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½ñÈÕºÚÁÏ academics bring together international research on contemporary spirituality

The Faculty of Theology at the University of Malta continues to develop its contribution to the academic study of spirituality, bringing together research, interdisciplinary dialogue and international collaboration in a field that has gained increasing academic attention in recent years.

This development was highlighted during the presentation to the Rector, Prof. Frank Bezzina, of the published proceedings of the 2025 International Spirituality Colloquium, 'Spirituality: Between the Post-Traditional and the Post-Secular', edited by Rev. Prof. Charló Camilleri, O.Carm. and Dr Glen Attard. The volume brings together 22 scholarly contributions by academics working in the field of spirituality, with contributors from universities and research centres in Wisconsin-Madison, Freiburg, Munich, Malta, Paris, Milan and Granada, among others.

The occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on the development of spirituality as an academic field of study within the Faculty of Theology. Over the past 15 years, the Spirituality Colloquium has developed into a platform for scholarly exchange, accompanying a broader development within the Faculty towards a more defined methodology and academic approach to the study of spirituality. Through this work, the Faculty has increasingly situated its research within a wider international academic landscape in which universities and research institutions are developing dedicated programmes and methodologies for the systematic study of spirituality and the spiritual phenomenon.

The Faculty is also extending its engagement with research and practice in spiritual care, particularly in healthcare and mental health settings. Such collaborations seek to bring academic research into dialogue with professional practice and emerging approaches to holistic care.

During the meeting, possible future projects and areas of collaboration were also discussed, building on the academic networks and research partnerships developed through 15 years of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work.