First Faculty of Theology opened in Damascus

Damascus, SANA- The Private Faculty of Theology, which is considered as the first of its kind in Syria for the study of Christian theology, was inaugurated in Damascus on Saturday.

The opening ceremony was attended by Minister of Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Bassam Ibrahim, Patriarch of Antioch and the whole East for Melkite Greek Catholic Yousef al–Absi and a number of Christian clergymen, and cultural and media activities.

In his speech, Patriarch al-Absi said that the college was established under the Legislative Decree no. 6 for the year 2019, issued by President Bashar al-Assad.

Appreciating Syria’s First Lady Mrs. Asma al-Assad’s great keenness, Patriarch al-Absi added that the opening of this scientific edifice comes to crown the long journey in the path of virtue and science that began years ago and hasn’t stopped.

The motto of the message that we carry is “virtue and science” which is reflected in the openness to all religions, holy books, and sacred religious teachings went on saying Patriarch al–Absi.

Patriarch Al-Absi expressed the hope that this college would be a small center for distinguished, contemporary oriental theologian thoughts, which interacts with its environment.

For his part, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research stressed that the college is the first of its kind academically on the level of Syria in terms of teaching theology and qualifying specialized and distinguished cadres who possess scientific and research capabilities.

Syria, which has rejected all forms of submission, proves today that it is the country of tolerance, the cradle of Christianity, the incubator of Islam, and the minaret of moderation in its cultural depth, rejection of extremism, violence, hatred and discrimination among the components of the Syrian society, the Minister asserted.

Based on the Legislative Decree no. 6 for the year 2019, the college, which is owned by the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East of the Melkite Greek Catholics grants a university degree in theology only.

Hala Zain