Letter from Pierre Berthoud

Yannick Imbert, Dean; Pierre Berthoud, President of Faculté Jean Calvin

Dear friends,

Dear partners, engaged alongside us in this spiritual combat which represents prayer, I would like to thank you for your loyalty and your perseverance for so many years. Indeed, the deployment, vitality and influence of our ministry are the consequence of your support in intercession. Together the Lord calls us to be a living community and to enter into dialogue with our Heavenly Father whatever the circumstances of the moment. As it exists, he hears our gratitude and our joys, our complaints and our cries of pain, our requests and our calls for help! Yes, thanks to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and by means of the Holy Spirit, the communion that we have with our Father is inhabited by personal and intimate communication with him. What a privilege and even more what a grace! That is why we do not doubt His answers! We also do not fear them even when they do not meet our expectations!

In this period so uncertain, so dramatic and so painful for some, it is precisely the moment to approach our ultimate one-on-one, the one who presides over our destinies, the one who is our refuge and who gives us strength and the courage to live, no doubt otherwise, our vocation fully, a vocation which consists in listening to divine wisdom in order to be witnesses to the Word. That which challenges, reassures, comforts and renews life, and allows us to better serve our loved ones and our neighbors, especially the most fragile!  

Yet it is precisely in prayer that the Spirit arouses the creative imagination that allows us to be present and engaged in the turmoil that accompanies this scourge! Let us pray for God to give wisdom and discernment to the authorities of this world and of our nation, let us pray for all those in hospitals or at home caring for the sick, let us pray for the Churches and Christians dispersed in civil society so that they take up the challenges before them, speak a prophetic word, pray for Christian works and institutions so that they find the resources to pursue each their specific ministry within the city and this to the glory of our God and for the advancement of his reign! Finally let us pray for the Jean Calvin Faculty which is currently pursuing its ministry differently so that the Lord continues to accompany all the team members and students according to the needs of each one, but above all according to his generous grace.

The wisdom and strength of divine benevolence circulate faster and better than the coronavirus!

We remain united in prayer and in Jesus Christ, our peace, our consolation and our hope,

Pierre Berthoud
President
Professor Emeritus

(translated)

Letter from Yannick Imbert

With the temporary closure of the Faculté Jean Calvin, it became even more vital to pray for one another. Even if all of our students can now follow all of their courses from a distance, everyday life has been transformed. Some students were unable to return home, others get used to working remotely. For everyone else, studies add to this exceptional situation. Pray that God will keep and protect those who work in the hospital world. Pray for trust and peace: may our way of life be a witness to our faith!

During this period of confinement, the professors continue to work on the reform of the academic and pedagogical vision of the Faculté. Fundamental reflection is necessary if we are to remain faithful to our will to serve the Church. Following this same impetus, the Faculté announced the creation of two ThM (Master) programs in English. The first, devoted to biblical interpretation, will start in September 2021 and the second, focused on "public theology", will start in September 2022.

Pray that these new projects will nourish the vision of the Faculté and serve the Church of Jesus Christ!

Yannick Imbert
Dean
Professor of Apologetics
President, Kerygma Editions

(translated)

FJC Campus Activities Suspended

Dear friends of the Huguenot Fellowship,

According to the latest French government dispositions about the coronavirus (covid19), as of last Monday, we are under the obligation of suspending our activities on Campus.

All residing students have now access to their courses at a distance (via our audio platform) and all staff members are now working at home (teleworking) as much as possible.

We do not yet measure the impact these dramatic circumstances will have upon the economy of France, but also on the finances of the Seminary. We are presently considering the possible measures we might need to take so as to overcome this unexpected trial and we are confident the Lord will show us the way for us (the Seminary team) to fulfil the mission the Lord has given us,

We thank you for praying with us as we face this major crisis just as we will continue to pray for you as you face the same predicament. May the Lord give us wisdom and continue to watch over us all in France as well as abroad in the coming weeks and months so that we can all fulfill our callings, and specifically the Faculté Jean Calvin as it carries on its teaching ministry for the furthering of His kingdom in France and beyond. 

Warmest greetings to all in our Savior Jesus Christ, the sovereign Lord of the universe, of the Churches and Institutions we represent as well as of the lives of each one of us. Our destiny is indeed in His hands!

