The purpose of the field of Catholic theology is to conduct academic study into the Christian understanding of faith, which is based on the historical revelation of God in the Old and New Testament and the interpretation of this revelation by the church community. The various subdisciplines of the field (biblical theology, ecclesiastical history, philosophy, systematic and practical theology) provide a wealth of critical methods for reflecting on faith. The curriculum touches on issues of literary and historical studies, art and cultural history, philosophy, the social sciences, and law.