The Vatican press office reported today that on May 18, the Holy See and the city of Hamburg, Germany, «signed an agreement concerning the creation» of the center.
The University of Hamburg already has a similar center on its campus for protestant theology.
The Archdiocese of Hamburg reported that the initiative has as its objective to develop Catholic theology in dialogue with other sciences, and a specific aspect of the center will be to promote Church-state dialogue regarding the teaching of religion and science.
The agreement was signed in Hamburg by Archbishop Jean-Claude Perisset, apostolic nuncio to Germany, on behalf of the Holy See, and by Herlind Gundelach, minister for science and research of Hamburg, on behalf of the city of Hamburg.
The ceremony was also attended by Archbishop Werner Thissen of Hamburg, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Hans-Jochen Jaschke, while the University of Hamburg was represented by Holger Fischer, vice president, and by the dean of the Evangelical theological faculty.
