Theology in Lucerne: From priestly education to academic study

From 1889 onwards, the state Higher Education Institution used rooms in the seminary at 15 Adligenswilerstrasse for its classes. The ecclesiastical seminary, which at first also accommodated gymnasium students, was reserved for candidates for the priesthood; they studied here and lived with the professors under one roof. This meant that the cantonal and episcopal institutions could no longer be distinguished from the outside and appeared to be one unit. The failed university project of 1920 stabilized this situation. In the following decades, the school benefited from a period of ecclesiastic prosperity: the number of students at Catholic boarding schools and the number of ordinations to priesthood reached record levels. This growth was also externally visible, in 1896 and 1923 the seminary was expanded with large extensions. The multi-part building complex behind the Hofkirche reached impressive dimensions, and because it was largely a self-contained place to live and study, it became known colloquially as the ‘box’.

The Higher Education Institution had about one hundred students. In addition, it met the ecclesiastic requirements. So, following an inspection, the Roman Congregation for Catholic Education awarded it the title of ‘Faculty of Theology’ on 24th January 1938. The symbiosis between the state Higher Education Institution and the ecclesiastic seminary benefited both sides: it allowed the canton to run the Higher Education Institution at low cost and it enabled the bishop to strictly supervise the training and education of candidates for the ecclesiastic office. In fact, the selection of professors was also in the bishop’s hands. This only changed when, in 1959, three students were expelled from the seminary after disciplinary proceedings, but were still admitted to the Higher Education Institution. As a result, a sensational dispute erupted, at the end of which both the head of the Seminary and the rector of the Faculty of Theology were dismissed. In 1966, the government council separated the two institutions. The Faculty of Theology was, at first, provisionally relocated to the old barracks, then to the former cantonal school building at Hirschengraben. Only a few classrooms, a few bookcases and two secretarial rooms were available to the Faculty. The main use of the building was for the cantonal Teacher Training College.

The sixties and the Second Vatican Council brought change within the Catholic Church. This mood of awakening and unrest also affected the Faculty of Theology in Lucerne. New professions emerged for parish work and in order to train teachers of religion, a second course of study was established in 1964. This course was housed in the Catechetical Institute, which had been founded especially for this purpose. With this expansion, both women and men could now enroll for the course – a decisive move, the epochal significance of which was only barely recognized at the time! 

The further development into a recognized academic institution was initiated: in 1970 the Faculty of Theology was granted the right to award academic degrees by both the government of the Canton of Lucerne and by the Roman Curia. The Faculty's commitment to research gained in profile; it began to acquire third-party funding for projects, the canton developed mid-level faculty positions and in 1981 founded two more institutes: one for Jewish-Christian research and one for social ethics. Some professors, such as Herbert Haag, Franz Furger, Clemens Thoma or Victor Conzemius, among others, made a name for themselves beyond Lucerne with their publications; thereby they contributed to the reputation of the Faculty. Academic self-administration was established according to the university model. Since then, the 14 professorial positions have been filled according to academic criteria and procedures. The result was a considerable expansion. While, for generations the Faculty had consisted almost exclusively of Swiss male clerics, it now became customary to appoint women and men of different nationalities, independent of their ecclesiastic status. On dies academicus in 1981, the first honorary doctorate was awarded: the Faculty of Theology honoured the Swiss lawyer Elisabeth Blunschy-Steiner (1922-2015), who had been the first woman to preside over the National Council and was thus the highest elected Swiss woman in 1977.