If theology belongs anywhere, it belongs in a university. Yet, in many modern institutions, theology has been sidelined and seen as something separate from serious academic inquiry. Some assume that faith and reason are opposites, with reason belonging to universities and faith confined to churches. But this is a false divide, and history proves it.

From the earliest universities to the modern era, faith and reason have worked together in the pursuit of truth. Christian theology has shaped philosophy, science, ethics, and education itself, providing a foundation for intellectual exploration across disciplines.

To remove theology from the university is to ignore the intellectual tradition that gave birth to higher education. This post will explore why theology remains essential in a modern university, not as religious indoctrination but as an intellectual pursuit that enhances rational inquiry and the search for truth.

The University Was Built on Theology

The modern university system was not founded on secular ideals but on a Christian vision of knowledge that united faith and reason. Many of the world’s oldest and most prestigious universities – Oxford, Cambridge, Paris, and Bologna – began as centres of theological study, where scholars sought truth in both divine revelation and human reason.

Oxford and Cambridge: Theological Foundations

At Oxford University, teaching began as early as 1096, with theology as its core discipline. In the 13th century, the Dominicans and Franciscans established theological faculties, emphasizing the study of Scripture, natural law, and moral philosophy. The university’s motto, Dominus illuminatio mea (“The Lord is my light”), reflects its commitment to faith as the guiding force behind intellectual inquiry.

Cambridge University, founded in 1209, followed a similar model. Many of its early colleges – including Peterhouse (1284) and Trinity College (1546) – were established primarily to train clergy. The Regius Professorship of Divinity, created by King Henry VIII in 1540, remains one of the oldest and most prestigious academic positions in theology today.

The University of Paris and the Birth of Scholasticism

The University of Paris (Sorbonne), founded in the mid-12th century, became the intellectual centre of medieval Christendom. Its Faculty of Theology was the most prestigious in Europe, attracting scholars such as Thomas Aquinas, whose synthesis of Christian theology and Aristotelian philosophy laid the groundwork for Western intellectual tradition.

The university’s structure reflected the medieval belief that all knowledge was interconnected, with theology as the “Queen of the Sciences” – the discipline that unified all branches of learning, from philosophy to natural sciences.

Bologna and the Integration of Law and Theology

The University of Bologna (est. 1088), the oldest university in the world, was founded initially to study canon law – the legal framework of the Catholic Church. Theological principles deeply influenced its teachings on justice, governance, and moral philosophy, shaping the development of Western legal traditions.

Thoughts from John Henry Newman

In the 19th century, St John Henry Newman, a theologian and intellectual, argued that excluding theology from universities would unravel the very foundations of academic inquiry. In The Idea of a University, he wrote:

“Religious Truth is not only a portion, but a condition of general knowledge. To blot it out is nothing short… of unravelling the web of University Teaching.”

Newman believed that faith and reason must coexist for a truly holistic education. He saw theology as an essential field of study that, rather than contradicting reason, provides the moral and philosophical framework that gives knowledge meaning.

Theology Enhances Rational Inquiry

At its core, theology is not about blind faith – it is about reasoned inquiry into the deepest questions of existence. It requires rigorous intellectual engagement, much like philosophy, law, and the sciences.

Theology is a discipline of logic and argumentation. Thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine built theological frameworks using reason, debate, and philosophical principles. Aquinas’ Summa Theologica applies Aristotelian logic to theological questions, demonstrating that faith and reason are not opposing forces but complementary ways of seeking truth. They are, in the words of St John Paul, “the two wings upon which the human spirit soars towards the truth.”

Even Enlightenment philosophers such as René Descartes, Immanuel Kant, and Friedrich Nietzsche engaged deeply with theological ideas. Whether they defended, questioned, or outright rejected Christian thought, they recognized that theological discourse was central to the intellectual traditions of the West.

Theology also intersects with science and ethics. Historically, many great scientists – Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Mendel – were deeply influenced by theological reasoning. Their belief in an ordered, rational universe stemmed from theological principles, laying the foundation for modern scientific inquiry.

To study theology, then, is not to abandon reason – it is to engage in a discipline that has shaped how we think, argue, and seek knowledge for centuries.

Why Theology Still Belongs in a University

A truly well-rounded university education is not just about acquiring technical skills – it is about understanding the intellectual, moral, and cultural foundations of our world. Theology plays a crucial role in this because it provides a framework for thinking about the deeper questions that shape human civilisation.

• Theology does not exist in isolation – it is deeply connected to philosophy, history, literature, and even the sciences. It has influenced moral philosophy, legal theory, political thought, and the arts. To remove theology from the university is to create gaps in intellectual inquiry, as many of the ideas we take for granted today originated in theological reflection.
• To fully appreciate Western literature, art, and political history, one must understand the theological ideas that shaped them. From Dante and Milton to Shakespeare and Dostoevsky, some of the greatest literary works are deeply embedded in Christian thought. Even modern debates on human dignity, ethics, and justice have roots in theological traditions.
• Universities exist to pursue truth in all its dimensions – scientific, philosophical, and theological. Excluding theology from academic life narrows the scope of inquiry rather than expanding it.

Want to study theology in an intellectually rigorous way? Campion College offers a liberal arts education where faith and reason work together in the pursuit of truth.