PATH Forum: Theology must bridge disciplines in scientific rigor

At the PATH International Forum in Rome, Bishop Antonio Staglianò emphasizes that the future of theology must be transdisciplinary, uniting scientific rigor, sapiential wisdom, and solidarity, and always serving the Church and the world.

Bishop Antonio Staglianò at the Forum of the Pontifical Academy of Theology

At the conclusion of the International Forum held in Rome on March 6–7 and dedicated to Pope Francis’ document “Ad Theologiam Promovendam,' Bishop Antonio Staglianò, President of the Pontifical Academy of Theology (PATH), outlined three guiding principles for contemporary theology.

Unity, Wisdom, and Solidarity

First, Bishop Staglianò called for nurturing the unity of theology’s scientific, sapiential, and solidaristic dimensions. “These are not alternative options but constitutive aspects of a single vocation,” he said.

Theology focused only on science risks becoming sterile erudition. At the same time, theology that emphasizes only wisdom may fall into sentimentalism, while a theology centered solely on solidarity could lose its foundation of truth.

The challenge, he said, is to integrate these dimensions into research, teaching, and life.

Courage and Humility in Dialogue

Second, Bishop Staglianò encouraged theologians to practice courageous and humble transdisciplinary dialogue. Embracing the courage to move beyond comfort zones and engage with unfamiliar intellectual languages is essential.

At the same time, humility requires recognizing that theology lacks all the answers, though it can raise fundamental questions about meaning, dignity, and the destiny of humanity and the world.

Theology as Service to Church and World

Third, he reminded participants that theology is a service to the Church and to the world. Recalling Pope Leo XIV’s 2025 meeting with the Academy, he emphasized that theologians are called to communicate both the “knowledge” and the “taste” of faith so that it may illuminate human life and foster a more fraternal and solidaristic world.

Building a Global Network of Sapiential Theology

The forum also presented PATH’s future initiatives, including the creation of a global network of sapiential theology, a shared methodological framework for regional representatives, and thematic theological circles addressing major contemporary questions.

Summarizing the discussions, Bishop Staglianò concluded that a common conviction emerged from the forum: “The theology of the future will be transdisciplinary—or it will not exist.”

Fr. Paweł Rytel-Andrianik
Source: vaticannews.va/en