Honorary Doctorate for Professor Klaus Kießling
On June 20th, 2014 the Latvian Christian Academy bestowed on its visiting faculty Klaus Kießling, PhD in Philosophy – History, PhD habil. In Theology, B.A. in Psychology, an Honorary Doctorate.
On June 20th, 2014 the Latvian Christian Academy bestowed on its visiting faculty Klaus Kießling, PhD in Philosophy – History, PhD habil. In Theology, B.A. in Psychology, an Honorary Doctorate. During the ceremony, which took place within the framework of an Orthodox liturgy, the 14 member Senate of the Academy gave the motivation for their unanimous vote in favour of bestowing this honour on the 51 year old President of the International Diaconate Centre, Pro-rector of the Sankt Georgen Post Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology, Director of the Pastoral Psychology and Spirituality Institute and of the Seminar for Religious Pedagogy, Catechetics and Didactics, citing four merits of the new doctor:
- developing a system of criteria for inter-disciplinary dialogue and contributing to the methodology of research in the field of practical theology;
- his research and his teaching in the fields of religious pedagogy, pastoral psychology, theology and anthropology, both in Europe and worldwide;
- his projects related to diaconal science and his contribution towards a diaconal Church and towards a spirituality of ecclesial communion at an international level;
- his constant and sustainable contributions to the content-related basis as well as to the strategic development of the Latvian Christian Academy.
The Laudatio was delivered by the Rector of the Academy Skaidrīte Gūtmane. The honour was bestowed by the Chairperson of the Latvian Higher Education Council, the former Minister of Education and Science, Professor Baiba Rivža from Riga University. This was followed by Honorary Doctor Klaus Kießling’s lecture ‘Deacony – Presence in the Spirit of God’s Solidarity”.
Numerous students and faculty, high ranking representatives of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, musicians and singers contributed to the festive character of the ceremony. Professor Klaus Kießling is the first Catholic and the youngest person so far to be given an honorary doctorate by this academic situated next to the Bay of Riga and recognized by the Latvian Government. The Academy’s programs include Bachelor’s, Master’s and post-graduate courses in Arts, Social Work, Charity and Diaconal Science, Pedagogy and Theology; the Academy is widely networked both within the European Union and worldwide.