The Department was established at the University of Nicolas Copernicus on October 1st, 2001. Its faculty members were recruited from among the theologians working in two diocesan Seminaries – in Torun and in Włocławek. The first dean was prof. dr hab. George Bagrowicz. His successor, prof. dr hab. John Perszon was elected in 2005, to be then reelected in 2008. Currently, the Department comprises forty two full-time faculty members who specialize in various theological disciplines. There are 480 students.

The Department offers graduate degrees, i.e., master’s and doctoral degrees. Students can choose from among four diff erent specializations: priestly, pastoralcatechetic, “Caritas” social work and studies on the family. The programs operate with the Polish grading system as the formal grading, but students are also graded according to the ECTS grading scale.

One of the highest priorities of the Department has always been promoting international cooperation with other centers of theological studies. Among them, especially three are to be mentioned: Th e School of Theology of the University of Navarra (Spain), Katolisch-Theologische Fakultät of the University of Würzburg (Germany), The Department of Theology of the Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). Conferences attended by foreign theologians have been organized in Torun and our faculty members actively participated in conferences organized abroad.

The main academic periodical of the Department is “Teologia i Człowiek” (“Theology and Man”). There are also four theological series where members of the Faculty publish their papers: Euntes Docete, Scripta Theologica Thorunensia, Biblia et Patristica Thorunensia and Series Biblica Paulina. In cooperation with the Department of Pedagogy another semi-annual journal “Paedagogia Christiana”.

Among the most recent academic projects created by the Department of Th eology is an online collection of biblical articles (www.biblistyka.umk.pl). It is an indispensible means for research for all Polish theologians. The project is entirely sponsored by the University of Nicolas Copernicus.

Der Autor antwortet auf die moderne Einwände gegen das Heimatrecht der Theologie in der Universitas litterarum (Peter Hünermann). Es geht um bleibende säkulare Anfragen, um pragmatische und postmodernistische Einwände und nicht zulezt um Bekenntnis- und Magisterium Ecclesiae-gebundenheit der Theologie.

Starting with Bologna and Paris, a classical model of a European university usually contained four faculties: theological, philosophical, legal (of secular and canon law) and medical. One must remember that establishing theological faculty had to be agreed with the Holy See. The same university structure existed in Poland too, when in 1364 the Cracow University came into being. Beginning from 1397 it had its Theological Faculty. The faculty also functioned at other universities: in Vilnius (1578), in Zamość (the Zamość Academy, 1595), in Lviv (1759), in Warsaw (1817), in Lublin (the Catholic University of Lublin, 1918), again in Warsaw (the Academy of Catholic Theology, 1954 and later the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, 1999), in Opole (1994), in Poznań (1988), in Olsztyn (1999), in Katowice (2000), in Toruń (2001) and in Szczecin (2003).

Besides, after eradication of the Theological Faculty in Cracow, there came into being Papal Theological Faculty (1959), transformed into Papal Theological Academy (1974). A Theological Faculty was also founded in Wrocław (1964), transformed into Papal Theological Faculty (1974), in Poznań (1968), transformed into Papal Theological Faculty (1974) and then in Warsaw – as the Papal Theological Faculty (1982). The Catholic University of Lublin (where there was a Theological Faculty), as well as Papal Theological Faculties have got the status of ecclesiastical schools which are treated as higher education public schools.

In the Third Polish Republic (aft er 1989) there were created theological faculties at the following public universities: in Opole (1994), in Olsztyn (1999), at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw (1999), in Poznań (1998), in Katowice (2000), in Toruń (2001) and in Szczecin (2003). In accordance with the regulations of Polish law and canon law, the named above faculties are liable to both ecclesiastical authorities and state authorities.

The Department of Theology Section in Tarnów was established formally as a result of transformation of The Institute of Theology in Tarnów. This Institute was founded in 1822 for educating the clergy serving Tarnów diocese and its activities were always strongly connected to the Seminary in Tarnów. Since the communists took control over our country in 1945, the Institute existed only formally, but in fact, it was always identified with The Seminary in Tarnów.

Bishop professor habilitated doctor Józef Życiński, who was at that time the Tarnów bishop, transformed the Institute of Theology into the Theology and Pastoral Institute and strongly contributed to its aggregation to the Theology Department of the Pontifical Academy of Theology in Kraków in 1993. Since then, the graduates of the Institute have had the opportunity to obtain the MA degree in theology. Thanks to efforts of bishop doctor Wiktor Skworc, the Congregation of the Catholic Education established the Department of Theology Section in Tarnów of the Pontifical Academy of Th ology in Kraków (WTST) instead of the Institute.

In 2007 the Department of Theology Section in Tarnów obtained the rights to confer a PhD degree in theology. Since the aggregation of the Institute of Theology Section in Tarnów to the Theology Department of the Pontifical Academy of Thology, about 90 to 100 students receive their MA degrees annually. Approximately, half of this group consists of the secular and another half of the monastic. Since the beginning, the number of secular candidates accepted, has always been limited. There are the following profiles to choose from: sacerdotal, pastoral and catechetical, social and charity.

The scientific journal of the Department is „Tarnowskie Studia Teologiczne” – „Tarnów Theology Studies” issued half a year.

