The School of Social Theology and Christian Culture (former School of Pastoral and Social Theology of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki which was renamed as School of Social Theology and Christian Culture with the Government’ s Gazette 5710/24-12-2020) provides a full-range theoretical and practical education in the main as well as in the specialized fields of the discipline of Orthodox Theology and Christian culture. More specifically in: (a) biblical studies, patristics, and Christian literature, (b) liturgics, history, theology and practice, Byzantine music, ecclesiastical arts, and Christian archaeology, (c) canon law, sources in the study of the Chruch-State relations, ethics, Christian paedagogics, theory and practice in social and pastoral work, (d) Church history and its sources, the history of the Patriarchates and of the Autocephalous Churches, the historical context of Orthodoxy both in the East and in the Diaspora, the relationship between the Orthodox Church and its any given historical, religious, cultural, academic and international environment, (e) the study of the dogmatic sources, and particularly those of the Ecumenical Councils, the interpretation of the orthodox faith from a historical-dogmatic and systematic perspective, and (f) the ecumenicity of the Orthodox Church as well as its dialogue with the rest of the Christian world, Philosophy, cultural and natural sciences, technology, modern thought, and other religions.
The School of Social Theology and Christian Culture provides its students with scientific skills and educational background in Theology. Its aims are: (a) promoting theological research and the interdisciplinary dialogue between Theology and other disciplines such as Philology and Literary Studies, Archaeology, Philosophy, Law, Medicine and Natural Sciences, (b) the preparation of teachers for the Secondary School educational system and similar education institutions, (c) the preparation of highly qualified staff members (both clergymen and laymen)of the Orthodox Church of Greece and abroad, (d) the preparation of staff who will work in social, cultural, enterprising, and international organizations as well as in the domain of Ecclesiastical Arts and management of the cultural reservoir of Church tradition and practice (textual and artistic).
The course curriculum is structured in 8 semesters (4 years) and provides the School graduates with a degree in Theology.
The School of Social Theology and Christian Culture also offers:
(1) A Master in Theology under the following specializations: (a) Biblical Studies (i. Old Testament and ii. New Testament Studies), (b) Patristics and Hagiology (i. Patristics, ii. Hagiology), (c) Religious Studies, (d) Church History Studies, (e) Dogmatic and Symbolic Theology, (e) Hellenism and Orthodoxy, (f) Liturgics, (g) Byzantine and Christian Archaeology and Art Studies, (h) Byzantine Musicology – Hymnology, (i) Canon Law Studies, (j) Pastoral Care and Pastoral Psychology, (k) Paedagogics – Christian paedagogics, (l) Christian Ethics and Sociology of Christianity
(2) PhD in Theology