the Middle East in membership of the European Baptist Federation. It has had a particular focus and mission within the European Baptist Federation as a postgraduate center at the heart of an extensive network of theological institutions, coordinating a range of conferences relevant to advancing the life and mission of Baptists throughout Europe and the Middle East. Graduates of the institution have and continue to serve in positions of leadership throughout the world.
Throughout its, history IBTS has intentionality sought to bring together the faith community, academia, mission, church development, spirituality and community as a learning community a community of spirituality a multicultural community a community of higher academic rigor specializing in research and reflection on Baptist issues and with a lecturing team drawn from across the world.
IBTS Centre Amsterdam carries forward the values, academic excellence, and commitment to research and reflection on Baptist and broader issues in the service of the church that characterized the previous incarnations of the institution.
