Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, founded after the Second World War by the Decree of the State National Council of August 1945, was created by the academics from Stefan Batory University in Vilnius and Jan Kazimierz University in Lviv. The reference to the tradition was crucial when the Faculty of Theology was formed in its present shape as the founders of Nicolaus Copernicus University intended to establish such a faculty from the very beginning. However, the times and the political situation were not conducive to this initiative.
In the university archives there is a letter from Rev. Prof. Antoni Pawłowski, professor of Stefan Batory University and later bishop of Włocławek, addressed to Professor Ludwik Kolankowski, the first Rector of the NCU, concerning the establishment of the Faculty of Theology. The letter was written on the request of Rector Ludwik Kolankowski who was responsible for the formation of the new university.
The Faculty of Theology was founded when the political climate and situation changed so that the acceptance of a more universal vision of the university was possible. After 1989 state universities in Poland became more open to the thought and research inspired by the Christian heritage.
On October 1, 1996 a new specialisation of Christian Education was offered in the Institute of Education at NCU and a year later, a new Department of Christian Education was established. The head of the specialisation and the department was Rev. Prof. Jerzy Bagrowicz, a professor of Catechetics from the Seminary in Włocławek, an organiser and the first dean of the Faculty of Theology at NCU. This decision was an important element of opening the university for the presence of the Church in debates and academic research inspired by the Christian spirit and prepared academic community for the creation of the Faculty of Theology.
The Faculty of Theology relied on the existing circles of theologians, mostly academics from the Diocesan Seminaries in Toruń and Włocławek and later from Pelpin.
The second dean was Rev. Prof. Jan Perszon and in 2012 Rev. Prof. Dariusz Kotecki was elected dean of the Faculty of Theology.
On December 16, 2002 the Central Commission for Academic Degrees and Titles granted the Faculty of Theology the right to confer the academic degree of Doctor of Theology. On September 26, 2011 the Faculty received the right to confer the academic degree of Habilitated Doctor of Theology. In one of the most prestigious university rankings of the Perspektywy magazine and the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita the theology course at NCU has been classified in third position. Our graduates are highly esteemed by employers. The Faculty was also awarded category A in the recent parametric assessment.
