Twentieth Anniversary of the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht

The foundation of the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht in 1990 was preceded by teaching of and research into the theology of Thomas Aquinas. Since 1967 there were courses in which texts of Aquinas were read, and from 1977 until 1986 the Werkgezelschap Sint Thomas van Aquino held meetings in which texts were discussed.

In 1979 the Werkgroep Thomas van Aquino was established, in order to develop research projects concerning the theology of Aquinas. Despite the limited possibilities of the participants in terms of time available, this group succeeded in realising several projects. Finally the soil was fertile to yield the foundation of a research institute: the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht.

Both working-group and institute are largely the fruit of the perseverance of prof. dr. F.J.A. de Grijs, chairman of the working-group and director of the institute until 1996. His successor on the chair of systematic theology and as Director of the institute was Herwi Rikhof, who spent much of his time and energy further developing the research done at the institute and the institutes policy.

On March 7, 2000 the Thomas Instituut became an interuniversity institute of the Catholic Theological University Utrecht and the Theological Faculty Tilburg.
In 2006 both these institutions became part of Tilburg University. Thus, the Thomas Instituut te Utrecht (Tilburg University) became one of the reserach institutes of the Faculty of Catholic University of Tilburg University.

In September 2009 Henk Schoot, professor on the Chair for Theology of Thomas Aquinas, became director of the institute after the successfull directorship of professor Herwi Rikhof of 14 years.


If you want to know more about the history and the work of the institute we refer you to:
H.W.M. Rikhof, "Thomas at Utrecht", in: F. Kerr (ed), Contemplating Aquinas. On the Varieties of Interpretation, SCM Press/London, 2003, pp. 103 -136.