UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, FACULTY OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGION
BACHELOR OF THEOLOGY, CERTIFICATE IN
THEOLOGY, AND CERTIFICATE FOR THEOLOGY
GRADUATES
Examiners’ Report—Long Vacation 2014
Section A: General Report
Qualification
Completing
candidates
Continuing
candidates
Bachelor of Theology (BTh)
6
40
Certificate in Theology (CTh)
2
8
Certificate for Theology Graduates (CTG)
4
2
Numbers sitting in each of the papers:
Paper
Seated
exams
Long
essays
New Testament A (English)
1
0
A3A
Foundations of Christian Thought
0
1
A3B
Development of Christian Life and Thought
0
17
A4
Christian Witness and the Contemporary World
0
24
B1
Old Testament B (English)
0
2
B2
New Testament B (English)
0
4
B3
Biblical Interpretation
0
10
C1
Christian Doctrine
1
4
C2
Church History (11th–14th C)
0
5
C2
Church History (17th–18th C)
0
2
C2
Church History (19th–20th C)
0
2
C3
Ecclesiology
0
8
C4
Study of Theology
0
1
D1
Mission and Ministry
0
5
D3
Christian Worship
D4
Christian Spirituality
0
0
1
1
E1
Christian Mission
0
3
E2
Christian Faith and Other Religions (Islam)
0
2
E6
Christian Faith and Psychology
0
2
E7
Western Canon Law
0
1
A2
Title
1
E9
Special Subject
Total Submissions
0
1
2
96
64 candidates were entered for the Long Vacation examinations for the BTh and the associated
Certificates, of whom 12 students were completing their studies for an award (6 for the BTh, 2
for CTh, and 4 for the CTG).
The examinations process ran very smoothly and without any concerns. The Long Vacation
round often features a far wider range of papers, such that papers only have a handful of
candidates. Although this can make it difficult to compare marks, the examiners were on the
whole very satisfied with the standard of submitted material, and there were a good number of
marks at 70 or above. The only exception was with paper A3b, where there were no marks at
70 or above, and 3 essays below 60. The Examiner’s reflections on these poorer marks mirror
those made during the Trinity Term round—of answers needing ‘more analytical evaluation
and historiographical engagement’—and students and tutors are encouraged to give this
appropriate attention for future rounds.
As with the Trinity Term round, it is again encouraging to note that very few of the marks
agreed upon by the first and second markers were changed by the moderators, and there were
relatively few instances where markers could not reach an agreed mark.
The Chair of Examiners records his thanks to the examining team: Dr Mark Edwards (Faculty
Moderator), Dr Mary Marshall, Dr Andrew Atherstone, Dr Andrew Teal, and Dr John Jarick.
Special thanks is particularly extended to Dr Mike Higton (External Examiner) who is standing
down from his role. The assessors who assisted the examiners all turned around their material
to deadline.
Dr M Kirkpatrick (Chair)
Dr A Atherstone
Dr M Marshall
Dr A Teal
Dr J Jarick
Prof M Edwards (Faculty Moderator)
Prof M Higton (External Moderator)
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Section B: Subject Reports
A1: Old Testament A
There were no candidates for this paper.
A2: New Testament A
There was 1 entry for this paper, by seated exam with texts in English.
A3a: Foundations of Christian Thought
There were no candidates for this paper.
A3b: Development of Christian Life and Thought
Long Essay:
Scripts
17
Mean
64
Median
65
≥ 70
0
60–69
14
50–59
3
≤50
0
In general the essays were solid, but would have been strengthened by more analytical
evaluation and historiographical engagement. Better engagement with primary texts, and less
narrative summary, is essential.
Martin Luther proved especially popular for those studying the module on 15th and 16th
centuries, with one third writing on Luther on justification, and another third writing on
Luther’s controversy with Zwingli.
