The Department of Theology at the Catholic University in Lublin
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Teksty tłumaczyli: Renata Stasińska Małgorzata Pawlikowska Katarzyna Janiak Karolina Ors- zulewska Kłos Konsultacja: Karol Klauza The Department of Theology at the Catholic University in Lublin The Department of Theology exists at the Catholic University in Lublin from the very beginning and constitutes its fundamental, expansive developing, scien- tific and educational institution. It stays in contact with the greatests universities and scientific institutes. History of the Department of Theology in general 1. Context of Department’s origin (1918/19) The regain of the independence tells to refer to the tradition before Poland was annexed (Jagellonian). This tradition is characterized by universalism, it means, by symptom of co-existance any nations living in peace and by the demand of to- lerant role of religion in public relations. The element of revival concerning polish nation and the catholic Church was in this context very important. The department of Theology had to present christian and catholic thought, which was to form the whole society. Thanks to professors of the Academy in Petersburg, who were the base of a new Department of Theology in Lublin, the ecumenism starts to exist in the dialog between Latin theology and the eastern, orthodox doctrine. 2. Reception of some ideological systems (1919-1949) The influence of two polish universities on Theology elaborated at The Ca- tholic University in Lublin started especially after the second world war. The theological thought of Department was therefore some kind of continuation of human thought (University of Jan Kazimierz) and the rigorous thought (Batory’s University in Vilno). Both systems took a friendly attitude towards the Ortho- dox Church. Thanks to Vatican began a wide reception of tomism (J. Woroniecki, 6 Informator Wydziału Teologii KUL Cz. Lacrampe) and augustinism. At the same time the own praxeological thought was created. This thought became the most creative polish theology. 3. The defence of Christian thought and the Church (1950-1989) In time of the red „Babylonian captivity” the Department was a defender of national and historical thought, and of the council thought as well. The Chancellor of University, Stefan Cardinal Wyszyński protected the general truth. The testi- mony of Primate’s service transferred on whole clergy. According to this model, represented by the Catholic University, the Christian thought was announced and widespread. This was the direct cause of the ministers’ persecutions. The inspira- tion of the Second Vatican Council manifested in the new orientations and direc- tions of investigations and the ways of expression of theological thought. 4. Wide freedom of thought and the investigations (from 1989) The constitution of the university in the polish culture made possible new international contacts. The new problems appeared when the communism has fal- len: the regenerated atheism, the liberalism and the postmodernism, and above all propagating the principle of „general pluralism”, which proclaimes that the unity of truth replaces the plurality of truths. On the contrary the pluralism is a rejec- tion of the consistence and it does not proclaim the relativism of truth. It is a new challenge for the theology, which cooperates with modern achievements of human mind and tries to read God’s message. Structure of Department of Theology During 87 years the Department of Theology experienced the plurality of changes. At the present time it is one of the most expansive and complex scientif- ic, theological institution in the world. It possesses 10 institutes, 61 cathedrals, 15 scientific institutions (the Institute of Biblical Sciences – 9 cathedrals, Institute of Fundamental Theology – 3 cathedrals, Institute of Dogmatic Theology – 7, Insti- tute of Moral Theology – 6, Institute of Theology of Spirituality – 4, Ecumenical Institute – 3, Institute of History of Church – 9, Pastoral Institute – 10, Institute of Musicology – 6, Institute of Studies concerning Family – 4). ?????????? 7 Currently (November 2005) there are 143 lecturers: titular professors (19), doctors habilitati (32): extraordinary professors (26), doctors (77), remaining (15). Three institutes (Theology, Musicology, Studies concerning Family) educate in general 3016 students, among these: day’s students: 1541 (theology course „A” – 567 and course „B” – 436; musicology 89; Studies concerning Family – 449); extramural studies: 649; doctoral: 587; postgraduate: 249. During one year the Master’s degree is got by aproximately 500 students, de- gree of doctor of theology is obtained by 40 persons, degree of doctor habilitatus is achieved by 10 persons. The title of professor is obtained by circa 5 persons. The Theological department publishes each year over 300 positions: circa 50 author’s books. It offers 10 scientific periodicals and many collective publica- tions. The workers participate in numerous congresses, symposia and in national or foreign conferences. The university entitled (doctors honoris causa) following