Mission Statement
The Academy of Catholic Theology’s principal purpose is to foster theological work of the highest intellectual standard that is faithful in the Spirit to the Revelation of God in Christ, as that Revelation has been handed on in Scripture and Tradition, and authoritatively interpreted by the Magisterium. Members of the Academy seek the integration of the sacred sciences and their related subdisciplines; they further value the role of philosophical investigation, especially metaphysics, in the integration of faith and reason. In this regard the Academy subscribes to the principles articulated in the Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian: “In theology ... freedom of inquiry is the hallmark of a rational discipline whose object is given by Revelation, handed on and interpreted in the Church under the authority of the Magisterium, and received by faith. These givens have the force of principles.” The mission of the Academy is to receive and seek to understand these givens of faith, insofar as the Holy Spirit enables us to do so in via.
Membership in the Academy
Membership is by invitation only and is open to anyone who possesses a doctoral degree, or its equivalent in academic accomplishment, and whose work accords with and furthers the Academy’s principal purpose. Further details on membership are specified in the Constitutions of the Academy.
Board of the Academy
The Board consists of the Chair, the Secretary/Treasurer, and six members elected by the membership to three-year terms. The President and Vice President are ex officio members of the Board. In consultation with the Board of the Academy, the President develops the program for the annual meeting during his or her term. The President presides at the annual meeting of the Academy and offers a Presidential Address.
Annual Meetings of the Academy
The Academy meets annually at a time and place determined by the Board in consultation with the members of the Academy. The next two meetings will take place on May 20–22, 2025 and May 19–21, 2026 at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.
Constitutions
The Constitutions of the Academy are available here.
Contact
For inquiries about the Academy, please contact the Secretary/Treasurer, Fr. Innocent Smith, O.P., at academycatholictheology@gmail.com.