09.02.2025, ITI Event
ITI Catholic University in Trumau establishes the ‘Cardinal Schönborn Chair of Dogmatic Theology’.
The ITI, in Trumau (near Vienna), thanks its long-standing Archchancellor, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, for the occasion of his 80th birthday with a special gift. The ITI shall establish the Academic Chair in Dogmatics in his name. Schönborn’s teaching and understanding of both theology and the Church will thereby be actualized for the coming generations. In the context of the great theologians of the Church, both East and West, this understanding will be spread and kept alive. This is in addition to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Schönborn’s legacy for the Church in the whole world, as emphasized by former Rector Christiaan Alting von Geusau.
With this Academic Chair in Trumau, a ‘place’ will be created in which the development and the path of this exceptional institution in central Europe is inseparably bound to Cardinal Schönborn. Together with the founding president of the ITI, Michael Waldstain, Cardinal Schönborn brought to realization the vision of Pope John Paul II. The main pillars of this institution are the study of theology as a totality, via personalized seminar-style teaching, small classes, the reading of original sources, an international character and a lived-out faith of the Church. Cardinal Schönborn placed his stamp on the theological vision of the course of study as well as the teaching method. In interest of the renewal of theology, the Cardinal inspired teachers and students to connect theology with holiness, under the motto: ‘theology kneeling in prayer’.
For the financing of this Academic Chair, a foundation will be established, particularly as the ITI is almost entirely funded by donations and student contributions. The announcement of the new Academic Chair took place in the context of the celebration and ceremony for the Cardinal, with a Symposium, Holy Mass, and a formal dinner for 180 people. Among these were many clerics and others from the larger community. The students of the ITI acted as wait-staff for the formal dinner. ‘The ITI is not only the organizer of this event, but is in the first place a host and we serve all those who come to us. This mission is for the students, next to their studies, a valuable service and is closely bound to the philosophy of our institution.’ Said the current Rector of the ITI, Bernhard Dolna.
The Contribution of Judaism to Christian Theology
In the presence of ecclesiastical and secular prominents, a Symposium was held with Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, the founder and leader of the Jerusalem ‘Elijah Interfaith Institutes’. Rabbi Goshen-Gottstein pointed out that the explicitly Jewish manner of scriptural interpretation, the Jewish way of seeing things, is something which could be a fruitful inspiration and complement for the Christian interpretation tradition. According to the Rabbi it is precisely an occupation with contemporary Judaism and its living tradition, somewhat neglected in Christian understanding, which could be inspiring for our times.
Cardinal Schönborn, in his address, made an interpretation of Quaestio 23 of the Summa Theologiae Secunda Secundae of St. Thomas Aquinas, namely the question whether charity (caritas) is a species of friendship. After Holy Mass in the Byzantine Chapel, the three former rectors - Michael Waldstein, Msgr. Larry Hogan, and Christiaan Alting von Geusau, gave a revue of the history of the ITI.