Evanjelická Bohoslovecká Fakulta

Evangelical Lutheran Theological Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava

General Information

The Evanjelická Bohoslovecká Fakulta (The Evangelical Lutheran Theological Faculty) in Bratislava is part of Comenius University. The Seminary prepares students for spiritual and ministerial service in the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Central & Eastern Europe, including Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, and Silesia (Czech Republic).

What makes study at EBF UK unique?

Student Diversity:

EBF UK is the only university faculty for the training of Evangelical Lutheran pastors in Slovakia. Students from Vojvodina (Serbia), Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania as well as non-Lutheran students also study theology at the faculty.

Resources:

The library of the faculty boasts the complete Weimar Edition of Luther’s works as well as theological literature from Europe and North America in printed, microfilm, and electronic form. The faculty hosts the Institute for Church History of the Danube and Carpathian Region, and houses its library which is available to students.

Methodology:

Both professors and students study ancient Hebrew and koiné Greek. Understanding the original languages of the Bible allows students and professors to better interpret passages as well as make translations into the Slovak language.

Research:

Scholars from EBF UK have made rich contributions to the study of Lutheran theology on a local and global scale. Most significant are their foreign and domestic publications related to Lutheran social ethics and the history of the Reformation in Slovakia. Research related to ‘the social question’ in Evangelical theology is being prepared for publication. The suggestion and justification for a new translation of the unclear Hebraic formula “Yahweh Sabaoth” as “all-powerful Lord” has been accepted into the newest American and French translations of the Bible with the recognition that it came from this faculty (Professor Kišš). This can be considered an important clarification of the name of God among the ancient Israelites. In addition to this important work which affects scholars and theologians worldwide, specialists from the faculty have also prepared a complete translation of the Bible into Slovak. There is also a current venture together with Roman Catholic scholars to prepare a new ecumenical translation of the Bible into the Slovak language.

The Slovak Zion Synod and the EBF UK collaborate very deeply on a variety of projects.

Current Projects

Student Immersion Program:

The Student Immersion Program, organized by our Synod’s International Relations Committee, and part of the Synod’s mission in Central & Eastern Europe, annually hosts students of the Seminary and other current and future leaders of the church for a summer internship in a United States congregation. Over the 20-plus year history of the program, more than 130 to-date exchanges have occurred.

These internships and immersion experiences, which typically span the length of the summer in a United States congregation, give an incredibly insightful and comprehensive perspective to church life and ministry in America, empowering participants with insight and experience that they can take back to their home Churches in Central & Eastern Europe. Many students over the years have expressed how much they value this program, as it has enriched their lives and ministries in countless ways.

Congregations (both SZS congregations as well as other participants in the ELCA) have acclaimed this program for widening their insights into foreign culture and church practices. Parishioners from these participating congregations have cited their participation as being integral in giving their congregations a deeper sense of the value of mutual Christian witness and accompaniment in global ministry and mission which have occurred as a result of this program.

Sponsorship of PhD program:

This program supports the education of students in the PhD program by providing grants to those in need and sponsoring worthy projects for the advancement of religious studies. By supporting this scholarly endeavor, we ensure that there will be professors and educators to teach future generations of ministerial and theological students at this seminary.

Slovo, a Theological Journal:

The Theological Journal Slovo is a publication in the United States which provides a means by which theological, linguistic, cultural, and historical articles and research pertaining to the Slavic world are disseminated. As a publication of the western hemisphere, it is a vehicle by which researchers and writers in Central and Eastern Europe can share their academic, spiritual, and scholarly findings as well as raise awareness among others throughout the world concerning the scholarly aptitude of this theological faculty.

Resource Support:

Through Resource Support, we sponsor workshops, seminars, books, periodicals, and software to buttress and augment Central and East European program needs in a variety of areas: theological studies, practical ministry, spirituality, social ministry, and outreach.