The Center
University Center for Protestant Theology Matthias Flacius Illyricus is an organizational unit within the University of Zagreb, involved in scientific research and education in the field of theology, social sciences and humanities related to theology. The Center was formally founded on January 17th 2017 by the Senate of the University of Zagreb.
Although a “new” addition to the University, the Center represents the continuation of the Faculty of Theology Matthias Flacius Illyricus, which was founded in Zagreb in 1975 by the Lutheran Church and the Baptist Union in former Yugoslavia.
History
In 1975, the time of communist reign in former Yugoslavia, the representatives of the Lutheran Church and the Baptist Union ventured into a somewhat avant-garde project for the time: the founding of a Protestant faculty of theology named after Matthias Flacius Illyricus (1520-1575), a Croatian Protestant theologian, reformer, linguist, philosopher, and church historian born in Labin, Istria. The faculty formally opened its doors on Reformation Day, 31st October 1976.
Mission, vision, and aspirations
The mission of the Center, as well as the Faculty that came before it, evolved over the years, but it nevertheless relies heavily on Flacius’ vision of the truth of the Reformation being spread and developed, and the need to educate parish priests, pastors, theologians, and other church ministers, who would then work on accomplishing this mission.
Teaching Staff
Employees of the Center and associates.
Documents (in Croatian)
Foundational documents of the University Center for Protestant Theology Matthias Flacius Illyricus. The button links to the Croatian version of this website.
