IBS Between 1959 and Now
The KUL Bible School was formally established in 1959 at the decision of the Vatican Congregation for Seminaries and University Studies. Constituting its basis was the Bible Section of the Faculty of Theology of KUL, erected in 1956, but existing de facto almost since the beginning of operations of the Catholic University of Lublin. During the first years after the opening of the University, the Bible studies were organised by Rev. Józef Kruszyński, who was rector of the University between 1925 and 1933. Lectures on biblical studies were given in Latin by two Dutch Capuchins—Rev. Edward Fremont OFM Cap. and Rev. Hubert Hoemaeker OFM Cap. In the first years following World War II, lecturing on Sacred Scripture were Lublin clerics Henryk Strąkowski and Tomasz Wilczyński (later bishops) and also Rev. Stanisław Styś SJ, removed from teaching in 1952 by the communist government. In 1950 Rev. Feliks Gryglewicz joined the staff, giving lectures on the New Testament, and in 1952 Rev. Stanisław Łach began working at the Catholic University of Lublin; after restructuring biblical studies at the University in the years 1956 to 1976, he became first Director of the Section, and later of the KUL Bible School. In 1954 Rev. Eugeniusz Dąbrowski began teaching, the first Doctor of Biblical Studies from the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome (Biblicum) in Poland. After the [political] “thaw” in 1956, Rev. S. Styś returned to the University. At this time the Biblical Section numbered 5 Departments, directed by the following professors: Old Testament Exegesis (Rev. E. Dąbrowski), Biblical Theology (Rev. S. Styś), Biblical Archaeology (Rev. F. Gryglewicz), Biblical Philology (Rev. S. Styś).
After the death of Rev. S. Styś in 1959 and the withdrawal from his work at KUL of Rev. E. Dąbrowski, Rev. Jan Stępień was engaged to conduct classes beginning in 1960. In 1962 the following were commissioned as lecturers: Rev. Augustyn Jankowski OSB of Tyniec, Rev. Józef Paściak OP of Krakow, and Rev. Stanisław Grzybek of the Academy of Catholic Theology in Warsaw. At this time the number of lecturers was increased and the time of studies lengthened to 4 years in order to fully implement the programme of the Biblicum. The requirement was also introduced that only graduates of the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome could be lecturers of the KUL Biblical School. In 1961 Rev. Józef Kudasiewicz was engaged, who during his studies in Rome (1959-1961) had achieved the title of candidatus ad doctoratum. In the following year, Rev. Kazimierz Romaniuk was added to the ranks of lecturers—the second, after Rev. E. Dąbrowski, Doctor of Biblical Studies. The Director of the Lublin Biblical School Rev. S. Łach engaged its pre-eminent graduates in the character of assistants, making it possible for them to study specialisations in Rome. Thus in 1964 Rev. Stanisław Cinal began to work in the Biblical Philology Department, lecturing (until 1971) on biblical and oriental languages. Similarly, Rev. Marian Filipiak became an assistant in the Department of Old Testament Exegesis in 1966 and in 1974 he earned the degree of doctor habilitatus. He continued his work at the University until 1984. In 1966 the Department of Old Testament Exegesis engaged Rev. Lech Stachowiak, a comprehensively educated graduate of Bible Studies of the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and Doctor of Bible Studies of the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome. After the retirement of Rev. S. Łach Stachowiak took on the chairmanship of this Department. In 1967 Rev. Hugolin Langkammer OFM, Doctor of Biblical Studies, was employed by the Department of New Testament Exegesis. In 1969 this group was joined by Rev. Jan Szlaga, in 1972 by Rev. Józef Homerski, and in 1976 by Rev. Antoni Tronina. At that time the sphere of activity and the personnel of the Department increased. The Department of Old Testament Exegesis was comprised of Rev. S. Łach, Rev. J. Homerski and Rev. M. Filipiak; the Department of New Testament Exegesis was made up of Rev. F. Gryglewicz, Rev. J. Kudasiewicz and Rev. J. Szlaga; Rev. K. Romaniuk was in the Department of Biblical Theology; Rev. L. Stachowiak was in the Department of Biblical Philology, and Rev. H. Langkammer was in the Department of Biblical Geography and Archaeology.
