Research Unit of History of Church and Theology - Contemporary Period
In the study of the Contemporary Period, the history of Catholic Theology during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Western Europe is a key research topic (L. Gevers; L. Kenis; M. Lamberigts). The study of the development of the Faculty of Theology in Leuven is integrated in this project.
In addition, intensive research is done on the history of the Second Vatican Council, and the contribution of Belgian bishops and theologians to the redactions of various important conciliar documents. In this research domain the department closely collaborates in the activities of the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of the Second Vatican Council.
The recent history of Belgian and Flemish Catholicism is studied in the context of various research projects, such as the evolution of rituals in Flanders (L. Gevers) and the development of the secular clergy in Belgium (M. Lamberigts, L. Kenis, L. Gevers) and the relationship between the church and nationalism (L. Gevers). Research on these subjects is often part of larger interdisciplinary projects, coordinated by KADOC, the Catholic Research and Documentation Centre at Leuven.
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