The Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies (S.T.L.) equips students with skills for scientific research and the ability to engage complex approaches and theories in studying theology. The two-year Academic program includes advanced study in theology, literature, history, and philosophy of the early Church and Late Antiquity. The specialization in Patristics builds on a robust S.T.B./M.Div. program at St. Augustine’s Seminary, although external students with equivalent degrees are also encouraged to apply.

Program Requirements

The program consists of fourteen mandatory courses, aside from thesis writing. Some patristic courses focus on individual Church Fathers or early Christian writers. The aspects treated in courses of this nature are largely philosophical or theological. Other patristic courses cover particular spans of time in Church history. These courses, referred to as Fundamental Patristic courses, examine Church Fathers and ecclesiastical writers across a broad spectrum of time and issues. There are courses that explore certain methodological issues, such as patristic biblical exegesis or classical and early Christian rhetoric. Finally, there are thematic courses that address central theological and ecclesial themes such as Trinity and Christology Monasticism, and Liturgy.

The Licentiate in Patristics presupposes that students applying to the program come already equipped with a basic background in theology and familiarity with early Christian literature. There are various methodologies for studying Patristic literature. The faculty are cognizant of the importance of historical, literary, and archeological tools, to name a few, to truly appreciate the fecund and creative culture and thought of the early Christians. But, true to its mission as an institution established to form and train future ministers in the Church, the Licentiate in Patristics at St. Augustine Seminary emphasizes what we can learn from the early Christians to become effective and imaginative ministers of the Word of God and disciples of Christ. Patristic theology is an expression of a wholesome and living theology amidst the challenges and issues of pastoral ministry. The preaching and writings of the Fathers provide the foundations of Christian doctrine, spirituality, and the interpretation of sacred scripture.

Program Admission Requirements

S.T.B. with a B+ standing/or an equivalent program in Theology, such as the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or, upon the President’s approval, the Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.)
Complete the Application for Admission, provide two letters of academic reference, a Statement of Intent (not exceeding 750 words) outlining academic interests and academic purposes, and submit with the application fee
Clergy/Religious must provide letter from Ordinary or Religious Superior
Admission Interview
Fluency in English
Proficiency in the English language is a requirement for the Licentiate in Theology and Patristic Studies. All applicants are expected to understand spoken and written English and to be able to communicate effectively in this language. International students who have not completed a previous degree in English will be assessed in the areas of speaking, reading, and writing. Since our students do not have access to the University of Toronto’s Student Success Services, including their writing centre, St. Augustine’s Seminary provides, free of charge, an English writing seminar, Rhetorical Strategies, a required course for international students and recommended for all other students.
Proficiency in One Modern Research Language (French, German or Italian). In consultation with the Academic Dean, once an area of specialization has been determined, the student will be asked to translate a page of one’s chosen research language into English. For those lacking proficiency in another language, the Academic Dean will review case-by-case to determine an appropriate course of study.
Evidence of basic reading knowledge of Latin or Greek.
All students are required to take a Latin Entrance Exam. Depending on the results, a student may be required to take the St. Augustine’s Seminary Ecclesiastical Latin 1 and/or Ecclesiastical Latin II courses. If the student decides to focus on Eastern Patristic Thought, they will be required to pursue further studies in Greek, to be determined by the Academic Dean.
Application Deadline for the September start date is July 30.

Fees and Financial Aid

All Tuition and Fees, Refund Schedule, and financial aid information are available on the website and the Handbook. Please contact the Registrar at registrar@staugustines.on.ca for estimated costs.

Student Bursaries and Scholarships may be available upon consideration by the President and the Academic Dean. Board and lodging for Priests or Religious Brothers can be requested from St. Augustine’s Seminary.

Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology Handbook

Administration and Faculty

Msgr. A. Robert Nusca, S.S.L. (Pontifical Biblical Institute), S.T.D. (Gregorianum) - President of St. Augustine’s Seminary and The Ecclesiastical Faculty of Theology; Associate Professor of New Testament.

