On 7 October, the inaugural lecture of the series “The Essence of Christianity” organised by the Faculty of Humanities was given. The series comprises four sessions delivered by Dr Josep-Ignasi Saranyana, and which discuss the views of the great Catholic and Protestant theologians regarding the essence of Christianity, from a historical and conceptual perspective.

In the first lecture of the series, Dr Saranyana focused on the speculative origin of the question regarding the essence of Christianity, which can be encountered in the context of Protestantism and based on the concerns initially voiced by Martin Luther.

Dr Saranyana went on to explain that during the 18th and 19th centuries, following the initial impetus of Luther, a movement emerged within Protestant theology that brought a shift from a philosophical study of biblical texts to a critical and exegetic study. The ultimate goal of this critical analysis was the search for an original nucleus, a Urevangelium, or "gospel in the gospels" that would make it possible to clarify the fundamental message contained in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark.

Saranyana made reference in this context to the significance of the figure of Adolf von Harnack and his successful conception in the Protestant world of an essential nucleus of Christianity from which history would have to be peeled away. He also discussed the figure of Alfred Loisy, a French Catholic priest and theologian who was excommunicated for his alternative views. His theory, which took the name “theological modernism”, affirmed in his time that Christianity does not have an original nucleus, but has evolved through history in accordance with historical and practical developments.

In Dr Saranyana’s next sessions, to be held on 14 and 16 October at 5.50 a.m. in Classroom A502 on the Barcelona Campus, the lecturer intends to discuss the Catholic response to the Protestant approach, especially through the figure of Romano Guardini and his classic book entitled "The Essence of Christianity.”