Study Group Relationship Judaism Christianity

Activities the Netherlands Centre for the Study of Early Christianity

CSEC regularly organizes seminars and webinars on relevant topics. Recordings of those meetings can be watched by clicking the link in the text of the events.


2022, March 8 - Zoom seminar Deacons and Leadership in Early Christianity. Celebrating John N. Collins

The scholary work of John N. Collins challenges the traditional view that diakonia refers to an office of service to the needy, especially of service to the poor in a given community.

The webinar will provide several presentations assessing the importance and impact of the academic publication by John N. Collins on occasion of his 90th birthday.

With the participation of Dr Sven Erik Brodd, Uppsala University, Sweden; Dr Anthony Gooley, BBI - The Australian Institute for Theological Education; Dr Anni Hentschel, University of Würzburg, Germany; Dr Bart J. Koet, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology; Dr Edwina Murphy, Australian College of Theology; Dr Pauliina Pylvänäinen, University of Eastern Finland & a response by Dr John N. Collins.

Watch the webinar


2021, October 15 - Zoom seminar All in Common? Money and Possessions in Early Christianity

October 15 was the date of an online webinar on Tout en commun? La vie économique de Jésus et des premières générations chrétiennes (Cerf Patrimoines, 2020) by  Dr. Jonathan Cornillon, Université de Sorbonne (Paris IV).

You can watch the presentation by Dr. Jonathan Cornillon and the reaction of  Dr. Bart Koet (Professor of New Testament and Early Christian Literature, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology) and the reaction of the  Augustine scholar Dr. Paul van Geest (Professor of Church History Tilburg School of Catholic Theology).


2021, September 15-17 - Zoom seminars Presbyters in Early Christianity

In September 2021 a series of three online seminars is planned on the role and position of presbyters as leaders of Early Christian communities.

You can click the link on the title of the presentation to watch the recording.

September 15. Chair: Dr Murray Smith, Christ College, Sydney
Zaqenim in the Prophets, Dr Archibald van Wieringen, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology

September 16. Chair: Dr Bart Koet, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology
Presbuteroi in the Septuagint, Dr Susan Docherty, Newman University, Birmingham

September 17: Chair: Dr Edwina Murphy, Morling College, Sydney
Elders in Greco-Roman Sources, Dr Lyn Kidson, Alphacrucis College, Sydney.


2021, May 10-12 - Zoom seminars What did deacons do? 

The series was openend by Dr. Wim van de Donk (rector-manificus and chairman of the Board of Tilburg University).

Chairs were Dr. Edwina Murphy, Morling College, Sydney; Dr. Pekka Metso, University of Eastern Finland, and Dr. Arnold Smeets, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology.

The lectures were on: Ephrem the Syrian on Deacons. By Dr. Gerard Rouwhorst, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology, and Deacons in the life and work of John Chrysostom. By Dr. Andreas Müller, Christian-Abrechts-Universität zu Kiel. 

The final session was entitled So: What Did Deacons Do? Towards Conclusions and Perspectives on Future Research. Dr. Edwina Murphy, Morling College, Sydney, Dr. Esko Ryökäs, University of Eastern Finland. Dr. Bart Koet Tilburg School of Catholic Theology.

To watch the presentations, please click the links: to view Dr. Gerard Rouwhorst; to view Dr. Andreas Müller; to view the session of the conclusions


2021, February 24-26 - Zoom seminarsWhat did deacons do? 

Presenting: dr. Arnold Smeets, Tilburg School of Catholic Theology (TST),Why Ask what Deacons Did? Phoebe Kearns BA, Postgraduate student University of Winchester,The Liminal Nature of the Diaconal Role in the Didascalia Apostolorum; dr.  Grant White, Sankt Ignatios College, Stockholm School of Theology, Deacons in the Testament of Our Lord. The State of the Question and Avenues for Future Research: prof. dr.  Brian J. Matz, Fontbonne University (U.S.A.), Deacons in the Writings of Gregory Nazianzen.

To watch the presentations, please click the links: to view Phoebe Kearns BA; to view  dr. Grant White; to view prof. dr. Brian J. Matz.


2020, November 6 - Zoom Symposium: Augustine as Bible Interpreter

Presenting: dr. Karla Pollmann (University of Bristol) "Nos tempora sumus. Time and ethics in Augustine" and dr. Enrique Eguiarte ( Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum, Rome) "The Biblical Exegesis of Augustine on the Letter to the Galatians".

It is possible to watch the presentations. Please click the links for the introduction and final remarks (link), the lecture of dr. Karla Pollmann or the lecture of dr. Enrique Eguiarte.


2020, May 11-15 - Zoom seminars What did deacons do?

 Presenting:  Dr. Pauliina Pylvänäinen (Joensuu, Finland), The Tasks of Male Deacons in The Apostolic Constitutions 3, 1; Prof. Dr. Bart Koet (Tilburg University, The Netherlands), Jerome on Deacons;  Harri Huovinen MA (Joensuu, Finland),  At the Service of the Sacramental Life. The Tasks of Deacons in Cyril of Jerusalem;  Dr. Edwina Murphy (Morling College, Australia), The Duties of Deacons in Cyprian of Carthage;  Dr. Arnold Smeets (Tilburg University, The Netherlands), Becoming Peter: Gregory the Great as Deacon of Rome.


2017 – Early Christian Mystagogy and the Body

Third International CPO Congress. Utrecht, 30-08-2017 / 01-09-2017. Zie de link voor de congreswebsite.


2015 – The Early Christian Mystagogy of Prayer

Second International CPO Congress. Utrecht, 26-09-2014 / 29-08-2014


2011 – The Mystagogy of the Church Fathers

First International CPO Congress. Utrecht, 18-05-2011 / 20-05-2011.