The Faculty of Catholic Theology

With some 2,400 students, 22 departments and 18 chairs, the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Münster (WWU) is the largest of its kind in Europe. Our study programmes and research activites are organised into four theological sections - biblical, historical, systematic and practical -, a philosophy department and a department of religious studies. The faculty is an important centre of Catholic theology in Germany. Some of the most influential German theologians of the 20th century held chairs here, including Karl Rahner (1967-1971), Joseph Ratzinger (1963-1966), Thomas Pröpper (1988-2003), Johann Baptist Metz (1963-1993) and Erich Zenger (1973-2004). In 1893, the Chair of Christian Social Ethics was founded in Münster - the first of its kind in the world. Distinguished philosophers in the field of philosophy of religion and Christianity have worked at the Institute of Philosophy, namely Hans Blumenberg and Josef Pieper.

 

living.knowlegde - thinking.faith

Today, the profile of the faculty is still defined by intellectual engagement with Christian tradition and modern thought. It is increasingly confronted by and actively adresses issues of a globalised world in all theological sections, the department of philosophy and the institute of religious studies. To grasp the faculty's scientific profile, one can extend the University of Münster's claim - living.knowledge - with the idea of thinking.faith: to seek the intellectual foundations of Christian faith under conditions of modern societies driven by science and knowledge, as well as to question irrational tendencies of modernity.

Biblical theology: The biblical texts of the Old and New Testament express experiences of life and of faith. When analysing these ancient texts, we examine their origins and the experiences of life of their authors and (first) readers. We then apply our findings to modern-day questions of lifestyle and faith.

Historical theology: We study the different traditions of Christianity - those that existed at the time of its origin and those that endure today - and analyse them in their cultural, social and political contexts, looking carefully at their formation and their epochal and regionally diverse development.

Systematic theology: We unfold the Christian creed in its entirety and consider its consequences for understanding of the world, of human flourishing and ecological integrity. We also view the creed against the background of present-day secular culture and discuss it in the context of other religions.

Practical theology: We examine how religion and faith motivate Christian praxis on both the individual and social level, and we study the development of models, patterns and principles of action, particularly in the fields of (canonical) law, education and learning, pastoral care and church service.

Philosophy: The four abovementioned theological perspectives are influenced by a number of preliminary philosophical decisions and implications. For that reason, the study programmes offered by the Faculty of Catholic Theology thoroughly discuss the philosophical questions that underlie theology. In this respect, theology holds faith accountable to reason.

Religious studies: Religions can be examined in terms of its relationships to culture, society, politics and law. The impact of religions on modern societies, as well as their inner and outer dynamics, comprise the field of investigation of religious studies. Their methodological and theoretical approaches supplement the Christian-theological focus with cultural and interdenominational perspectives.

In addition, the faculty in Münster has established several unique chairs and institutes, such as the Institute of Missiology and the Study of Theologies beyond Europe, the Institute of General Religious Studies, the Institute of Ecumenism, which consists of the Department of Churches and Church Communities Originating from the Reformation, as well as the Department of Ecumenism, Studies of Eastern Churches, and Peace Studies. Beyond that, the faculty works closely with several research centres and departments, e. g. the Department of Feminist Theology and Gender Research, the Department of Christian Pictorial Imagery, Theological Aesthetics, and Didactics of Imagery, and the Origen Research Centre.

International and Interdisciplinary

All chairs and departments are embedded in international research networks and participate in international projects, organise excursions and workshops. The faculty as a whole is part of multiple partnerships and research networks all over the world. It maintains ERASMUS+-agreements with partners in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey. Bilateral agreements exist with universities in the USA, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile and Ukraine. Students and researchers at the Faculty of Catholics theology have engaged in intercultural theological encounter through exchange programmes with the Theological Faculty of Opole (Poland) since 1984 and St. Victor's Seminary and St. Augustine's Seminary, as well as the Parish of SS. Peter and Paul in Tamale (Ghana) since 2006. A particular highlight was the International Summer School in 2016; theologians from all over the world visited Münster and discussed the topic of religious identities in a globalised world.

The faculty is committed to improving interdisciplinary contacts and cooperation by participating in institutions at the WWU which pursue interdisciplinary study and research in a common field of investigation. These include, for example, the Centre for Eastern Mediterranean Studies (GKM), the Centre for Religion and Modernity (CRM), the Centre for Textual Edition and Commentary (ZeTeK) and, of course, the Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics". Since 2007, members of the faculty have collaborated in several research projects in the Cluster of Excellence devoted to investigating the complex interrelations of religion and politics across ages and cultures.