Catholic Faculty of Theology

The Faculty of Catholic Theology was formed on July 9, 1999 on the basis of the agreement on its functioning within the University of Split and the ordinance on its establishement issued that day by the Congregation for the Catholic Education, in Vatican. The preserved documets from 12 and 13 century testify to its hundred year old tradition of the study of philosophy and theology rooted in medieval and cathedral schools and ranking this higher education institution among the oldest one in the Southern Croatia.

The Cathedral school started with the simplest format of theological instruction despite the grave poverty caused by the Ottoman conquests in 1593 and 1594. The Archbishop's Seminary of Split, founded by the Archbishop Stjepan Cosmi in 1700, consisted of the grammar school and two Colleges - philosophical and theological. In 1777, its reputation was approved by Dominican provincial Vanacca who claimed it could had been compared with any European college of the time. The Seminary was fully accredited by the authorities of Illirian Provinces in 1810 and due to its higher education status it could award academic titles. In 1821, Austrian government abolished all theological colleges of the time in Dalmatia, in order to found a new provincial Theological College in Zadar in 1826. It was founded by a decree of the Emperor Francis II and its programme was harmonized with the Faculty of Theology in Vienna.

In 1922, the College moved to Split and as soon as it adjusted its programme with that of the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb, Croatia,in 1940 it became fully accredited and regained its faculty status abolished by the Communist authority. It was affiliated to the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb, in 1972 and officially named the Faculty of Catholic Theology Split. As it was created by the merger of the Theology of Split and the Franciscan Theology of Makarska a few words on centuries long tradition of philosophical-theological studies at the Theological College of Makarska should be mentioned. It was formed by the merger of the College of Šibenik founded in 1699 and the College of Makarska, founded in 1708. Austrian Law on Education regluated reorganization of education system in 1828 which resulted in the merger of both Colleges (two-year study in Šibenik and another two in Makarska). In 1907 four-year study programme was organized again at the College of Makarska changed its name to the Franciscan Theological College of Makarska in 1936. Decree on the Status of Roman Catholic Theological Colleges, from 7 June 1940, regulated its faculty status. In 1971, the Faculty was affiliated to the Catholic Faculty of Theology in Zagreb.

Founded in 1970 as an independent higher education institution within the Faculty of Split, the Institute for Theological Culture of the Lay organized regular four-year study programme in 1990 and due to the foundation of the Catholic Faculty of Theology and the Bologna system introduced in 2005/2006, the Theological-Catechetic Institute transformed into Undergraduate Theological-Catechetic Studies and Graduate Theological-Catechetic Studies.

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