12.05.2025, ITI News
ITI Catholic University is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a research grant from the Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS) program for its innovative new project, Science-Engaged Theology in the Catholic Context. The project is led by Dr. Simon Maria Kopf, Associate Professor of Fundamental Theology, in collaboration with Dr. Vincent DeMeo, Associate Professor of New Testament, and will run from May 2025 through October 2026.
This 18-month initiative seeks to deepen the integration of scientific insight into theological inquiry, contributing to theological education and spiritual formation in the Catholic tradition. Aligned with ITI’s mission to form future leaders of the Catholic Church through a holistic, interdisciplinary approach, the project aims to engage faculty, students, and the wider Catholic community in a renewed and meaningful dialogue between faith and science.
At the heart of the initiative will be a newly launched Summer Program, scheduled for June 29 to July 10, 2026. The core module, Science-Engaged Theology: How Science and Theology Can Learn from Each Other, will explore a range of topics including creation and cosmology, anthropogenesis and evolution, original sin and monogenism, and free will and neuroscience. The course demonstrates how theological reasoning can be enriched through engagement with contemporary scientific understanding. Designed for adults aged 18 and over—including prospective university students and their families—the program offers a two-week immersive experience in the seminar method, centered on close reading, group discussion, community life, and cultural enrichment at ITI’s campus in Schloss Trumau, Austria.
In addition to the Summer Program, the project will host three interdisciplinary workshops and public lectures featuring invited scientists and theologians. These events will address key questions at the interface of science and theology and will be open to the broader public, fostering accessible and thoughtful conversation.
The initiative also includes a faculty-wide dialogue aimed at enriching relevant interdisciplinary courses at ITI by integrating scientifically informed theological content. At the same time, the project will contribute to sharpening ITI’s research profile by advancing academic engagement with the emerging field of Science-Engaged Theology. Dr. Simon Maria Kopf—who has published on Science-Engaged Theology and Science-Engaged Thomism—will continue to contribute to this growing discourse through further scholarly work.
The ITI is honored to receive this support from ECLAS and looks forward to advancing Catholic theological education that remains grounded in tradition while actively engaging with the insights of modern science.
For more information about the ECLAS grant and other awarded projects, visit:
https://scire.umk.pl/eclas-grants-competition-results