Theology in “Portico” looks at a human being and the world as a mystery. When human being embarks on finding the action of a life, the call or mission in the world, this prompts to penetrate this mystery. We are convinced that these pursuits are fulfilled by drawing closer to God and participating in God, who is supreme Mystery of the world. This coming to God is necessary for the fulfilment of the human being and the world and does not negate their freedom. “For the glory of God is a living human being; and the life of human being consists in beholding God.” (Saint Irenaeus of Lyons)

The thought can be found in the theologians of Christian church which were reflecting on wisdom. This wisdom brings together three divine books – the book of human soul, the book of the world and the Holy Scriptures, which interpenetrate and explain one another. The last of these books fulfils the other two. However, we are under no illusion and understand that Christian churches frequently forgot that God is also present and active in the world, outside the church. This has lead to the self-enclosed feeling of uniqueness and false sacrality. We also understand that we live in times, when God is perceived as absent and divine presence is associated with violence against others, contempt for science and political manipulations. We situate theology in these tensions. We want to find how theology can contribute to contemporary world and how it can help in seeking wisdom, healing and liberating action in its sufferings.

This is why we see our theology workshops as “porticos” – places, where one can understand deeper the three books and seek for healing of human person and the world. “Healing” is an important word for us.

Such interface between the books of Scripture, human soul and the world, where the books interweave and reciprocally affect one another is important to us in its own right. How one affirms the self-sufficiency, integrity and freedom of the books? We believe that Christian faith in the triune God – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – allows seeing God as unapproachable mystery, separate from the world, but also as intimately involved in the world, liberating it and acting together with human being and the world.

There will be a place in “Portico” for those interested in theology as such, and also for those interested in theology as conversing partner. For such conversation the important questions are: how can theology help to analyse and construct social reality and what is the position of theology in relation to postmodern psyche.