Thanks to of its location, since ancient times the Faculty of Theology of Granada (Spain) has been particularly interested in Islam-Christian dialogue. Already in 1992 a first study centre on the subject was created, which was transformed into the current Andalusian Chair for the Dialogue of Religions (CANDIR) in 2009, an organ that centralizes the activity of the Faculty of Theology of Granada in this field. The current team of the Chair is formed by the Director of the Chair and Rector of the Faculty, Gonzalo Villagrán SJ, the Deputy Director, Fermín Rodríguez CMF and the Coordinator of Formation, Mª Carmen Benítez.

This Chair has organized multiple congresses and conferences since its creation and currently has two main action items: research and knowledge transfer. 

Research

On the one hand, the Chair animates two research groups: a joint group with the Loyola Andalusia University - and other institutions - integrated into the Pluriel network that works on "Islam and society in contemporary Spain"; and an internal seminar of teachers of the Faculty (CANDIR Seminar) on religious pluralism and the Islam-Christian relationship that seeks to put this dialogue at the middle of the Faculty's research. The Chair's research activity is integrated into two main international networks: The Pluriel network, created by the Federation of Catholic Universities in Europe, for the study of Islam in Europe and Lebanon; and the Christianity and Islam cluster of the HEST (Higher Education for Social Transformation) programme within the Kircher Network of Jesuit university institutions in Europe. The work in this items seeks the publication of academic articles on this subject with the idea of developing the tradition of thought of the Faculty in this field.

Knowledge centre

The other important mission is knowledge transfer. It means offer formation and training in Islamo-Christian dialogue in the field of education, especially in the Catholic school. This training includes sessions with students, with the faculty, with the management and with the families who seek to train the educational community to be able to face the encounter in the centre with the Muslim tradition. This requires helping to develop a dialogical openness to this tradition while at the same time taking care of and growing in the center's own identity and primary inspiration.

Research and knowledge transfer are mutually nourishing. If, on the one hand, research offers materials, resources and answers to the specific problems that arise in educational centres, on the other hand, contact with the reality of religious pluralism in schools makes it possible to grasp the real problems and priorities that need to be investigated in the Islam-Christian relationship.