End of Semester at the Faculty of Theology in Vallendar

At the end-of-semester ceremony for the Faculty of Theology for the Summer Semester 2020 on July 18, 2020, the two Vice-Rectors of the Philosophical-Theological University Vallendar (PTHV), Prof. Dr. Erika Sirsch (Faculty of Nursing Science) and Prof. Dr. Margareta Gruber OSF (Faculty of Theology), welcomed the guests invited under strict safety measures.

Prof. Gruber reflected on a semester marked by challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic but one that was successfully managed thanks to the excellent collaboration and cooperation between both faculties—Theology and Nursing Science. ‘Luther would plant an apple tree if the world were ending—the PTHV stands for the apple tree.’

Following this, Prof. Dr. Alban Rüttenauer SAC was appointed as a full professor for Old Testament Exegesis.

Ceremony Honoring the Departure of Prof. Dr. Dr. Holger Zaborowski

As part of the ceremony, Prof. Dr. Dr. Holger Zaborowski, former Rector of the PTHV until April 2020 and now Chair of Philosophy at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Erfurt, was formally bid farewell. He delivered his farewell lecture on ‘Freedom and Human Dignity – In the Shadow of the COVID-19 Pandemic,’ in which he discussed the limitations placed on freedom for the sake of health during the pandemic and highlighted the role of human dignity in this context.

‘We should not stop planting apple trees as symbols of hope and bringing theology, nursing science, and philosophy into conversation with the challenges of the present,’ said Prof. Zaborowski.

He cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the post-crisis period. ‘This can only be done tentatively.’ He noted that it would take a long time before we could return to some semblance of normality.

‘With great gratitude, I look back on my years at the PTHV. I look forward to staying in touch with the university in the future. The connection between theology and nursing science remains important. Indeed, it may be more important now than ever during the COVID-19 crisis,’ said Prof. Zaborowski. He will remain connected to the PTHV, including through his contribution to a book project on ‘COVID-19,’ expected to be published by the PTHV at the end of this year.

Father Markus Hau SAC conveyed the Pallottines’ gratitude, honoring Prof. Zaborowski’s deep dedication: ‘He poured his heart into fostering human connections.’

Certificates and Diplomas of the Faculty of Theology

Es folgten Grußworte von Ludwig Caspers, Vorsitzender des Fördervereins der PTHV, und von Wolfgang Heitmann, Stadtbürgermeister von Vallendar. In Folge stellte sich der neue Hausrektor der Pallottinischen Gemeinschaft der PTHV, Björn Schacknies SAC, vor.

The ceremony continued with greetings from Ludwig Caspers, Chairman of the PTHV Support Association, and Wolfgang Heitmann, Mayor of Vallendar. Subsequently, the new House Rector of the Pallottine Community at PTHV, Björn Schacknies SAC, introduced himself.

Prof. Gruber then presented several graduates of the doctoral program with their doctoral certificates and diplomas:

Christian Ikpeamaeze, Topic: Evangelization among Young People in Igboland: Towards a Dialogical Understanding of Evangelization as a Means of Empowering Young People in Nigeria
Linus Chukwudi Nwankwo, A Religio-Cultural Enquiry into the Reality of Christian-Muslim Relationships in Igbo Land, Nigeria: In the Light of Nostra Aetate
Katja Nikles, Religious Freedom in Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Options for a Christian-Motivated and Dialogue-Oriented Advocacy for Religious Freedom
John Joseph Antony Samy SAC, Towards Universality of Religion in and through the Doctrine of Mercy: Situating the Theology of Cardinal Walter Kasper Amidst Contemporary Pluralistic Thinking
Michael Medzech, Calculation or Contemplation? On the Relationship of Measure and Being in Martin Heidegger’s Path of Thought

Additional certificates were awarded to: Deacon Ulrich Bork for his supplementary theological studies and Carolin Hostert-Hack for her master’s thesis titled: Social-Charitable Movements and the Work of the Elisabeth Societies, Especially in the 19th Century in the Diocese of Trier.

The ceremony was accompanied musically by Elisabeth and Franziskus von Heereman.

Afterwards, the end-of-semester service, led by Fr. Christoph Hammer SAC, and a small summer gathering of the Faculty of Theology took place under strict COVID-19 regulations.

Report: Verena Breitbach
Photos: Filip Vukina