Folia Theologica 5. (1994)
Hugo Schwendenwein: Church and state in Austria
60 H. SCHWENDENWEIN Austrian law provides for three forms of theological studies, each having its own curriculum but all leading to a Master’s degree in theology. Besides the traditional form of “fachtheologische Studienrichtung”, with its emphasis on scientific and pastoral subjects and intended for the pastoral formation of priests, pastoral assistants and theological scholars, there exist today at the Austrian faculties of Catholic theology two other forms (“Studienrichtungen”) of theological studies for the university training of teachers for religious instruction, namely the “selbständige fachtheologische Studienrichtung” (independent religious-paedagogical curriculum, a form of studies with an emphasis on religious paedagogy), and “kombinierte religionspädagogische Studienrichtung” (combined religious-paedagogical curriculum, i.e. theological studies in combination with another field of studies in science or humanities for obtaining a teacher’s certificate). Those who complete either of these last two study programmes, which give a high degree of consideration to the requirements of catechesis at school, are entitled to give religious instruction at secondary schools (höhere Schulen). The Concordat obliges the State to organize the curricula of such studies along the lines of canonic prescriptions for theological studies. Roman degrees in theology and ecclesiastical studies are fully recognized in Austria. 25. Austria has a very comprehensive social legislation, comprising also provisions for old-age pensions for the majority of the population. Excepted from these are only few groups of persons, e.g. clerics of the Catholic and Protestant churches, Catholic religious and Protestant deaconesses. They do not pay contributions to public social insurance but don’t receive public old-age pensions either so that they depend on old- age assistance by church institutions. Retired members of the diocesan clergy, e.g. former parish priests, enjoy the benefit of a diocesan pension, while aged religioners continue to live in their respective community. If a priest loses his clerical status, or when a religioner leaves his/her institute, the Church authorities have to pay subsequently social insurance contributions for every month such a person has spent in the service of the Church so that they, too, will be entitled to draw a public old-age pension. 26. If criminal proceedings are instituted against a cleric, if he has to appear as a prisoner at the bar, or once a sentence of a criminal court pas
