Theology
Welcome to the department of theology web site at Xavier. The department is made up of 16 permanent faculty, assisted by several visiting professors and a diverse group of talented adjunct faculty. Our educational goal is to provide a first-rate theological education from a Catholic and ecumenical perspective. We are committed to disciplined reflection upon the Catholic and Christian traditions in the context of a pluralistic global culture.
1 The Catholic Tradition
To understand the Roman Catholic approach to theological reflection one may begin appropriately with the church's understanding of its relation to the world. According to Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (a document from Vatican II), the church exists in solidarity with the whole human family. "The joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the people of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted, are the joys and hopes, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well. Nothing that is genuinely human fails to find an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community of people united in Christ and guided by the holy Spirit in their pilgrimage towards God's kingdom, bearers of a message of salvation for all of humanity. That is why they cherish a feeling of deep solidarity with the human race and its history."
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2 The Jesuit Tradition
The Society of Jesus was founded by the Spaniard Inigo Lopez de Loyola (Ignatius of Loyola) in 1534.
The new religious order was formally approved in 1540 by Pope Paul III.
The Jesuits quickly made education one of their special ministries. During St. Ignatius' lifetime (1491-1556), colleges were opened in several countries, including Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Shortly after Ignatius' death, a number of additional schools were begun in Germany, Bohemia, and the Lowlands.
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3 The Ecumenical, Interreligious, Global Context
The Decrees of General Congregation Thirty-Four of the Society of Jesus stress the importance of theological dialogue from an ecumenical, interreligious, global context. Decree Five “encourages all Jesuits to move beyond prejudice and bias, be it historical, cultural, social, or theological, in order to cooperate wholeheartedly with all men and women of goodwill in promoting peace, justice, harmony, human rights, and respect for all of God’s creation. This is to be done especially through dialogue with those who are inspired by religious commitment, or who share a sense of transcendence that opens them to universal values.”
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