Rafael Luciani is a Lay Venezuelan theologian, appointed as Expert of the Theological Commission of the General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops. Also, Expert of CELAM (Latin American Bishops Council) and Member of the Theological Advisory Team of the Presidency of CLAR (Latin American Confederation of Religious man and women).
He holds degrees of Doctor in Theology and Licenciate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome; Baccalaureatum in Philosophy and Baccalaureatum in Theology from the Pontifical Salesian University of Rome; and Licenciate in Education (with mention in Philosophy) earned from the Jesuit`s Catholic University Andrés Bello in Caracas. He has been engaged in postdoctoral research activities at the Julius-Maximilians Universität in Würzburg, Germany.
He has been Director of the School of Theology at the Catholic University Andrés Bello in Venezuela. He is Full Professor at that same University and Professor Extraordinarius at the Ecclesiastical Faculty of the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College, MA. For over 20 Years, he has taught courses on Christology, Mystery of God, Latin American Theology, Second Vatican Council and Ecclesiology.