Pontifical Biblical Institute
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The Pontifical Biblical Institute (it: Pontificio Istituto Biblico) in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level. It was founded by Pope Pius X in 1909 specifically as a center of advanced studies in Holy Scripture in order to promote in the most effective manner possible the doctrine and all the connected studies, according to the spirit of the Catholic Church, according to the founding letter of 7 May 1909.
From the start the Institute was in the hands of the Jesuits: its first rector was Fr L. Fonck, S.J..
At first the Institute prepared students for exams at the Pontifical Biblical Commission; it was licensed in 1916 by Pope Benedict XV to grant academic degrees in the name of the Biblical Commission, and by Pope Pius XI to grant doctorates, associating the Institute with the Gregorian Pontifical University.
The Institute is a member of the Gregorian Consortium
[edit] Rectors
- Leopold Fonck (1865-1930), founding rector from 1909 to 1930
- Augustin Bea (1881-1968), rector from 1930 to 1949
- ...
- Roderick Andrew Francis MacKenzie (1911-1994), rector from 1963 to 1969
- Carlo Maria Martini (* 1927), rector from 1969 to 1978
- ...
- Albert Vanhoye (* 1923), rector from 1984 to 1990
- ...
- Robert F. O'Toole (* 1936), rector from 1996 to 2002
- Stephen Pisano, rector since 2002
