History

Since its foundation in 1695 and until 1950, the Lebanese Maronite Order used to teach philosophy and theology to the young professed who are to enter the ministry of church in some of its monasteries. In 1950, the Lebanese Maronite Order focused its higher studies in the Holy Spirit of Kaslik’s Theological College that was founded to this end, and which became in 1962, after the promulgation of the first law regulating higher studies in Lebanon, The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK).

The Lebanese state officially acknowledged therefore The Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (registry number 1761/3) with all its faculties that were established back then, including the Faculty of Theology.

In 1974, the Lebanese Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops adopted it as an official faculty for the Catholic Church in Lebanon following the closure of Saint Joseph University’s Faculty of Theology in Beirut which was run by the Company of Jesus and where many seminarists coming from the Catholic Oriental Churches of Lebanon and the Middle East used to be trained.

In 1982, the Faculty of Theology in the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik was canonically appointed Pontifical Faculty of Theology by the Congregation for Catholic Education, first for a ten year Ad experimentum period (decree N 495/82, May 30, 1982) and then In perpetuum (decree N 495/82/21, June 16, 1993). The Pontifical Faculty of Theology became henceforth able to deliver “canonic” academic ranks called Holy-Seat and became part of a universal network of Theology Faculties that are subject to the same ecclesiastic and university system.

That is how our Faculty – that had monastic origins – was endowed with a much wider ecclesial and theological ministry, which it will apply in communion with the ecclesiastic hierarchy and in partnership with competent teachers – monks, nuns, priests and lay persons – designated according to the ecclesial and university orientations of the Sapientia Christiana apostolic constitution (1979), and the statutes of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and its Faculty of Theology.

Vocation and Mission

Under the official mandate given to the Faculty by the Lebanese Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in 1974 and ratified by Rome in 1982, the Pontifical Faculty of Theology works hard to ensure its students – most of which are preparing for ministry – a university theological education initiating students to the theological speech’s critical and analytical method, and that is by promoting a constructive dialogue with other university majors especially philosophy and humanities. The Catholic Church in Lebanon recognizes through this choice that university theology is necessary to the revival of the pastoral ministry in the Church.

In addition, the Pontifical Faculty of Theology is fully aware that its vocation is to be “oriental” and “catholic” just like the Church from which it depends and which it serves. Our Faculty, with the help of the Liturgy Institute affiliated to it, has been concentrating since its foundation on shedding the light the best way possible on the oriental theology and its dogmatic, liturgical and spiritual components without neglecting the occidental theological thought. Through this double approach, the Faculty aims at providing a theological teaching in an ecumenical spirit.