Triumph of St. Thomas Aquinas by Benozzo Gozzoli (1471)

This fall, Talbot will launch a new program: the Master of Arts with a focus in Classical Theology (MACT). The MACT is a 36-credit, residential, great-books program integrated around the interpretation of Holy Scripture. Applications are coming in, and we’ve begun interviewing candidates for the inaugural class. Would you consider joining us?

The MACT is distinct from Talbot’s other outstanding graduate programs in several ways.

  1. The MACT draws on a classical heritage. At the heart of the program is the long, classical Christian tradition of reading the Bible. Classic expositions of Scripture, from many cultures and from across the patristic, medieval, Reformation and modern eras, will be our textbooks. Representatives of the best modern scholarship will also share a place at the table.
  2. The MACT is integrative. Following the classic Christianity embodied in these texts, every MACT class seeks to integrate theology, history and exegesis together with personal spirituality for the sake of the church.
  3. The MACT is Socratic. This rigorous, ancient pedagogy is one of the most effective ways to reach deeper understanding of texts and to grow in the wisdom they teach. Class time is largely devoted to faculty-led discussion of classic Christian texts.
  4. The MACT includes mentorship. Each student will be assigned a faculty mentor to help guide their studies and to apprentice them in the discipline of Christian theology.

Here’s our fall 2019 schedule and faculty:

  • The Trinity (Fred Sanders)
  • Martin Luther (Ma Jenson)
  • Psalms (Rob Price)
  • Catechetical Institution (Kyle Strobel and Ryan Peterson)

Applicants for both full-time and part-time study are welcome. Apply online at biola.edu/classical-theology-ma.