In the Augustinian tradition of theological inquiry, faculty members and students ponder a theology that seeks to be credible in cultural contexts. For us at Villanova, theology never is an "end-product" but a reality that emerges in interaction with contemporary culture, ready to be transformed again, and to transform, as time progresses. Analogous to Augustine "doing" theology, the distinctive element of theology at Villanova is Augustinian reasoning or, engaging theology from within, and contextualizing it meaningfully within, contemporary culture.
The following pages introduce you to the distinct features of "doing" theology in the Villanova way, in the Augustinian tradition of inquiry. As an organizing framework, we use three questions.
1. Studying theology within the Augustinian tradition is a crucial component of doing theology at VU. What is "doing theology within the Augustinian tradition"?
2. If faith is permeated with culture and culture transformed by faith - In what sense does "faith engaging culture" meet the Augustinian vision?
3. In the Augustinian tradition, learning is understood as nurturing a way of knowing (mind) that is infused with care and love (heart). Is there a distinct teaching/learning paradigm that arises from that tradition?
The ideas presented here were adapted and augmented by our Graduate Committee from observations by members of the University community and other sources.
