Theology and the Idea of University Education

Abstract

This article is a reflection on the crisis in modern education and attempts to offer guidelines for overcoming it. The first section analyzes the essence of education and makes evident that, in the context of modern trends, it is no longer viable today to speak of education, but rather of half–education. Half–education is particular in its approach for it does not encompass the integral vision of theoretical and practical knowledge which is the essence of education. By contrast, John Henry Newman spoke of the importance of the integral approach, and it is his vision of education that is the central theme of this paper. His idea involves the key role that theology plays in education as »a form of liberal knowledge«, and this is the theme of the second section of the article. Here we explore the causes for the marginalization of theology at universities and conclude that it is in the discreditation of theology that the source of the contemporary crisis in education should be sought.