During a visit to Rome at the turn of 1971 and 1972 the Chairman of the KUL Biblical School discussed its programme with the Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education (Gabriel-Marie Cardinal Garrone), the Rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rev. Carlo Maria Martini) and the acting Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (Rev. Benjamin N. Wambacq). Rev. S. Łach gave a report on the activity of the KUL Biblical Section. His interlocutors expressed appreciation for the work of the School and made numerous suggestions on the topic of its expansion. Their proposals involving, among other things, the creation of new Departments, were contained in the letter of Cardinal Garrone to the Rector of KUL. In June of 1972 Rev. C. M. Martini repeated these during his visit to the Catholic University of Lublin. In order to adapt the programme of the KUL Biblical School to the programme of the Roman Biblicum the study period was lengthened by one year, which would be dedicated to preparing the doctoral dissertation. From the second year the course programme for biblical scholars had all the principle and auxiliary biblical disciplines required by Church law for future professors of Sacred Scripture. From the general and specific introduction they gradually progressed to the exegesis of the Old and New Testaments. The course in biblical theology of both Testaments was the culmination of the studies. Moreover the programme of studies, in accord with the tendency at that time in the world of biblical scholars, included aspects of the Qurman texts. Another required course was the biblical Aramaic, as also was a course in one of additional Oriental languages (Syrian, Ugaritic, Akkadian, Arabic). Emphasis on philological studies was characteristic of the
Lublin Biblical School, in which the Department of Biblical Philology existed from the beginning.
Work in academic seminars on biblical studies included reporting on seminar papers, Master’s theses, and doctoral dissertations for both full-time and part–time doctoral students. The subject matter for theses and dissertations on the Old Testament concerned either key theological issues or philological-exegetical problems of the individual Books of the Bible. Theses on the New Testament often raised Qumran issues, or also questions connected with the symbolism and theology of the Gospel. The seminars also provided research exercises in which reviews were conducted of the most important published works appearing in Poland and abroad, as well as critical analysis of biblical texts.
At this time Rev. E. Dąbrowski made his mark as editor of the two-volume Podręczna encyklopedia biblijna [Concise Encyclopaedia of the Bible] (Poznań, Św. Wojciech Publishers, 1960), whose authors included almost all of the personnel of the KUL Biblical Section. Rev. A. Jankowski in turn addressed himself to editing the Biblia Tysiąclecia [the Millennium Bible] (Pallottinum), modelled on the Bible de Jérusalem. This work, begun during his employment in the KUL Biblical School (1962/1963), thanks to the work of a team of several dozen persons, appeared in 1965, just before the Millennium of the Baptism of Poland.
A significant event in the life of the KUL Biblical School was its 20th Jubilee, solemnly observed from 7 to 12 December 1976 in conjunction with the 5th Bible Week, which was dedicated to Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi. Taking part in the celebration was Karol Cardinal Wojtyła, as chairman of the Polish Bishops’ Conference Commission on Catholic Teaching; also present were the Grand Chancellor of KUL Bishop Bolesław Pylak, Rector Rev. Mieczysław Albert Krapiec OP, and the Dean of the Faculty of Theology Rev. Edward Kopeć. In his closing homily Cardinal K. Wojtyła expressed his wish that “all the work of the Biblical School of the Catholic University of Lublin would serve well the work of evangelisation in Poland and in the contemporary world.” This became the programme of the new Director of the School, Rev. H. Langkammer, who held this post from 1976 to 1982.
After the reorganisation of the KUL Biblical School in 1977 its research and educational work was concentrated into six Departments: Exegesis of the Historic and Didactic Books of the Old Testament (Rev. L. Stachowiak, Rev. A. Tronina), Exegesis of the Prophetic Books of the Old Testament (Rev. J. Homerski), Exegesis of the Narrative Books of the New Testament, (Rev. F. Gryglewicz, Rev. J. Szlaga), Exegesis of Apostolic Writings of the New Testament (Rev. H. Langkammer), Biblical Theology of the Old Testament (Rev. M. Filipiak) and Biblical Theology of the New Testament (Rev. J. Kudasiewicz).
In 1977, after obtaining a doctorate in Bible studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Rev. Ryszard Rubinkiewicz SDB began employment at the KUL Biblical School, at first as an intern of the Department of Exegesis of Apostolic Writings of the New Testament. In 1978 Rev. Hubert Ordon SDS was engaged in the place of Rev. A. Tronina, who had departed to study at the Biblicum. The next change in the study programme of the KUL Biblical School was associated with John Paul II’s apostolic constitution Sapientia Christiana in 1979 and involved the development of a new study programme. In connection with implementing biblical study exercises into the regular theology course, the first woman was introduced, as an intern, into the group of Sacred Scripture lecturers, Urszula Szwarc, at that time a doctoral student of Rev. J. Homerski. The number of Master’s theses being written in the scriptural studies seminars was steadily increasing. During the academic year of 1979/1980 there were 34 and in the next year, 36. The Institute numbered 12 doctoral students: 3 in year I, 3 in year II and 6 in year III. The number of doctoral dissertations was also significantly increasing: from 1978 to 1981 there were 15.