Dr. Josephine Lombardi, Ph.D. (University of St. Michaels College; Toronto) - Academic Dean; Associate Professor, Systematic and Pastoral Theology

Rev. Kevin Belgrave, S.Th.D. (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross) - Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs; Associate Professor, Moral Theology

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Rev. John Elmer Abad, S.T.L., Ph.D. (Augustinianum; Toronto) - Sabbatical 2025-2026

Sr. Maria Theotokos Adams, SSVM, Ph.D. (Catholic University of America; Washington)

Dr. Brian Butcher, Ph.D. (St. Paul University-Ottawa)

Dr. Michael Cameron, Ph.D. (University of Chicago Divinity School)

Dr. Vichi-Eugenia Ciocani, Ph.D. (University of Toronto)

Rev. Hubertus Drobner, Ph.D. Classics (University of Mainz); Ph.D. (Pontifical Lateran University); S.T.L., S.T.D. (Pontifical Institute for Christian Archaeology)

Msgr. Hans Feichtinger, S.T.D., Ph.D. (Augustinianum; Munich)

The Rev. Walter Hannam, Ph.D. (Boston College)

Dr. Ky Heinze, Ph.D. (Catholic University of America)

Dr. Francesco Pica, S.T.D., Ph.D. (Antonianum-Rome; Toronto)

Dr. John Solheid, Ph.D. (University of St. Michaels College; Toronto)

For more information on admission, program requirements, and financial aid, please contact the Registrar at registrar@staugustines.on.ca. Applications must be submitted prior to July 30 for the September start date.

Curriculum Courses

Ten mandatory courses, four elective courses and Tesina with Comprehensive Exam

Ten Mandatory Courses

1. Patrology I

2. Patrology II

3. Patrology III

4. Research Methodology

5. Augustine I

6. Patristic Exegesis

7. Patristic Themes: Trinity and Christology

8. Classical Rhetoric and Early Christian Apologetics

9. Hellenistic Philosophy and the Fathers of the Church

10. Latin Patristic stream - Augustine II

Greek Patristic stream - Origen

Four Electives, options below:

Asceticism and Monastic Movement in the Early Church
Creation in Early Christianity
Latin Patristics (Reading)
Liturgy in the Early Church
Leo the Great
The Cappadocian Fathers
The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea: a Directed Reading

The student must maintain a general average of (B+), with no course grades lower than B-. Credits may be transferred from a comparable graduate program in another institution upon the approval of the President and the Dean after a thorough evaluation.

The breakdown of credits is as follows:

Mandatory and Elective courses 14 credits

Thesis/Tesina: Includes proposal, writing 2 credits

and Comprehensive Exam

Total of 16 credits

Length of the Program, Coursework, and Residency

The program requires at least four semesters for a full-time student to successfully complete the fourteen mandatory courses and a tesina. An extension may be requested upon approval from the Academic Dean. Part-time students may be admitted but they must complete the requirements of the program in five years. Failure to do so, without serious reason, results in termination of the registration.

Courses are offered both in-person and online (synchronous). In-person attendance is the norm especially as it provides the student opportunities for interaction with the instructor and other students. Residency in Toronto also allows access to library resources, especially the collection at the Pontifical Institute for Medieval Studies. Online learning, however, is permitted by the Dicastery for Culture and Education, based on the student’s status in life. A request may be made to the Dean for consideration. During the process of writing the tesina, students are encouraged to reside in Toronto to take advantage of various academic support.

In the spirit of the latest apostolic constitution on education, the Veritatis Gaudium, the faculty at St. Augustine’s Seminary works to create partnerships and collaboration with other Academic institutions, especially other Ecclesiastical faculties in the world. A student may register for a course in an Ecclesiastical institution, upon approval by the Dean and obtain credits for the Licentiate program in Patristics. An example is the course on History of Christian Thought I (DT811) at the Faculty of Theology at Mundelein in Chicago.

Grading System

500 and 700 level courses use the following alpha grading scale:

A+ (90-100) Profound & creative

A (85-89) Outstanding

A- (80-84) Excellent

B+ (77-79) Very Good

B (73-76) Good

B- (70-72) Satisfactory

FZ (0-69) Failure

I Incomplete

W Withdrawn

Final Grade for the Licentiate Program

The final mark for the S.T.L. program is computed as follows: fifty percent for the coursework; thirty percent for the tesina; twenty percent for the final comprehensive examination.

The Licentiate Thesis (tesina)

In the second semester of their first year, the student should start exploring potential topics for the Licentiate thesis. The student, with the Academic Dean’s approval, may identify and choose a supervisor, among the faculty, for the thesis. The thesis demonstrates the student’s ability to engage in research and mastery of the topic under study, including its scope, limitations, and the advancement of knowledge about the subject matter.

