Five questions to the professor

As promised, this weeks blogpost also contains an interview with an RREprofessor from Lund. Samuel is a dedicated RREprofessor who also takes well care of his students, the RREs studying in Lund told me they have been invited to dinner at his place both in their first and second year as roots-students.



1. Please state your name,age, university and connection to the RREprogram

Samuel Rubenson, 56 years, Lund University, co-founder, representing LU at the steering committee, teacher and examiner

2. What is your area of expertise? and which courses do you teach in the RREprogram?

My expertise is in Early Church history and the history of the Churches in the Middle  East. I have in particular worked on the transformation of classical education and philosophy in early Christianity, on the rise of monasticism and the history of the Coptic Church. In RRE I have been teaching the courses "The Rise of Asceticism and Monasticism in Late Antiquity", "Ancient Philosophy and the Emergence of Theology" and the "Thesis Colloquium".

3. How do you find the this way of teaching, which is not regular university courses but also not distance learning?

The internet learning has the great advantage of having students from other universities attending the courses which creates larger networks, an interesting mix and opportunities to learn from the educational traditions of lther places.. The disadvanateg is that I do not see the students and they do not have the same opportunities to get to know each other as they would have in a campus course.

4. What do you expect from your students?

Most of all I expect great curiosity about the religious roots of Europe, the common background of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the encounter between Graeco-Roman civilization and Semitic culture. Secondly I accept great openness to listen to voices from other traditions, both from other students and teachers, and from the literature and the texts. Finally I expect readiness to question one's own ideas and prejudices. In addition I certainly expect willingness to work hard.

5. If you could have any superhuman power, what would it be and why?

I wish I was able to read more, understand more and remember more, so that I would be able to understand everyone from every culture throughout history and through this understanding contribute to peace among humankind