The Institute of Biblical Studies is an integral part of the Faculty of Theology at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. Fifteen scholars work in the field of the Old Testament, New Testament, Second Temple literature and Semitic languages. The Director of the Institute, Rev. prof. Henryk Witczyk is a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission in Rome. The Institute furthers the knowledge of the Bible on the scientific level and serves the needs of the Catholic Church in Poland and neighboring countries on the didactic level. Biblical introductory courses are also offered in other faculties of the University, the main goal of which is to deepen the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God in the minds and lives of the young people who are looking for guidance in such a difficult field of study as the Bible. Theological Master degree conferred by the Faculty contains a heavy load of Bible courses taught by members of the Institute.

 

The program for licenciate is three year long with a particular emphasis on the study of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. The curriculum includes archaeological, historical and exegetical courses that deal with biblical times from the historical point of view and analyze the Bible in its cultural milieu. The literary and historical approach in biblical studies bears an abundant fruit in an excellent preparation of the students for independent research and in the publication of numerous articles and commentaries by the members of the Institute. The cooperation between the Lublin Institute and the École Biblique et Archéologique Française of Jerusalem on the one hand, and the Pontifical Biblical Insitute in Rome on the other, has led to many fruitful contacs, visits, and conferences. Many students of our Institute continue their studies at the aforementioned institutions. The Lublin Institute confers a doctoral degree in the field of Biblical Theology.

 

The Institute has also been instrumental in organizing in Catholic dioceses the Polish Bible Society the purpose of which is to open the treasuries of the Bible to those who are looking for God’s Word in their lives. In this multifaceted way the members of the Institute undertake the task of „investigating everything carefully from the very first” in order to gradually become „servants of the word” and „to write and orderly account” (Luke 1:2–3) for all those who are looking for the Word of God with sincere heart.