The Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies (Croatian acronym: FFRZ) was founded by the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education on July 31st, 1989. The Jesuit philosophical studies that had existed from 1937 at the Jesuit College in Zagreb were thus raised to the rank of faculty education. Until 2015, the name of the Faculty was the Faculty of Philosophy of the Society of Jesus. The University of Zagreb accepted the Faculty of Philosophy of the Society of Jesus as its full member of University on December 8th, 2015 under the present name, the Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies. The Faculty offers programs in two scientific fields in the humanities: philosophy and religious studies, and it has a permanent licence for the performance of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral study programs in these fields.
The mission of the Faculty is multilayered: to cultivate and improve philosophy and religious studies programs; to deeper understanding of man and his life; to promote philosophical and religious reflection; to develop a dialogue with the modern world and society. We strive to achieve our goals with excellence through teaching, research, and publishing activities. Based on rich and valuable philosophical heritage we face new challenges. Therefore, philosophical and religious studies in particular are taught in a systematic manner, for the acquisition of academic degrees in order to prepare students for teaching and research in the field of philosophy and religious studies and, above all, to prepare students for high quality dialog whit modern world and society .
The Faculty cultivates high standards in the relationship between teachers and students, arising from the Jesuit tradition and general Christian worldview, according to which the person is at the center of the teaching process, because he is “id quod est perfectissimum in tota natura” (st. Thomas Aquinas). Such an attitude is also the intent of the Bologna Process.
PROGRAMME EMPHASIS
The Faculty fosters the study of classical disciplines (“philosophiae perennis”) which have their roots in Aristotelian and Thomist tradition and have been systematically nurtured at ecclesiastical educational institutions since the Middle Ages. Such a system allows for the rational foundation of philosophy itself and other areas of knowledge and worldviews, as well as theology as a science on religion. Such studies of this scope are not performed anywhere else in the Republic of Croatia and are therefore somewhat specific. They can be found, however, at major colleges and universities around the world. The study program in religious studies is organized according to models from other world universities whose vision strongly highlights dialogue with other religions, dialogue between Christian denominations, but also dialogue within society in general. The study program in religious studies is a unique study program in Croatia. It has its interdisciplinary scientific field within the field of humanities and therefore a unique value.
CAREER PROSPECTS
Graduates from the Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies can find employment as teachers of philosophy, logic, politics, ethics and religious education in secondary schools, on faculties or scientific institutes, and due to their knowledge of religious issues, they can also find employment in public administration, broadcasting and television institutions, and media corporations.
RESEARCH ORIENTATION
The research orientation of the Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies is founded on a “philosophical patrimony which is perennially valid”, but also enriched with new philosophical and scientific research. The aim of research activities is to cultivate and enhance the study of philosophy and religion; to deeper understanding of man and his life; to promote philosophical and religious reflection and dialogue with the world as it is today. In a special manner, the research is oriented toward the study of religious science with the goal of improving mutual understanding in our unique multicultural and multireligious society.