The New Testament and Early Christian Studies Unit of the Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies at Unisa is home to a variety of courses covering the spectrum of research fields from the New Testament to other early Christian literature and Christian Studies in general. Students enrolling with New Testament students will study Christianity as a cultural phenomenon and as religious discourse, both with regard to its historical context of origin and its contemporary manifestations and functions.
The point of entry into the study of Christianity is a multifaceted analysis of early Christian literature and its historical effectiveness. Typical fields of study include the Graeco-Roman and Jewish context of early Christianity and its literature, Christian origins and the historical Jesus, interpretation of early Christian literature, and Christian religious and cultural discourse.
Students in the New Testament and Early Christian Studies at Unisa engage with history and contemporary relevance, culture and the practice of religion. New Testament Studies and Early Christian Studies ideally lead to critical and competent interaction with Christian discourse and the use of biblical literature through the analysis of the history of the interpretation of early Christian literature, the history of the discipline and its lingering effects on our understanding of the modern world.
As one of the three units of the Department of Biblical and Ancient Studies, we take great pride in our multi- and interdisciplinary profile. We are a creative and committed group of scholars who, through our diversity, strive for excellence in research and teaching.
We are happy to welcome any prospective students who wish to benefit from the rich, contextually relevant degrees and Short Learning Programmes we offer.
Short Course in Interpreting the Gospel of Mark in Context (76909)
The unit does not offer standalone undergraduate degrees; our modules are available as core compulsory modules or electives across various BA and BTH degrees. Look out for the following module codes:
| Name | Office | Telephone number | E-mail address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit leader | |||
| Dr M Hombana | WMM 8-83 | +27 12 429 4655 | hombam@unisa.ac.za |
| Administrative staff | |||
| Mrs Esther Mema-Dyasi | WMM 8-128 | +27 12 429 4711 | memae@unisa.ac.za |
| Mrs Rodo Mbendane | WMM 8-129 | +27 12 429 6812 | mbendr@unisa.ac.za |
| Academics | |||
| Prof GP Hendriks | WMM 8-92 | +27 12 429 6614 | |
| Mr TJ Kukuni | WMM 8-84 | +27 12 484 1672 | kukuntj@unisa.ac.za |
| Dr PK Motuku | WMM 8-85 | +27 12 429 4692 | motukkp@unisa.ac.za |
Last modified: Thu Apr 02 09:07:12 SAST 2026