After 1989 the cooperation between catholic theological departaments and the secular academies was standarized. The rules of cooperation between seminaries and theological departaments, existing either in ecclesiastical universities or in the state-controlled ones, were also circumscribed. The aim of this collaboration is to gain the academic degrees by the prospective priests.

The Author of an article recalls the legal rules, that regulate this cooperation and points the chances of it. Th anks to the collaboration, the seminary is raising academic qualifications of employees, and the students are being educated by the university standards.

The university gains an unique group of students, whose spiritual and moral formation, may be an example for a modern graduate in theology. Moreover, throughout affiliating seminaries to the theological departaments, the university has chance to benefit of the rich seminary archives and libraries, and to examine the great architectural, musical and painting treasures, concentrated in diocesancities.

The Faculty of Theology of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw is endowed with rich history. It existed at the Royal University of Warsaw, established in 1816.

It operated until the University was closed in 1831; then its activity was continued at the Main Seminary (1823–1835), and fi nally at the Roman-Catholic Clerical Academy (1835–1867). The Theological Faculty came into being again at the University of Warsaw in 1918. Aft er the World War II, the faculty became active in 1945, in 1954 it became part of the Academy of Catholic Theology and since 1999 it has been included into the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University. The achievements of the faculty are important, it has employed many eminent theologians and instructed thousands of graduates. Its merits for the Church and Polish culture are not to be neglected.

The following scientific grades in theology were awarded at the Theological Faculty of the Academy of Catholic Theology (1954–1999): 85 professional bachelor’s degrees, 4853 master’s degrees, 762 canonical licentiates, 313 doctor’s degrees, 92 nostrifications of doctorates and 89 post-doctoral degree.

The following scientific grades in theology have been awarded at the Th eological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University (from 1 October 1999 to 16 June 2008): 3916 bachelor’s degrees, 5718 master’s degrees, 1315 canonical licentiates, 299 doctor’s degrees, 71 nostrifications of doctorates, 45 post-doctoral degrees and 23 professor’s degrees in theology. In addition, the Institute of Studies of the Family has awarded 1733 master’s degrees in studies of the family.

Nowadays, the Theological Faculty of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University is composed of six institutes: Institute of Theology, Institute of Media Education and Journalism, Institute of the Studies of Culture, Institute of Theology in Radom, Institute of Apostleship Theology, Institute of Studies of the Family. The Theological Faculty includes as well the Non-local Didactical Centre in Gdynia. Three clerical seminaries are affiliated at the Theological Faculty: Higher Clerical Seminary in Płock, Gdańsk Clerical Seminary in Gdańsk-Oliwa, Higher Clerical Seminary of Catholic Apostleship in Ołtarzew. The following institutions are bound with the Faculty of Theology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University with the cooperation agreement: Archdiocese Clerical Seminary in Białystok, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź, Higher Clerical Seminary in Łomża, Franciscan Higher Clerical Seminary in Łódź-Łagiewniki, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Ląd nad Wartą, Higher Clerical Seminary of the Salesian Society in Łódź.

On the first place, author presents the situation of theological faculties before the II World War. The Roman Catholic Church in Poland had five of them: in Cracow, Wilnius, Lwow, Warsaw and within the framework of Catholic University of Lublin. The four of them developed their educational activity in many various ways at the national universities.

After the II World War, due to the changing border lines of Polish country – the Roman Catholic Church lost theological faculties in Wilnius and Lwow. The Faculty of Theology at the Wrocław University, existing since the year of 1702 and which was active even during the time of II World War (within the border lines of the III Reich), could not exist after the end of the war. In the year of 1954 the authorities of People’s Republic of Poland – without the permission of the Holly See liquidated theological faculties from the Jagiellonian University (founded by Saint Queen Jadwiga in 1397) and from the Warsaw University–removing it arbitrary to the previously non-existent Academy of Catholic’s Theology in Warsaw. The academy was a national school, and Polish Episcopal Conference, under certain conditions, only acknowledged its foundation. Academic degrees and scholars titles of this academy were canonically invalid.

Card. Karol Wojtyla creating the Episcopal Conference of Catholic’s Science and Council of the Polish Episcopal Conference caused reaction of the Holly See. Vatican’s authorities renewed the activity of Faculty of Theology in Wrocław (the year of 1968) and erected new – non-existent till now – Faculty of Theology in Poznań. Moreover, the Holly See did not approve the closure of theological faculties in Cracow and Warsaw. Thank to that, in People’s Republic of Poland – there were five theological faculties, under Church’s jurisdiction, in a similar way to the pre-war territory of the country. In 1974, they received the noble title of “Pope’s faculties”. Certainly, academic degrees and scholars titles, gained at these faculties by their graduates and scholars were invalid to the state authorities. After long negotiations, the Deal (June 30th 1989) was accepted by the government of People’s Republic of Poland and Polish Episcopal Conference. The Deal stated the approval of all Pope’s faculties and the faculty of philosophy of Society of Jesus in Cracow. In return, the Holly See resumed Academy of Catholic’s Theology (ACT) and granted its canonical validation. Imposed Deal was a serious contribution to the normalization of Church-State relations in Poland. It is certain, that it was also a great achievement of the Roman Catholic Church, and was accomplished– as it is commonly considered – not without the influence of electing, on October 16th 1978, card. Karol Wojtyla for pope John Paul II.