United in Christ Jesus,

Pierre BERTHOUD - President - Emeritus Professor

and

Kim TRAN - Director

Study at FJC in English

The Huguenot Fellowship is very pleased to inform you that Faculté Jean Calvin now offers a new master’s program expressly for English speakers. Registration is now open for the 2020-2021 academic year. This may be a wonderful opportunity for you or someone you know. Please Help Share This News!

The Master of Theology in Biblical Interpretation program offers specialized training in biblical exegesis (Old or New Testament). This program in English includes a semester of modular seminars and a semester of dissertation preparation.

The first semester includes research seminars on various topics in the fields of exegesis, biblical languages ​​and the history of interpretation.

The dissertation topics can be selected from all areas of biblical interpretation: Old or New Testament, languages ​​(Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic), textual criticism and ancient versions, biblical theology, hermeneutics, and the history of interpretation.

This program offers the rare opportunity for in-depth study of the Old and New Testaments with international scholars in the land of John Calvin.

Two areas of specialization

Old Testament

The Old Testament track includes a required course called « Panorama of Biblical Exegesis », in which different research models are presented from a Reformed point of view. Seminars include topics in biblical theology, in-depth exegesis, and theories of interpretation. The academic year ends with a thesis in Old Testament.

New Testament

The New Testament track similarly includes a « Panorama of Biblical Exegesis » class. Research seminars include perspectives in biblical theology, exegesis of specific passages, and the history of interpretation. The academic year ends with a thesis in New Testament.

Requirements

• MDiv in theology, or equivalent

• English proficiency: minimum TOFEL test score of 100

• Completing the application form

• Completing the financial information form

• Statement of christian life

Study Fees = 4000 € per year

Enrollment at the Faculté

109 students are enrolled this fall at the Faculté Jean Calvin seminary in Aix-en-Provence, France:

• 59 undergrad students (12 on-campus, 47 distance-learning),

• 10 master’s students,

• 5 doctoral students, and

• 35 à la carte/continuing-ed students.

Please pray with us for each of these 109 students, for their future vocations, and for the Church, that it remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

Did You Know ?

Did you know that Faculté Jean Calvin students are serving in 20 countries? I learned this from the FJC seminary’s new website. Click to explore. The website is in French only, but the following is translated from the webpage that presents FJC’s distinctives.

To share your faith

A unique program in France to learn to share and explain your faith. The Faculté is the only one to offer a complete teaching of apologetics to help present and defend the Christian faith. This is done in word and deed through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Faculté's apologetics program provides tools for witnessing and spreading the gospel in contemporary culture and society.

A Calvinist institution

A living theology that reveals the sovereign grace of God. The theology of the Faculté emphasizes the grace given by God, the salvation manifested in Jesus Christ, and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the Calvinist teaching of the Faculté is to study Scripture with seriousness and respect, to encourage Christians to proclaim the grace of God, and to support the growth of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Studying from a distance

30 Years of Experience

Experience in the application of distance learning. Same content as the diplomas pursued on the Aix-en-Provence campus. A teacher is specially assigned to follow up with distant learning students.

Constant Adaptation

To train while pursuing one’s ministry or professional commitment. The Faculty Jean Calvin takes into account the situations of each and adapts to facilitate the studies.

In Training, both Matriculated and À La Carte

Choice of free courses, audited courses, credit for courses by examination. Building a custom program is possible.

New Academic Year Begins at FJC

Thank you for your faithful prayers and financial gifts as the Huguenot Fellowship continues to support the Faculté Jean Calvin in Aix-en-Provence, France. The start of the new 2019-2020 Academic Year was inaugurated by a special service held today, Sunday, September 15.

What's New at Faculté Jean Calvin

Yannick IMBERT, Professor of Apologetics (and History), President of Kerygma Editions, has been appointed Dean.

Pierre-Sovann CHAUNY, professor of Dogma has been named in charge of the 1st Level.

Rodrigo DE SOUSA, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew has been named in charge of the 2nd and 3rd Levels.

Jean-Philippe BRU is still professor of Practical Theology, Head of Internships and President of the Reformed Journal.

Michel JOHNER, professor of Ethics and History, is on a sabbatical for research during the 1st semester.

Donald COBB, teacher of New Testament and Greek, is on a mission to the USA during the 1st semester.