About us

© Agnes Leyrer

© Agnes Leyrer

The Department of Intercultural Philosophy of Religion (former Christian Philosophy) represents the subject of Philosophy within the range of disciplines of the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Vienna. Philosophy plays a major part in theological degree programs with a huge amount of compulsory subjects.
The topics and subject areas of research and teaching are bound to

  1. contribute to clarify fundamental issues of Christian belief and of Theology.
  2. carry on dialogue with secular and atheistic movements in modern society.
  3. promote intercultural and interfaith understanding.

Excerpt from the "Development plan 2020" of the Faculty of Catholic Theology:

In its research, the Faculty of Catholic Theology covers five thematic areas. The first thematic area, i. e. philosophy, social ethics and study of religion, examines fundamental philosophical questions, as well as philosophical approaches to the question of God and of human self-understanding, as a prerequisite for theological discourse. In addition, questions of coexistence on a basis of peace and justice, social cohesion and human rights, the humane orientation of one's personal life, as well as justice in political and social institutions, are treated from a perspective of philosophy and social ethics, as well as in the context of interreligious dialogue, particularly with representatives of Islamic philosophy and theology. Furthermore, this thematic area includes the representation and systematic comparison of religions and other systems that strive for purpose and meaning, as cultural phenomena, with regard to their history and their anthropological and socio-cultural contexts. The examination, across different disciplines, of the category of gender is particularly taken into account in the collection, interpretation and presentation of academic data.

Developmentplan 2028/31 (Faculty of Catholic Theology pages 89-91):

3 thematic areas and key research areas of the faculty:

- Catholic theology in contemporary discourses
- Interdisciplinary religious research
- Ethical challenges faced by society