persons: August Kard. The Hlond (1948) – the Primate of Poland; Adam Card. Stefan Sapieha (1949) – Metropolitan of Cracow; Rev. prof. The Palemon the Glorieux (1958) – the Rector of University in Lilie; Prof. Bp Piotr Kałwa (1958) – The Great Chancellor of The Catholic University in Lublin; The Abp Emil the Arse – the ne the Blanchet (1964) – the Rector of Catholic Institute in Paris; Bp Honere Marie Louis van Waeyenbergh (1964) – Teltor of The Catholic University in Louvain; John Card. King (1977) – The Archbishop of Philadelphia; John Paul II (1983); Józef Card. Glemp (1985) – the Primate of Poland; Abp Stylianos Harkianakis (1985) – Metropolitan of the Greek – Orthodox in Australia; J. Gerard M. Card. Willebrands (1985) – Chairman of the Secretary of Christian Unity, Vatican; The Abp the Povilonis the Liudivikas (1987) – the apostolic admistrator of Kovno and the Wilkowyszek, Lithuania; Josef Kard. Ratzinger (1988) – The Prefect of Holy Congregation of Belief, Vatican; Rev. prelate John Wodarski (1995)- Parson (USA); William Henry Card. the Keeler (2000) – the Archbishop of Baltimore; The patriarch Teoktyst (the Toader the Arapasu – 2000) – The Orthodox Patriarch of Romania; The rabbi the Elio the Toaff (2000) – the Chief Rabbi of Rome; Abp Stanisław Dziwisz (2001) – The personal secretary of John Paul II; Camillo Cardi- nal Ruini (2002) – the Chairman of Conference of Episcopate in Italy; Abp Bruno Forte (2004) – Naples, abp Chieti-Vasto; Bp Gerhard Ludwig Müller (2004) – Re- gensburg; Prof. Jean Gallot SJ (2004) – Louvain – Rome. 8 Informator Wydziału Teologii KUL Aim of publication Pope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in Europa (2003) and Po- land’s joining the European Union (2004) necessarily raised a question of the Church’s place in Europe, in the public life and in the world. The identity of the Polish theology in the context of the transformations of the European integration needed to be established. It also became clear that the Church had to expound its participation in the European institutions. These issues were discussed with refe- rence not only to the Polish context (all Poland’s Theology Faculties participated in it) but also to the European one (representatives of many competent and religiously sensitive academic theological institutions took part – from Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Ukraine, Slovakia, Belarus etc) It was expressed in publications: The Church in the Public Life. Polish and Euro- pean Theology in the Face of New Challenges: Vol. 1: Lectures and Introductions to Group Discussions (Lublin 2004, pp. 474); Vol. 2: Proceedings of the Section Meet- ings (Lublin 2004, pp. 576); Vol. 3: The Perspectives of the Polish and Eu ropean Theology. The Self-awareness of the Church in the Face of Contemporary Challenges [Polish Theology for the 21th c.], Lublin 2005 pp. 292 As a result it was pointed out that any society and state need a religious compo- nent, The mystery of the transcendent God must be in the centre of the social life as God and man together follow the same path through history. The present state of the European culture is such that God became excluded from the public domain to an extent that had never been seen before in mankind’s history. It is in this that the real crisis of Europe lies. This also explains why the Christian roots are being denied in the EU. So Christianity can be a significant factor in the present construction of Europe. Not just the authority of the two popes – that of John Paul II and Benedict XVI – prove it. The whole endeavour made us understand again that it is deeply false to think that man can be really free when he becomes engaged in his own ideas and will and not in God. The exclusion of God from social settings brings about a disorientation of the social integration. Such a community lacks a common essence, a dignity of all us as human beings. The so called rational logic (scientific and functional), common in Europe, which says that any reference to God in the public life is unacceptable, has been rejected. So there is no reason for relativism, for self-sufficiency, for secularism nor ?????????? 9 for the so called freedom from everything. All this makes an authentic morality (in- dispensable in any society) absent. The argument has been refuted that there is no such a thing as Polish theology. It has its own uniqueness and zeal, a practical dimension and an emotional component. All this makes it real and „God is not dead” in it as in the West. All these results can serve as a starting point for further research and as a refe rence material for writing dissertations; can help start new trends in theology; can also bring a reconciliation between the belligerent societies based on the transcendent founda- tion; can serve an authentic European and worldwide integration. Therefore the aim of this present publication is to express the identity of polish theology and to enrich the European theology. We propose a cooperation in all theological areas. We are looking for the platforms, which help to create the new investigative projects for whole Christian Europe.