Presentation of the three magazines sponsored by the Pontifical Faculty of Theology
Editorial of the theological magazine of Kaslik
“The Pontifical Faculty of Theology in the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik is glad to present to the readers the first annual issue 2007 of the theological magazine of Kaslik. I am also glad to underline that the publishing of this first issue coincides with the 45th anniversary of the recognition of the Faculty by the Lebanese State in 1962 as a higher teaching institution, and the 25th anniversary of its declaration by the Holy-Seat in 1982 as a pontifical faculty.
This new magazine is the third to be published after two others founded respectively in 1965 and 1990. The first one, Melto (Oriental researches) –that is being published since 1970 under the name Word of the Orient – has been published for two decades in collaboration with the Arab Christian Centre for Research and Documentation (CEDRAC) Saint Joseph University of Beirut. Let us here seize the opportunity and thank the directors in chief of this magazine Reverend Abbot Elie KHALIFE-HACHEM (Lebanese Maronite Order) former dean (1972-1981) and emeritus professor in the Pontifical Faculty of Theology as well as Reverend Father Khalil SAMIR, the director of CEDRAC. The name “Word of the Orient” is self-explanatory; in fact, this magazine is specialized in the Christian oriental traditions and literature, especially Syriac and Arab Christian, thus not covering all the domains of university technology in its various disciplines and currents preoccupations.
The second magazine, Biblia, was founded in 1990 by late Father Louis KHALIFE (Lebanese Maronite Order; † 1997) the second dean of our Faculty (1964 – 1972) as an independent Biblical Journal in Arabic. After F. KHALIFE passed away, the magazine was attached to the Faculty. Since January 1999, this richly illustrated magazine started being published every three months; it objective is information and biblical formation of scientific and pastoral nature. Biblia is now at its 37th issue thanks to the perseverance of its director R.F. Ayoub CHAHWAN (Lebanese Maronite Order) Old Testament Professor and Director of the 3rd cycle in the Pontifical Faculty of Theology.
For all these reasons, the creation of the Theological Magazine of Kaslik was a must on the university and theological levels. This magazine offers a space for teachers to express themselves each in his relevant domain. While focusing on the various disciplines of theology, the magazine’s direction will seek to it that an important place be granted to philosophy and human sciences which are basic courses during the first two years of the canonical baccalaureate in theology. It is needless to point out the impact of research and scientific publications on the quality and the revival of theological teaching.
This magazine also seeks to be a thinking tool and a complement of information to the graduates of the Pontifical Faculty of Theology who have gathered, upon the Faculty’s initiative, since April 2008 in the Alumni whose primary objective is permanent training.
It aims finally at being a mean of cultural exchange with other Faculties of Theology in Lebanon and abroad, especially in the Francophone countries where our Faculty has already signed partnership conventions with its counterparts in the Catholic Institute of Paris as well as the Catholic Universities of Lyon and Louvain-La Neuve, hoping these conventions will progressively extend to other institutions and linguistic spaces. The Theological Magazine of Kaslik which is mainly francophone – since French is the main language in the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and in the Pontifical Faculty of Theology – will publish however articles in Arabic and English in order to diversify and enrich the cultural and theological exchanges.
As for its theological approach, the magazine is Oriental and Catholic just like the Catholic Church of Lebanon from which it depends and which it serves. Subsequently, this magazine’s direction will seek to promote, as much as possible, an oriental and contextual theological thought. The magazine will take into account the heritage of the Fathers and liturgy as well as the preoccupations of the contemporary Lebanese and Middle Eastern surrounding while bearing in mind the necessity of being open to the universal theological thought.
By taking this path, the Lebanese theologians will be able to propose adapted answers which should naturally be given by an oriental, catholic and contextual university theology.”
Kaslik, June 2nd 2008
Father Paul ROUHANA
The Dean