The motivation for such a forum for dialogue and debate in the Faculty of Theology of the "Ovidius" University of Constanta is derived from the fact that the faculty is situated in the geographical space of Dobrogea, by excellence an area of multiculturalism and, implicitly, of religious pluralism. It is necessary for the young theologian of today to be aware of his or her own Christian religious values and to experience dialogue with the "other" who belongs to another religious identity. This dialogue is constructive, edifying and essential in avoiding religious fundamentalism and promoting peace. Knowing the essential elements of other religions is, after all, a good opportunity to reflect on one's own identity values.

 

 

The History and Philosophy of Religions Forum can be thought of as an extension of the History and Philosophy of Religions taught in the Faculty of Theology at the University "Ovidius" of Constanta and aims to better articulate the objectives of this discipline: Relating to the sacred in the area of the great ancient religions; knowing the community particularities, ritual structures and conceptions of divinity, man and the world of ancient religions, as they are rendered in their fundamental myths; identifying the concepts and mentalities in the ancient religious space that facilitated the proliferation and triumph of Christianity in the face of millenary paganism; identify the fundamental concepts of the great contemporary religions and understand them in their specific religious-cultural context; understand how non-Christian religions and cultures perceive the relationship to the sacred and the realization of the human ideal in this life: particularities of the path to salvation and the means to achieve it; familiarity with the doctrinal, moral and philosophical principles specific to each religion and understanding of the impact that the major contemporary religions have on man and society in the respective spiritual space; identification of the religious-moral values common to the major contemporary religions in order to develop an effective inter-religious dialogue.