Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics
Academic Excellence – Effective Evangelism – Spiritual Formation
The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA) is a partnership between Wycliffe Hall, a permanent private hall of Oxford University, and RZIM Europe.
For those with a passion to make Christ known, studying at the OCCA is a life transforming experience, combining effective evangelism with academic rigour. The OCCA brings together cutting-edge theologians and world class evangelists in a centre of excellence. All OCCA students are provided with an unparalleled opportunity to be stretched, envisioned and equipped.
The OCCA provides a unique opportunity to receive outstanding apologetics teaching and evangelistic training, offering a high staff to student ratio to ensure that each student’s learning and development is individually supported.
The teaching faculty comprises some of the world’s leading apologists and the students are provided with an unparalleled opportunity to be stretched, envisioned and equipped.
Course Overview:
Two-Year full-time Master’s Course
This two-year Oxford University-accredited course is designed to progress existing theological knowledge in a way that informs future ministry and allows students to think critically about mission and apologetics in the contemporary world. The combination of theological training and practical missional opportunities is a unique feature of this Master’s programme. The pattern of the two year Master’s programme will be a combination of teaching and research. The core teaching is delivered by University of Oxford Faculty of Theology staff, supplemented by lecturers such as Alister McGrath, John Lennox, Michael Ramsden, Amy Orr-Ewing, Ravi Zacharias and Os Guinness.
One-Year full-time Certificate in Theological and Pastorial Studies (CTPS)
This one-year Oxford University-accredited course is designed for those who wish to dedicate a full academic year immersing themselves in evangelism and apologetics. The emphasis of the course is upon training in practical evangelism and, as well as in-depth teaching in apologetics, students are given the opportunity to use what they have learned in real ministry settings. An integral part of the course is the close mentoring of our students to equip them according to their specific gifting.
Six-Week Business Programme
Are you a business leader with a passion to make Christ known in the marketplace? If so, the six-week Business Programme will equip you with the necessary tools to do this in a credible, culturally engaging and relevant way. This intensive programme seeks to invest in up to 12 people and includes a dynamic mix of lectures, discussion groups, and one-on-one vocational meetings, as well as giving key time for spiritual reflection in small groups. For the final week, students attend the RZIM Annual Summer School. This is the perfect programme for those seeking to sharpen their evangelistic and apologetic skills for the workplace.
My year in the OCCA course proved to be pivotal in my life. The formal teaching enlarged my understanding of the gospel and transformed my views on evangelism, and the ample opportunity for participating in mission and Alpha courses gave me much needed practical experience. This space for learning, reflecting and doing proved vital in my discerning process, as I transition from a career in law towards vocational evangelistic ministry.
Wendy Quay, Australia, Class of 2006
When I heard about the OCCA the first thought that crossed my mind was ‘Finally! I will be studying what I really care about!‘ OCCA is really exciting to me because it is a one-of-a-kind programme training people in such an important field and by the top people in that field. I feel immensely blessed by OCCA.
Diana Farhood, USA, Class of 2010
