Welcome and "Grüß Gott"!

As one of the theological disciplines, Church History examines the rich life of the Church in all its facets throughout the centuries and in the different cultural spaces. Beginning with the early formation of Christian communities in the first century all the way down to the 21st century, Church History follows the external and internal development of the Church as a social, religious and political institution. It looks at the times of crisis as well as at times of peace. It tries to grasp how Christian communities shaped society and were influenced themselves by political and cultural change.

Church History testifies to the inner and outer growth of the Church, to living tradition and to its mission of spreading the gospel and gathering the People of God. Church History aspires to be the memory of the Church, helping the Church to find and to keep its identity, looking critically at her failures as well as at her success. As such, Church History plays a necessary part in defining or describing the Church and in conceiving a responsible ecclesiology.