Since its establishment in 1959, the Faculty of Theology at the Marmara University has contributed significantly to the formation and development of religious, educational, cultural and artistic life in Turkey. The Faculty’s academic work has helped provide an accurate understanding of all religious and cultural movements, especially the religion of Islam, and hence has supported religion to continue the contribution to the spiritual development of society and its advancements towards peace and serenity. The Faculty has around 150 teaching staff and nearly 3,000 BA Students and around 1500 MA and Phd students in its five undergraduate programs. With a uniquely rich library, it is an important educational centre for graduate students and researchers. Graduates of the Faculty enjoy employment opportunities under various state and private institutions, notably the Ministry of National Education and the Presidency of Religious Affair. They also continue their careers as academics, teachers, authors and artists. These graduates successfully and proudly represent our Faculty in all areas of society.

 We aim to make the Faculty one of the best theology faculties on both the national and the international sphere. Our vision is that of a Faculty of Theology, which will provide a distinguished and a high quality level of higher education. To attain this goal the Faculty will  make sure that each student that chooses to get educated here, whatever her/his religious educational background may be, becomes an individual who apprehends the core of religious matters, and through reading, investigating, thinking, analysing, questioning, criticizing, and taking current developments into consideration, is able to use in practice what s/he learns in our contemporary society. Furthermore, our aim is to educate theologians who can differentiate between right and wrong using the knowledge and ability of critical thinking they acquire here and who can improve themselves constantly by taking what is good and beneficial from any source without surrendering their own reason and will to the perspectives of others. Hence, after graduating from this faculty they will have the self-confidence that will enable them to use the high-level education they receive to guide others rather than blindly follow and imitate. Finally, our goal is to serve our society by training individuals who are not only knowledgeable but also act in accordance with their knowledge, who are of good moral character, who are sincere and dependable, and who are, in short, individuals the religion of Islam aims at raising.

To achieve these goals, the Faculty of Theology at the Marmara University, taking into the account the fast-changing conditions of the twenty-first century, aspires to leadership in the competitive academic environment of institutions of religious higher education both on national and international level. I hope that this booklet will be helpful to prospective students and others who would like to know more about the Faculty of Theology of Marmara University, Istanbul.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Ali KÖSE

Dean, Faculty of Theology of Marmara University