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About the Certificate

A symphony orchestra and choir perform next to a pink and blue stained glass window in the Chapel.
Photo courtesy of Duke Chapel.

The Certificate in Theology and the Arts (CTA) offers M.Div., M.T.S., and Th.M. students firm grounding in the key theological loci and practices relevant to a lifetime’s engagement with the arts in the church, the university, and beyond.

To complete this certificate, students must complete the core course and two other courses from an approved list (normally one of these will be a course offered outside the Divinity School). In addition, all students must complete a research or service learning project. Finally, participants are required to participate in events sponsored by Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts, as well as bimonthly CTA colloquies.

Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts

Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA) promotes a vibrant interplay between Christian theology and the arts by encouraging transformative leadership and enriching theological discussion in the Church, academy, and society.

The initiative was established in 2009 at Duke Divinity School by its current director, Dr. Jeremy Begbie, a leading voice in the conversation between faith and the arts. Since then, DITA has established graduate-level courses in theology and the arts, a bi-annual distinguished lecture series, an artist-in-residence program, concerts and exhibitions, and a major trans-Atlantic collaboration with the University of Cambridge. In addition, the initiative supports the work of doctoral students and a post-doctoral associate.

Through these programs, DITA promotes and encourages rigorous scholarly work and effective, imaginative teaching that fosters the biblical vision of a new creation in Jesus Christ. DITA shows how the arts can be powerful media of theological truth.