A Spectacular Start to the Study Series!

26.02.2026,

Presentation of the ITI Guardini Studies

On February 4th, the first two volumes of the Guardini Studies were presented at the Herder Bookstore in Vienna. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, ITI Rector Bernhard Dolna, and the two editors, Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz and ITI Dean Michael Wladika, all took part in the event. These four introduced Guardini’s work and drew attention to what today’s ‘zeitgeist’ has largely lost sight of: truth – which for Guardini was the ultimate measure of all things.

Why It Is Worth Reading Guardini

With this study series, ITI is dedicating itself to one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. A scholar who united theology, philosophy, art, and cultural theory, yet never lost sight of one essential truth:

“The theologian’s foremost concern must be the holiness of God. From it flows all humanity – not the other way around.”

At the presentation, Rector Bernhard Dolna reflected on this insight and quoted from Guardini’s Theological Letters to a Friend, which seek to guide theologians back to an authentically biblical vision.

What Is at the Heart of the Matter?

“I will single out just this one sentence, which for me is like a key – not only to understanding what Guardini meant by philosophy and theology, but also what the true task of a university should be,” said Cardinal Schönborn, Emeritus Grand Chancellor of the ITI. He then quoted from Guardini’s memoirs:

“What spontaneously interested me was not the question of what someone had said about Christian truth, but what is true. What interested me was what is true.”

This fundamental question, which Guardini places at the very center, should be decisive for every academic discipline, the Cardinal stressed.

What Is the Human Being?

Dean Michael Wladika, one of the editors of the series, explained that these volumes aim to illuminate the many facets of Guardini’s work and, above all, its striking relevance for today. He stated, “In Guardini, the great Western tradition is alive and present. His thought helps us to analyze and respond to the challenges of our own time.”

In his remarks, the Dean highlighted central themes from Guardini’s vast body of work, including the nature of the liturgy and his engagement with major intellectual figures such as Nietzsche, Kafka, Rilke, Freud, Dostoevsky, and Hölderlin. In every context – liturgy, culture, Christ-centeredness, the individual – Guardini sought depth, clarity, and renewal: “Guardini called this the Catholic worldview.”

The first volume of the series focuses on Guardini’s understanding of Christian anthropology. “The human being cannot be understood in purely human terms,” Dr. Wladika emphasized. “According to Guardini, we must always see and understand the human person in relation to these great events: Creation, Fall, and Redemption.”

Guardini Is Deeply Moving

The religious philosopher Hanna-Barbara Gerl-Falkovitz, co-editor of the series, offered a vivid portrait of the dynamic and compelling life of Romano Guardini, which is the topic of the second volume. “I would like to say a brief word about his ‘Gestalt’. It does not only signify an inner form, but also a form of life. ‘Who was Romano Guardini?’ – the famous question. He left an extraordinary impression,” she explained. Guardini quickly filled lecture halls and counted among his listeners figures such as Martin Buber, Hannah Arendt, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Viktor von Weizsäcker. Even many non-Catholics were drawn to him.

“Only one who knows God knows the human person,” Gerl-Falkovitz continued. “That is an incredibly daring claim. Who really knows God? Who can speak of Him? And how can one move from speaking about God to understanding the human being? Guardini did precisely that. It was precisely this endeavor that kept people in his lecture hall. One must speak of God if one truly wishes to understand the human person.”

The presentation was a great success. Herder Bookstore on Wollzeile in Vienna was filled to capacity. And after having received such rich intellectual nourishment, guests continued their conversations over bread and wine.

This book series, written in German, is an important project for ITI, one through which we seek to engage directly with the academic world and society in general. Guardini’s writings are nourishment for both the mind and soul: books that inspire and enrich each of us.

By purchasing a volume, you support the university and the continuation of this series. Thank you!