News: Actus Academicus 2026: The Faculty of Catholic Theology looks back on a successful year

President Udo Hebel pays tribute to the Faculty’s significance

In his welcoming address, Hebel highlighted the special status of the Faculty of Catholic Theology as the founding faculty of the University of Regensburg. With a view to the forthcoming 60th anniversary of the commencement of teaching in 2027, he emphasised its significant contribution to the university’s international reputation.

As examples, he cited the appointment of Prof. Dr Laura Lieber, the close academic ties with Israeli universities, and the successful participation in the DFG research network‘Beyond Canon’and the Area Studies Department DIMAS. The appointment of Bavarian Distinguished Professor Prof. Dr Julie Casteigt also underscores the faculty’s academic excellence.

At the same time, the President emphasised the importance of academic theology for society. Particularly in the face of hostility towards academia and populist tendencies, he said, the university is called upon to provide guidance and empower young people to deal responsibly with the challenges of the present.

“What kind of future are you shaping?”

The dean’s report focused on the graduation ceremony for the graduates. Under the theme ‘What future are you shaping?’, Leimgruber reflected on the profound social changes of recent academic years – from the consequences of the pandemic and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence to the upheavals within the Church and society.

Theology, according to the dean, imparts far more than just immediate professional qualifications. It equips students to think through complex questions, to tolerate ambiguities and to take responsibility for the future. Particularly at a time when AI is capable of automating many processes of writing and thinking, the ability to think critically and independently remains indispensable.

Leimgruber also highlighted the special social responsibility of university theology. This, she explained, is not limited to reflecting on religious questions, but contributes to developing responses to the challenges of society. Its anchoring in state universities enables a critical self-reflection on religious traditions and counteracts one-sidedness and fundamentalist tendencies.

As a symbolic gift, the graduates were presented with a pencil bearing the inscription ‘What future are you writing?’.

Positive developments in research and teaching

In her annual review, the dean reported that the staffing situation had eased considerably. Two professorships were successfully filled: Prof. Dr Andrea Riedl (Medieval and Modern Church History) and Prof. Dr Dr Johannes Elberskirch (Dogmatics and History of Dogma).

She expressed particular thanks to Vice Dean Prof. Dr Tobias Nicklas, who had taken over the leadership of the faculty and acted as her deputy during her research stay in Australia.

The faculty has also continued to develop structurally. The new faculty website was successfully launched; the dean expressed particular thanks to Research Assistant Antonio Zierer for his great commitment in this regard. In addition, an updated guide to academic work was published – for the revision of which she thanked Associate Professor Prof. Dr Peter Scheuchenpflug; an AI guide under the leadership of Prof. Dr Rupert Scheule; and a code of conduct, for which she thanked the equal opportunities officer , Dr Magdalena Hürten.

An external evaluation confirmed the high quality of the teacher training programs. Enrollment numbers remained stable: there are currently 71 students enrolled on the Magister Theologiae degree program and 602 students enrolled on the teacher training programs. This makes Regensburg one of the largest centres in Germany for teacher training in catholic religious education. The Master’s programme in Perimortal Sciences continues to develop particularly successfully, with 88 students currently enrolled.

Research also remains a key feature of the faculty’s profile. Particular mention was made of the achievements of the ‘Beyond Canon’ research group, the work of Professor von Casteigt’s Chair of Excellence, and the call for a full proposal for the Research Training Group ‘Perimortale Räume’. In addition, the research project on experiences of abuse among women religious is continuing.

For the first time since the pandemic, a study day was also able to take place again. Titled ‘Which truth do I want to believe? (external link, opens in a new window)’, it provided important impetus for dialogue with upper-school pupils.

Finally, the dean expressed her special thanks to all the teaching staff who had shown great commitment in helping to shoulder the additional workload caused by professorships that remain unfilled.

Farewell to the Volker Nechleba Foundation

A special item on the agenda was dedicated to the Volker Nechleba Foundation. Prof. Dr Andreas Merkt paid tribute to the founding family’s decades of commitment. The foundation was established in 1984 in memory of Volker Nechleba, who died prematurely, and for many years provided support in particular to students in the field of Christian spirituality.

In total, around 900 students were able to take part in some 100 events and excursions. Following its conversion into a consumable foundation, the foundation will cease its activities at the end of 2026.

Associate Professor Dr Peter Scheuchenpflug also reported on the digitisation project funded by the foundation, which focuses on the writings of Regensburg Bishop Johann Michael Sailer. Around 90 per cent of the complete works have already been digitised; the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. He expressed his special thanks to Mr and Mrs Nechleba for their decades of support for theological research and teaching.

Farewell to the Graduates

As part of the Actus Academicus, the faculty’s graduates were given a ceremonial send-off. The teacher-training graduates received a bouquet of flowers and a pencil bearing the evening’s motto in recognition of their achievements. The graduates of the Magister Theologiae programme were presented with their certificates in person. Similarly, the graduates of the Master’s programme in Perimortale Sciences received their graduation certificates.

Honours for academic achievement

In addition, the Faculty recognised the doctoral degrees awarded in the past year. Dr Hubertus Kerscher received a laudatory address from Prof. Dr Tobias Nicklas for his dissertation on the figure of Jeremiah in the Septuagint and its Christological reception in early Christianity.

The Dr Kurt Hellmich Foundation Prize for outstanding work in ecumenical theology was also awarded. Second prize went to Dr Simon Strobl (LMU) for his doctoral thesis on Abbot Emmanuel Heufelder of Niederaltaich. First prize was awarded to Dr Konstantin Wendel (Göttingen) for his study *The Pneumatological Concept of Gregory II of Cyprus (1241–1290) in the Context of the Byzantine Filioque Controversy *.

At the reception that followed, guests, graduates and members of the faculty took the opportunity to exchange views and bring a successful academic year to a close together.

Pictures: Marko Jovanović