Centre for the History of the Faculty of Theology at Louvain
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Description
The Centre for the History of the Faculty of Theology at Louvain was established in 1971 to stimulate and organize research on the history of the theological faculty at Louvain, from its creation in 1432 up into the 20th century. This history is extremely rich, not only in the period of the ancient university, when the faculty played a major role in the Catholic reply to Martin Luther and the Reformation, and, later, was at the centre of the Jansenist controversy, but also in the new university, from the early 19th century onwards. In this period, the theological faculty developed a tradition of positive theology and historical-critical research, which made its fame in the 20th century and enabled Louvain theologians to play an important role in the renewal of theology, culminating in their contribution to the Second Vatican Council. The Centre initiates various research projects and conferences on different aspects of the institutional history of the faculty, on developments of Louvain’s theology, on important Louvain theologians. This research is often done in cooperation with other faculties and institutions in Belgium and abroad. Through research on Louvain’s own history, the Centre contributes to the faculty’s reflection on its own identity and role as a faculty of theology in the society and the church of the 21st century.
Members
Recent Publications
- Ward De Pril. “The Correspondence of René Draguet (1896-1980) with Berthold Altaner (1885-1964) and the Debate on the Relation between History and Theology in the Context of the Dogmatic Definition of the Assumption of Mary (1950).” Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses 86 (2010) 331-353.
- Ward De Pril. “Modernism and the Problematic Relation between History and Theology: The Search for a Compromise by Louvain Historians and Theologians (1870-1910).” Church History and Religious Culture 91/3-4 (2011) 59-78
- Wim François. “Augustinian Bible Exegesis in Louvain: The Case of John Hessels’ Commentary on 1 John 2,15-18a.” Augustiniana 57 (2007) 399-424
- Karim Schelkens. “The Louvain Faculty of Theology and the Modern(ist) Heritage: Reconciling History and Theology.” Revue d’histoire ecclésiastique 104 (2009) 856-891
- Karim Schelkens. “From Driedo to Bellarmine: The Genesis of the Concept of Natura Pura in 16th Century Leuven.” Augustiniana 57 (2007) 425-448
- Leo Kenis, “Kerkgeschiedenis als theologie: Over de plaats van historisch onderzoek in een theologische faculteit.” In Quo vadis theologia? Theologie en religiewetenschap in Leuven. Ed. Mathijs Lamberigts & Leo Kenis. Antwerp: Halewijn, 2008, 49-66
- Wim François. “Solomon Writing and Resting: Tradition, Words and Images in the 1548 Dutch ‘Louvain Bible’.” In The Authority of the Word: Reflecting on Image and Text in Northern Europe, 1400-1700. Ed. C. Brusati, K. Enenkel, W. Melion. Intersections, 20. Leiden: Brill, 2011, 181-213
- Wim François. “‘Augustinus sanior interpres Apostoli’: Thomas Stapleton and the Louvain Augustinian School’s Reception of Paul. In A Companion to Paul in the Reformation. Ed. R. Holder. Brill’s Companions to the Christian Tradition, 15. Leiden: Brill, 2009, 363-386
- Wim François. “Die volkssprachliche Bibel in den Niederlanden des 16. Jahrhunderts: Zwischen Antwerpener Buchdruckern und Löwener Buchzensoren.” Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte 120 (2009) 187-214.
- Wim François. “Het voorwoord bij de ‘Leuvense bijbel’ van Nicholaus van Winghe (1548): Over Schrift, Traditie en volkstalige Bijbellezing.” Ons Geestelijk Erf 79 (2008) 7-50