The length of the thesis is around 60 pages (around 25,000-27,000 words). Once the thesis has been approved by the supervisor, a second reader and a member of the faculty (usually, the Academic Dean) will be appointed as members of the Thesis Panel.

Licentiate Thesis Proposal Defence and Tesina Preparations Guidelines

Prior to commencing the writing of the tesina, the student is required to submit a thesis proposal to the designated supervisor. This proposal shall not exceed ten pages, excluding the bibliography. It must clearly articulate the research topic and the status quaestionis, outline the proposed methodology, present a structured framework for the argumentation, identify the broader implications of the research, and include a preliminary bibliography comprising approximately ten primary sources and twenty secondary sources.

Upon approval of the proposal by both the supervisor and the second reader, the student must complete the Licentiate Thesis Proposal Defence Form. This form, duly signed by the supervisor and second reader, must be submitted to the Registrar along with a digital copy of the approved S.T.L. Thesis Proposal. Once received, the Registrar will enroll the student in the tesina course and coordinate the scheduling of the Thesis Proposal Defence.

The student will defend the proposal before a panel composed of the supervisor, the second reader, and the Academic Dean. Each panel member will evaluate the proposal for approximately ten minutes. If the proposal is approved, the student may proceed with the writing of the tesina, chapter by chapter. Should the panel determine that revisions are necessary, the student will be granted a maximum of thirty days to make the required amendments, after which the panel will reconvene.

Typically, the student is expected to complete the tesina within six months following the approval of the proposal. Throughout this period, the student must maintain regular consultation with the appointed supervisor. If the tesina is not ready for defence within the stipulated timeframe, the student may petition the Academic Dean—after notifying the supervisor—for a one-semester extension. A maximum of four such extensions may be granted.

Ordinarily, the writing of the tesina should commence during the summer preceding the student’s second year. The work should be completed and ready for defence by the end of the second year, or upon completion of the required coursework. Extensions may be requested in cases of extraordinary circumstances. Upon approval by the Academic Dean, in consultation with the supervisor, the Registrar may issue a “Program Extension Request Form” for each semester. No student may request more than four semester extensions.

Once the supervisor deems the tesina ready for defence, a copy shall be submitted to the second reader, whose responsibility it is to determine its suitability for defence. If deemed unsuitable, the document will be returned to the student and supervisor for further revision. Upon approval, a copy will be forwarded to the Academic Dean, or if the Dean is not a member of the panel, to an appointed third reader. Together with the supervisor, these individuals will constitute the panel of examiners. A date for the defence will then be scheduled.

Reading List for the Comprehensive Examination

After successfully completing the required coursework, the student is eligible for the comprehensive examination. The student will prepare a comparable list related to their Thesis, with the approval of the Thesis Panel and the Academic Dean. This list is to be sent to the panel three months before the defence of the thesis.

Sample

A. J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, rev. ed., New York: HarperCollins, 1978.

B. Cyprian, De catholicae ecclesiae unitate in The Fathers of the Church, Cyprian, Treatises, trans. R. J. Deferrari, New York, Fathers of the Church, 1958, 91-121.

C. Irenaeus of Lyons, Adversus Haereses, in Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. I Peabody, MA: Hendrikson, 1994, books 3-5.

D. Athanasius, Vita Antonii (Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1980) and Sulpicius Severus, Vita Martini in The Fathers of the Church, Severus, Writings, trans. B.M. Peebles, New York, Fathers of the Church, 1949.

E. Augustine, Confessiones in The Confessions, trans. M. Boulding, The Works of St. Augustine: a translation for the 21st century 1.1; Hyde Park, NY: New City, 1997.

F. Tertullian, Apologeticum and Minucius Felix, Octavius in The Fathers of the Church 10, trans. R. Arbesman, E. Daly, E. Quain, New York, Fathers of the Church, 1962.

G. Vincent of Lerins, Commonitorium in The Fathers of the Church, Vincent of Lerins, Commonitories, trans. R.E. Morris, New York, Fathers of the Church, 1949.

H. John Damascene, On the Orthodox Faith, trans. Frederic H. Chase, Jr. Washington, DC: CUA Press, 1958, books 1, 3, 4.

I. Averil Cameron, The Later Roman Empire: 284-430, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1993.

Hence, the final evaluation consists of a comprehensive exam (30 mins) and a lectio coram on the tesina (45 mins.).