06.06.2023

“Trinity in Batak Contexts”

Rev. Frans Marpaung during the defense of his dissertation in South Korean Seoul. Photo by: ptivate

At the Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, Rev. Frans Best Soma Marpaung has finished his doctoral studies. Born in Pandan, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia, he is a member of HKBP* which suggested him to UEM for support by the scholarship program.

In 2009, he obtained his Bachelor of Theology in Pematang Siantar, before graduating as Master of Theology in Yogyakarta in 2014.

He since worked as a parish pastor and as a lecturer at his University, and supported the staff of the Principal at the Theological Seminary.

This February he completed his Ph.D. studies at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea, at the Global Institute of Theology. For his dissertation he conducted Field Research in his home province of North Sumatra, comparing local wisdom to Christian theology. As a result, he created a contextual theology of the Trinity in the framework of multiple religiosity in Batak contexts. In these, there are three main religions to be considered: Christianity, Islam and indigenous Parmalim.

He submitted his dissertation titled “Dalihan Na Tolu and ‘perichoresis’ of the Trinity: A Trinitarian model in the Batak Context.

Congratulations to Rev. Frans Best Soma Marpaung on his graduation!

*HKBP = Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (Christian-Protestant Church of the Batak)