In 1981 the new name of the KUL Biblical School was officially confirmed—in effect up until the present time—as the KUL Institute of Biblical Studies. This emphasised the close tie of Lublin biblical studies to the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome. In 1982 Rev. J. Kudasiewicz became the new Director of the Institute. After the difficult period of martial law in Poland the number of biblical studies graduates dropped considerably. In 1982, 31 persons received a Master’s diploma, but in the following year, only 23. The circle of students of the Institute of Biblical Studies (on the licentiate-doctoral course) in the academic year 1981/1982 numbered only 9 persons (3 in each year). The Director of the Institute from the beginning made efforts to direct the educational work of the lecturers with a pastoral spirit. At the same time acting as curator of the Homiletics Department of the KUL Pastoral Institute, he endeavoured to transmit his pastoral passion to his colleagues and students in the Institute of Biblical Studies. His first initiative in this was the 4-volume collective work Komentarze biblijne do czytań mszalnych [Biblical Commentaries on the Readings of the Missal] (J. Homerski, Ed., Lublin: TN KUL 1981), published before martial law had been declared. Biblical scholars from the Catholic University of Lublin joined in this work addressing the postulates of Vatican Council II. Together with Rev. F. Gryglewicz and Rev. H. Langkammer, Rev. J. Kudasiewicz published the first Polish Teologia Nowego Testamentu [Theology of the New Testament] as a 3-volume series. As a long-time spiritual advisor at the KUL student-priests’ residence, he made them aware of the gospel kerygma by word and deed. His example of cultivating theology has had a lasting influence on the character of the work of the Institute.
In the autumn of 1982 the KUL Academic Senate resolved to confer the Medal of Service of KUL upon Rev. S. Łach. The award ceremony for the creator of the KUL Biblical School took place on 22 January 1983 in Gorzków-near-Bochnia. Soon afterwards (8 June 1984) Rev. S. Łach passed away, and his duties in the Institute were partially taken up by Rev. Rev. Stanisław Potocki from Przemyśl, who was engaged in 1985. Beginning with the academic year 1986/1987, U. Szwarc was again conducting classes, having returned from studies at the Biblicum. In June 1988 Rev. J. Szlaga was nominated Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Chełmno, but still for several years chaired the Department of Exegesis of the Narrative Books of the New Testament.
In 1988 Rev. R. Rubinkiewicz was elected the Director of the Institute of Biblical Studies, which at that time experienced its peak period of numerical growth. In 1988, 4 doctoral students passed the licentiate examination, and 44 persons defended Master’s theses in biblical studies. Throughout his 20 years as Director Rev. R. Rubinkiewicz took pains over the academic level of the Institute; he endeavoured to continually improve the students’ working conditions; he began to publish Polish biblical bibliographies in “Roczniki Teologiczno-Kanoniczne” [Annals of Theology and Canon Law], which his students later continued. He endeavoured to purchase computer bible programs for the staff and students of the Institute. He served in organising the first student trip to the Holy Land, on the occasion of a nationwide pilgrimage (26 April to 5 May 1992), in which students of the Institute participated as guides, prepared ahead of time by a course organised by Rev. Rubinkiewicz. Successive, increasingly frequent trips to the Holy Land significantly facilitated the students’ assimilation of practical knowledge of biblical realities. The greatest service of Rev. Rubinkiewicz was the publication of Apokryfy Starego Testamentu [Apocrypha of the Old Testament] (“Vocatio” Publishing House, Warsaw 1999) under his compilation and editorship. Due to the continual development of the Institute, the Director engaged new staff members. In 1993 he employed Rev. Gabriel Witaszek CSsR, and in 1994 Rev. Waldemar Rakocy CM and Rev. Adam Ryszard Sikora OFM. The number of staff thus increased to 14, while students of the liceniate-doctoral course totalled 18. The year 1995 brought engagements of new instructors, warranted by a reorganisation of the Faculty of Theology. At that time Rev. S. Szymik and Rev. H. Witczyk began their work in the Institute. In 1996, after the retirement of Rev. J. Homerski and the death of Rev. L. Stachowiak, Rev. Antoni Paciorek and Rev. Andrzej Kondracki were