Jeppe Bach Nikolajsen - Featured Author - EJT (Autumn 2014)

Dr. Jeppe Bach Nikolajsen is assistant professor at the Lutheran School of Theology in Aarhus, Denmark, adjunct professor at MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo, Norway, and chief editor of Danish Journal of Theological Studies. His article “The Formative Power of Liturgy: The Church as a Liturgical Community in a Post-Christendom Society” appears in the October 2014 issue of European Journal of Theology.

Article Summary - The Formative Power of Liturgy. The Church as a Liturgical Community in a Post-Christendom Society In recent decades, an increasing number of theologians have discussed the consequences of the Western world’s transition from an era of Christendom to an era of post-Christendom. The Christian church in Western society now appears as a distinct people with a distinct way of life and world view. So far, we have seen substantial dogmatic expositions of a new understanding of the church’s distinctiveness. However, we also need more practical-theological analyses of how we should understand the church’s distinctiveness. The article proposes that all liturgies are in one way or another formative. I have selected a useful fourfold categorization of Christian worship under the headings gathering, sermon, sacrament and sending, demonstrating how liturgy may impact the life of the church in a situation of post-Christendom. Thus, I propose that liturgy should play a more important role in the ecclesiological contributions which no longer take the old Christendom for granted.

Education

2010 PhD in theology, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Oslo

2007 MA in theology, Aarhus University, Denmark

2004 Optional exams in Phenomenology of Religion, History of Religion, Sociology of Religion and Theosophy, Hinduism and Islam, Aarhus University, Denmark

2004 BA in theology, Aarhus University, Denmark Employment

2014- Adjunct Professor at VIA University College in Aarhus, Denmark

2013- Adjunct Professor at MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo, Norway

2010- Assistant Professor at Lutheran School of Theology in Aarhus, Denmark

2007-2010 Research Fellow at Lutheran School of Theology in Aarhus, Denmark

2007 Research Assistant for Professor Viggo Mortensen, Aarhus University Research Abroad

2012 Visiting scholar at Fuller Seminary, Los Angeles (four months)

2011 Visiting scholar at Boston University, Boston (five weeks)

2010 Visiting scholar at Luther Seminary, St. Paul (three months)

2009 Visiting scholar at Luther Seminary, St. Paul (three months)

2009 Visiting scholar at Ecumenical Institute of Bossey, Geneva (one month)

2008 Research at Fuller Seminary and Yale Divinity School (one month)

2006 Study stay at Fuller Seminary, Los Angeles (six months) Memberships of Boards and Networks

2013- Member of Danish Network for Educational Development in Higher Education

2013- Member of Danish Network for Philosophy, Theology and Politics

2012- Member of Danish Association of Editors of Academic Journals

2011- Peer reviewer for Theofilos: Nordic Journal for Theology and Culture

2011- Member of the board for the academic publishing company Kolon

2011-2013 Chair of the board for Nordic Network for Theological Education

2008- Chief Editor of Danish Journal of Theological Studies

2008- Member of the Danish Mission Council’s study group

2007- Member of Forum for Ecumenism and Missiology at Aarhus University