Methodological Notes for a Theology FROM the Mediterranean
Press Release
DoSt-I, with the presence of Fr. Claudio Monge OP, participated in the process of creating the Network for a Theology FROM the Mediterranean and contributed to the drafting of the manifesto presented to Pope Francis in Marseille. Now, an accompanying document on the Working Method has been finalized and was presented to the Bishops of the Mediterranean in Barcelona on June 10.
Mediterranean Theological Network
Methodological Notes for a Theology from the Mediterranean
Barcelona, 10 June 2026
The Mediterranean Theological Network (RTMed) presents these Methodological Notes for a Theology from the Mediterranean, the outcome of a research and dialogue process involving theologians and academic institutions from across the Mediterranean region. The document was formally submitted to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in Barcelona on 9 June 2026, as a contribution from this international Network committed to developing a theological reflection capable of interpreting the challenges of the present and fostering a culture of encounter, peace, and dialogue among peoples and religions.
Following the Manifesto for a Theology from the Mediterranean, this new document proposes methodological criteria for reading Mediterranean reality in the light of the Gospel. The Mediterranean is recognized as a locus theologicus — a space of encounter among persons, cultures, and faiths, where religious plurality, cultural diversity, conflicts, and hopes are continuously interwoven. At the heart of the proposal lies the category of the “between” (il tra), understood as the hallmark of an open, relational, and interdisciplinary mode of thinking. The Mediterranean, a “sea between lands that both separates and unite”, suggests that identities are strengthened through encounter and dialogue. Hence the invitation to develop a theology not merely “of” dialogue, but “in” dialogue — one capable of crossing cultural, religious, and disciplinary boundaries. A theology that takes the form of a journey, a process, built through networks and contributing to the weaving of bonds of peace and hope. The Methodological Notes emphasize the importance of listening and discernment, beginning with personal histories and the lived experience of communities. Particular attention is devoted to the theme of peace: theology is called to become a school of reconciliation and justice, contributing to the building of a culture of fraternity. The document also underlines the need to strengthen theological formation through shared academic programs, fostering cooperation among institutions, students, and faculty. The Methodological Notes are thus offered to ecclesial, academic, and cultural debate as an open and shared contribution — not a point of arrival, but a common journey, in the conviction that the Mediterranean can today become a laboratory of fraternity, dialogue, and peace for the Churches and for the world.