employed by the Institute. In 1998 Rev. Andrzej Kiejza OFM Cap. joined the staff, taking the place of Rev. A. R. Sikora, who transferred to the Faculty of Theology of the University of Adam Mickiewicz in Poznań, and in 1999 K. Mielcarek, who had earned his licentiate at the Biblicum. The next increase of the group was in the persons of Rev. M. S. Wróbel (2000) and Rev. Stanisław Haręzga (2001). After the departure from the Institute of Rev. G. Witaszek in 2002, Rev. D. Dziadosz and Rev. Wojciech Pikor were engaged. In 2004 Rev. H. Langkammer and Rev. H. Ordon retired, and in their place were employed in 2005 Rev. H. Drawnel and Rev. A. Piwowar. At this time of the Institute of Biblical Studies’ greatest development 15 staff were employed, concentrated into 10 Departments: Exegesis of the Historic and Didactic Books of the Old Testament (Rev. A. Tronina, Rev. D. Dziadosz), Exegesis of the Prophetic Books of the Old Testament (Rev. W. Pikor), Exegesis of the Narrative Books of the New Testament (Rev. A. Paciorek, Rev. A. Kiejza), Exegesis of Apostolic Writings of the New Testament (Rev. W. Rakocy), Biblical Philology (U. Szwarc, Rev. H. Drawnel), Deuterocanonical Literature and Auxiliary Studies (Rev. R. Rubinkiewicz, Rev. M. S. Wróbel), Biblical Theology of the Old Testament (K. Mielcarek), Biblical Theology of the New Testament (Rev. H. Witczyk, Rev. A. Piwowar), Biblical Hermeneutics (Rev. S. Szymik), and Biblical Proforistics (Rev. S. Haręzga).
During the years 2008 to 2016 the function of Director was carried out by Rev. H. Witczyk, who concerned himself with the Institute’s didactic and academic development in the changing structure of the University. A particular service of his was the joining of a high level of academic research with the transmission of its results to contemporary man in the current teaching of the Church. An association called The John Paul II Biblical Work founded by him, as well as his leadership of the Polish Biblical Scholars Association, have made possible a fruitful achievement of these objectives. The use of the mass media in the service of the word of God has become an essential achievement of the Institute in the early 21st century. At this time Rev. A. Zawadzki, Rev. M. Kowalski, Rev. A. Kubiś, Rev. K. Napora, Rev. T. Bąk and Rev. M. Zieliński joined the Institute.
Since 2016 the position of Director of the Institute of Biblical Studies has been held by Rev. M.S. Wróbel, the first Polish Doctor of the École Biblique in Jerusalem. He continues the traditions of his predecessors in maintaining the high academic level of the Institute and in his essential role of service to the Church and country. In 2007 he inaugurated the Biblical Formation Course, which in a 3-year cycle (Basic Bible Course, In-Depth Bible Course, and Monograph Lectures) forms clerics and laity in the spheres of biblical knowledge and spirituality. The goals of this course are: to transmit to students the ability to interpret and actualise biblical texts; spiritual biblical formation; and to help the students acquire the ability to use Sacred Scripture in ministry and in the formation of the leaders of the Biblical Work in Poland. The Director of the Institute maintains and strengthens international contacts, especially with the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and with the École Biblique in Jerusalem. He has made efforts to equip staff and students with the most up-to-date Bible programmes of the American firm Logos, which allow access to the best biblical sources and treatises as well as didactics using the newest computer technology. He has also undertaken efforts to establish an Association for supporting the Institute of Biblical Studies, which will serve as an aid in accomplishing the most important goals of this Institute as well as supporting its staff and students in their academic, didactic, and evangelising work.
In 2020 the Institute of Biblical Studies, together with other institutes of the Faculty of Theology, was incorporated into the structure of the Institute of Theological Studies. However, by decision of the Minister of Education and Science on 11/10/2022, biblical sciences were singled out as a separate discipline in the field of theological sciences. The decision of the Ministry of Education and Science restored the possibility of independent scientific activity of biblical scholars within the Faculty of Theology of the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, who became part of the newly established Institute of Biblical Sciences of CUL on October 1st, 2023.
