Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry

Established in 2014 to advance the University's strategic goal of making ACU a world-leading institution in religion, philosophy, and history, IRCI includes research programs in Biblical and Early Christian Studies, Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Philosophy, and Religion and Theology.

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Our people

Our global team of scholars are experts in the fields of religion, theology, philosophy, history, and literature.

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Virtual Open Day 2023 

All are warmly welcome to join us for our Virtual Open Day on 26 and 27 March 2024, to hear more about opportunities in our research community.

Applicants for PhD and MPhil programs

Applications for fully funded places for the PhD and MPhil programs at Australian Catholic University are now open. For further information, please click on the link below.

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Biblical & Early Christian Studies

Biblical and early Christian studies

A major focus of research in this program is the extent to which different strands of early Christianity aimed to define themselves in relation to Jewish and Greco-Roman religious, philosophical, rhetorical, social, and cultural heritages.

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Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS)

Medieval and early modern studies

The purpose of this program is to understand the origins of the modern world and to reframe the way it is understood through dynamic reinterpretations of the medieval and early modern past.

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Religion and Theology

Religion and theology

The IRCI’s Religion and Theology program supports constructive work in the study of religion that incorporates a wide range of methodologies.

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Rome seminars

Scholars from around the world unite at our Rome Campus for the IRCI seminar series each year. These seminars are an opportunity for researchers to collaborate and discuss critical questions to advance research in philosophy, religion, and theology.

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ACU Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry

Mailing address

C/- 115 Victoria Pde
Fitzroy, VIC, 3065.