!!!Theologie

Theology: During the Renaissance, the end of Scholasticism, which was 
the basic doctrine of ethics in the Middle Ages, brought about a 
transformation of Christian theology. At the time of the Reformation, 
issues of apologetics were of primary importance, and the major focus 
of theology was on the systematic disciplines. Around the middle of 
the 18%%sup th/%  century, theology experienced a decline, which 
was finally overcome around the middle of the 19%%sup th/% 
 century and eventually led to the great achievements of theology 
in the 20%%sup th/%  century. Austria took a leading role in many 
theological disciplines, e.g.  Mysticism. Well-known authorities on 
the critical interpretation of biblical literature were T.  
Ebendorfer,  Nikolaus von Dinkelsbuehl, H. Zschokke, Ae.  Schoepfer, 
T.  Innitzer, N. Schloegl, and C. Schedl. The most important 
dogmaticians included  Heinrich Heinbuche von Langenstein, Heinrich 
von Oyta,  Nikolaus von Cues, Petrus  Canisius, and W.  Lamormaini. A 
significant school of late Thomism developed in Salzburg under P. 
Mezger, A. Reding, and F. Sfondrati; the most important Austrian 
20%%sup th/%  century dogmatician is K.  Rahner, who was theological 
consultant to the Second Vatican Council. Austria assumed a leading 
role in catechetics, and Petrus Canisius´ catechism editions 
served as a model for many catechisms up into the 20%%sup th/% 
 century. The religion-book movement in Austrian secondary 
schools, which was started by E. Zoellner, A. Hartl, and E. Krauss 
around 1890, influenced the catechisms in other countries. The 
psychological method used in Catholic religious instruction in schools 
today is also of Austrian origin (J. Kundi). Among the leading 
representatives of patrology are H.  Rahner and, at the interface 
between bible studies, patrology, and oriental studies, J. B. 
Bauer; in oriental studies K.  Schubert is also important, and in the 
study of religion Cardinal F.  Koenig. Since the university reforms 
instituted by Maria Theresia, Church history has been an independent 
discipline at the university departments of theology. Of significance 
are F. L. Stolberg´s history of the Church (15 vols.), 
L.  Pastor´s papal history (16 vols.), F. Maass´ 
research on Josephinism, and E.  Tomek´s history of the Catholic 
Church in Austria. Pastoral theology as an independent discipline of 
theology also has its roots in Austria; J. Feigerle, H. Swoboda, and 
M.  Pfliegler ,as well as F. Klostermann, became leading 
representatives of this discipline. Important contributions to the 
field of moral theology came from H.  Noldin, E. Mueller, F. M.  
Schindler and I.  Seipel, in fundamental theology from A. Michelitsch, 
M. J. Pohl, and A. Mitterer, and in canon law from J. Fessler, R. 
 Scherer, and J. Haring. The Liturgical Movement, whose goal was the 
renewal of the Church liturgy, initiated by P.  Parsch, was taken up 
by the Second Vatican Council and applied to the entire Catholic 
Church, an important contribution coming from J. A. Jungmann.

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Theology is taught and researched in Austria at the faculties of 
Catholic theology of the Universities of Vienna (since 1384), Graz 
(since 1585, interrupted 1939-1945), Salzburg (since 1617), and 
Innsbruck (1671-1822 and since 1857), as well as at the Universities 
of Catholic Theology in Linz and St. Poelten. There are also 
theological training institutes in Heiligenkreuz and St. Gabriel 
(Moedling). Among the periodical publications in this field, the 
Innsbruck-based "Zeitschrift fuer katholische Theologie", 
the religious studies magazine "Kairo", published in 
Salzburg, the quarterly "Theologisch-praktische 
Quartalschrift" in Linz, the magazine "Wort und 
Wahrheit", which was published in Vienna until 1973, and the 
"Oekumenisches Forum", published in Graz, deserve particular 
mention.

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The University of Vienna has a  Faculty of Theology, Protestant ( ( 
Protestantism).

!Literature
J. Nedbal, Die theologische Wissenschaft, in: Kirche in 
Oesterreich 1918-1965, 1966; Die katholische Kirche in Oesterreich, 
Almanach, 1992.


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