General Objectives
Seminar Schloss Bogenhofen is an educational institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Austria. Since 1949 the College Department of Theology in Bogenhofen has trained future pastors of the worldwide Church of Seventh-day Adventists in German-speaking countries. It has been comissioned by the Austrian Union and the German-Swiss Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to train people for the proclamation of the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ in a well-founded, balanced, biblical, and Adventist way.
Based on the Holy Scriptures which are the highest binding authority in all religious matters we want to encourage young people to use their talents and skills for God in joyfully taking the message of the Bible to the whole world.
Therefore, knowledge and skills are taught in the areas of biblical, linguistic, theological, historical, missionary, and pastoral studies. At the same time, numerous internships make it possible for students to put acquired knowledge into practice and get important experience.
The study programs are divided into four years of study, at the end of which the Bachelor of Theology degree (B.Th.) is acquired. Moreover, all who do not intend to work as full-time pastors have the possibility to take the very enriching one year program of Bibelkunde. All offers of the school are designed to encourage spiritual growth. The deepening of the individual relationship to Jesus Christ is an important objective as well as gaining an academic and qualified education of a high standard. We want to inspire people with the message of the Bible and the advent hope. Therefore, all courses lead to a better and deeper understanding of the Bible as well as to the ability of applying it to practical life. At the same time the capability of autonomous thinking in conflicts with other world views and mindsets is being sharpened based on the Bible. Our intention is to prepare students for the interaction with people of different mindsets in a way that the truth can be communicated in love.
The Language Institute which is part of the Department of Theology offers language acquisition to students whose mother tongue is not German. The Department DAF (German as a Second Language) offers a one year program from September to June and an intensive summer session from mid-June to the end of July. There is also the Department BS (Biblical Languages) for learning Hebrew and Greek.
The Department of Theology accepts students of every cultural, ethnical, national, and religious origin. We are open to people of different religious convictions if they wish to participate in the offered study program and if they are willing to support the Adventist lifestyle of the school.