A4: Christian Witness and the Contemporary World
Long Essay:
Scripts
24 (48)
Mean
66.6
Median
68
≥ 70
8
60–69
14
50–59
2
≤50
0
This year’s answers represent a pleasing spread of marks, with one-third of candidates achieving
a first class mark overall, and all but two achieving at least a 2:1. There were pleasing and
comprehensive answers to the essay questions on New Atheism, Missio Dei and Ecology;
particularly pleasing was the wide variety of sources referenced. Candidates at the lower end of
the scale suffered because of an occasional lack of rigour in referencing (bibliographies not
always containing works quoted in the text). The importance of introducing the intention of
the essay and then following through with an appropriate structure and argument also occasionally
surfaced. These were generally isolated issues in an otherwise good set of answers.
B1: Old Testament B
There were 2 entries for this paper, both by long essay.
3
B2: New Testament B
There were 4 entries for this paper, all by long essay.
B3: Biblical Interpretation
Long Essay:
Scripts
10
Mean
63.7
Median
63
≥ 70
2
60–69
7
50–59
1
≤50
Candidates offered essays in a range of subjects, from biblical theology of a specific scriptural
theme, to the biblical interpretation within pieces of modern art, to assessing the rationale of
reading the LXX vs. MT as Scripture, etc. There seemed to be a slight preference for essays that
covered the hermeneutics part of the paper vs. the biblical theology part.
In general, the essays showed good interaction with the standard areas covered in the grade
descriptors. The most consistent difficulty was when students wrote what amounted to a B.1 or
B.2 essay and tried to force in a hermeneutical or biblical theological angle. In general, the
essays which were more clearly within the B.3 subject area performed better. Thus, there were a
number of papers that performed well exegetically but did not do as well in answering the
hermeneutical or biblical theological questions. For example one essay examined the
‘complementarian’ vs. ‘egalitarian’ approach from the perspective of NT theology. The
exegetical work was good, but the final biblical theological analysis amounted to adding up the
texts that seemed to support each position and seeing which view had the highest number of
clear texts. This kept an essay that otherwise could have been a first class essay in the 2:1 range.
Obviously, the broad subject matter of this paper will mean that it will always have this
difficulty to some extent. It is perhaps interesting to note that the biblical theology papers were
mostly mid-range 60s, while the hermeneutics papers ranged from 70s to high 50s.
Both markers also felt that the minimum amount of description given in the different
classifications made it somewhat difficult to rationalize a reconciliation of marks when the two
marks were in different degree classifications (e.g., reconciling a 62 and a 58).
C1: Christian Doctrine
There were 5 entries for this paper, 1 by seated exam and 4 by long essay.
C2: Church History 19th–20th C
There were 2 entries for this paper, all by long essay.
C2: Church History 17th–18th C
There were 2 entries for this paper, all by long essay.
C2: Church History 11th–14th C
There were 5 entries for this paper, all by long essay.
4
C3: Ecclesiology
Long Essay:
Scripts
8
Mean
66
Median
66
≥ 70
2
60–69
5
50–59
1
≤50
0
The standard of essays submitted for this paper was generally high, on a wide variety of topics.
The strongest were evidently well-researched, with attention to a range of texts concerning the
doctrine of church and sacraments, both historical and contemporary.
C4: Study of Theology
There was 1 entry for this paper, by long essay.
D1: Mission and Ministry
There were 5 entries for this paper, all by long essay.
D2: Christian Ethics
There were no candidates for this paper.
D3: Christian Worship
There was 1 entry for this paper, by long essay.
D4: Christian Spirituality
There was 1 entry for this paper, by long essay.
E1: Christian Mission
There were 3 entries, all by long essay.
E2: Christian Faith and Other Religions
There were 2 entries, all by long essay with a focus on Islam.
E3: Christian Faith and Philosophy
There were no candidates for this paper.
E4: Christian Faith and Science
There were no candidates for this paper.
E5: Christian Faith and Social Sciences
There were no candidates for this paper.
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E6: Christian Faith and Psychology
There were 2 entries, all by long essay.
E7: Western Canon Law
There was 1 candidate for this paper, by long essay.
E8: Confessional Study
There were no candidates for this paper.
E9: Special Subject: Translation Paper
There were no candidates for this paper.
E9: Special Subject: Long Essay (old regulations)
There was 1 entry for this paper.
F1: Dissertation
There were no candidates for this paper.
F2: Project
There were no candidates for this paper.
MDK/24 November 2014
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