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A few thousand first-year students have landed in Utrecht again. Every year, we hear of hazings which got out of hand and excesses of student life. But we do not talk enough about more and more new generations of students who are not just looking for parties and new social contacts, but also want to expand their intellectual horizons.

Learning a new way of thinking is not easy

This broadening of horizons does not happen overnight. Students have to internalise another way of thinking. Some won’t struggle with it, but a significant number will find it far from easy. Before first-year students walk through our gates, we try to do something about that with information events and matching, but does that really work?

A welcome which had to be preserved

In the nineteenth century, our colleagues already had a solution for that: the opening lecture. Anyone who looks in the library catalogue for ‘opening der lessen’ (‘opening of classes’), ‘opening van de academische lessen’ (‘opening of the academic classes’) or ‘hervatting zijner lessen’ (‘resumption of his classes’), will find a long list of publications.

These opening lectures were not just some introductory words, but they were meticulously written texts published as booklets which were apparently believed to be worth the effort of preserving. Most date from approximately 1850 to the first decades of the twentieth century. These lectures were held at all universities, although most of them do seem to come from Utrecht after all. And most of these can be credited to the Faculty of Theology.

Learning to doubt own beliefs

The fact that these students come from the Faculty of Theology is hardly surprising. First-year theologists were mostly boys who sometimes had somewhat naive religious ideals. Many of the Utrecht-based theology students also came from ‘simple backgrounds’; these days, we speak of first-generation students. 

The opening lectures were intended to make it clear that university was quite different from school

Because academic doubt became the standard in all of academia during the second half of the nineteenth century, including the humanities and theology, this resulted in problems among these students. 

Preachers in moral dilemmas

Following the adoption of a historical way of thinking from the late eighteenth century onwards, these texts – including the Bible and other sacred writings – were placed in a historical context. To modern theologists, this made the Bible a man-made book which was no longer seen as the word given by God. Even Jesus himself was no longer considered the son of God by many, but was instead seen as an inspiring important historical figure.

After 1850, this resulted in a big number of preachers facing moral dilemmas: what they read on weekdays did not match what they were required to preach to their flocks on Sundays anymore. Many therefore quit their preaching positions.

How topical opening lectures from some 150 years ago can be is illustrated by Pieter Harting’s 1870 lecture.

The opening lecture as preparation for a new time

In Utrecht, the (conservative) Faculty of Theology was one of the important faculties. Its professors knew all too well that the times were changing. Via an opening lecture, they made it clear to their new students what they would be confronted with in the upcoming years.

By that time, the professors had also realised that the theological degree programme of the university should ask questions and not just provide premade answers. Over the first-year's heads, they also addressed the seniors who often attended the opening lectures. It is interesting that many of these lectures also let some of the doubt shine through which the professors themselves were subjected to. In a way, you see them struggle with the academic approach.

The university is different from school

In 1865, Professor of Dogmatics J.J. van Oosterzee gave his opening lecture the following title: Shall we keep studying theology or not? The answer was ‘yes’, of course. He pointed out to his students that academic doubt itself was not wrong and that they should not fear it either: “one can hardly learn to swim, without boldly going into the water, in which some drown.” So the opening lectures had to make it clear that the university was different from school and that this sometimes had personal consequences. 

“Here, it is the place for you to also doubt”

Philosopher-lawyer-theologist Cornelis Willem Opzoomer was very influential and was admired by his students. This was also shown during his opening lectures, which were held in an auditorium filled with students from all faculties every time. “A university of applied sciences”, he said, “is to all of you, to theologists as well, something different from a seminary, where thou merely needeth to be cultivated into the belief of the fathers. Here, it is the place for you to also doubt, so the research, stimulated by doubt, bringeth forth the truth.”

Opening words from 150 years ago still up to date

How up to date opening lectures from roughly 150 years ago can still be, is also proven by the lecture held by the zoologist Pieter Harting in 1870, which was also fully in the spirit of Opzoomer. Because the Franco-German War had just started, the lecture – published as a booklet of which the proceeds went to the Red Cross – had a theme of battle. 

The title therefore was The Fight of Life. And although the theme of The Fight of Life was of a biological nature (the role of war in the evolutionary process) the message he wanted to pass on to his students was clear.

A message we can still nail to the door of Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� Hall without concern (and maybe we should): “Thou too art destined to become soldiers, but soldiers in the peaceful war against ignorance, superstition, and all that is lies, deceit, hypocrisy, falseness and dishonesty. Rise, soldiers in the service of truth! Forward!” It cannot be more up to date.