Prof. Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm

 

 

 

 

 

tel.: +49 (0)951 / 863-1844
fax: +49 (0)951 / 863-4844
e-mail

Room number: M3/119
time for requests and consultations: Tuesdays 10:00-11:00 and by appointment

Short biography

• 1960 born in Memmingen (Bavaria)
• married to Deborah Bedford-Strohm (psychotherapist), three children
• 1981-1988 Theology Studies in Erlangen, Heidelberg and at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA (USA)
• 1987-1992: Teaching Assistant at the Chair for Systematic Theology (Ethics) of the University of Heidelberg, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Huber
• February 1992: PhD at der University of Heidelberg (summa cum laude), Book Title: Vorrang für die Armen. Auf dem Wege zu einer theologischen Theorie der Gerechtigkeit
• 1992 - 1994: Vikariat in Heddesheim/Baden, March 1994: 2nd Theological Exam
• December 1994 - September 1997: Habilitation Grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
• August 1995 - January 1996: Guest Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City as “Visiting Teaching Scholar in the Bonhoeffer Exchange Program”
• October 1996: Lectures at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge and at the International Bonhoeffer Lectures in New York City
• 1998: Habilitation at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Heidelberg, Book Title: „Gemeinschaft aus kommunikativer Freiheit. Sozialer Zusammenhalt in der modernen Gesellschaft aus theologischer Sicht“ and venia legendi in Systematic Theology
• 1997 – 1999: Ministry in Coburg (Northern Bavaria)
• 1999-2001: Interim Professor for Systematic Theology/Ethics at the University of Gießen
• since Mai 2000 Member of the Sozialkammer der EKD (Social Affairs Committee of the German Protestant Churches)
• November 2001: University Teaching Award (Wolfgang-Mittermeier-Preis of Gießen University)
• October 2001-February 2004: Ministry at City Church St. Moriz in Coburg
• 2001-2007 member of the international working group for Bioethics, World Council of Churches
• since April 2004 Chair of Systematic Theology and Contemporary Theological Issues at the University of Bamberg
• since 2005: President of the Gesellschaft für Evangelische Theologie (since 1983: chair committee member)
• June 2005-June 2006: Chairman of the Working Group for the Public Policy Document of the German Protestant Churches (EKD-Denkschrift) on Poverty
• April 2006 - September 2009: Dean of the Faculty for Human Sciences, University of Bamberg
• February 2006: Presentation of the new discussion document on Bioethics at the 9th Assembly of the WCC in Porto Alegre/Brasil
• August 2006: David de Villiers Memorial Lectures at the University of Pretoria, the University of Stellenbosch  and Lectures at the Nelson-Mandela-Metropolitan University of Port Elisabeth
• May 2007 Participation at the founding conference of the Global Network for Public Theology (more information)
• October 2007: Bonhoeffer Lecture at Union Theological Seminary, New York City
• December 2007: Participation and Lecture at the Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies and the Ministry of the Church, Johannesburg (South Africa), organized by the World Council of Churches
• since January 2009: Extraordinary Professor for Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology, University of Stellenbosch (South Africa)
• starting September 2009: Chair of the Editorial Board of the journal "Evangelische Theologie" (Gütersloher Verlagshaus)

Selected bibliography

(with translations of the German titles)

• Vorrang für die Armen. Auf dem Weg zu einer theologischen Theorie der Gerechtigkeit, Gütersloh 1993 ("Precedence for the Poor: Towards a theological Theory of Justice")
• Gemeinschaft aus kommunikativer Freiheit. Sozialer Zusammenhalt in der modernen Gesellschaft. Ein theologischer Beitrag, Gütersloh 1999 ("Community of communicative Freedom: Social Cohesion in Modern Society: A Theological Contribution")
• Schöpfung (Ökumenische Studienhefte 12), Göttingen 2001 ("Creation")
• as co-editor: Freiheit Verantworten. Festschrift zum 60. Geburtstag von Wolfgang Huber, Gütersloh 2002 ("Responsible Freedom: A Volume of Articles in Honour of Wolfgang Huber")
• as editor: Religion Unterrichten. Aktuelle Standortbestimmung im Schnittfeld zwischen Kirche und Gesellschaft, Neukirchen-Vluyn 2003, mit Beiträgen von F. Schweitzer, M. Meyer-Blank, M. Petzold, U. Link-Wieczorek u.a., Neukirchen-Vluyn 2003 ("Teaching Religion")
• Freiheit und Verbindlichkeit. Auf dem Wege zu einer ökumenischen Soziallehre, Herder Korrespondenz 58, 2004, 406-410 ("Freedom and Commitment: Towards an Ecumenical Social Doctrine"; download the German  pdf here)
• as co-author: Nach Gott im Leben fragen. Ökumenische Einführung in die Theologie, Gütersloh/Freiburg 2004 ("Asking for God: An Ecumenical Introduction to Theology")
• two articles in: Ethische Schlüsselprobleme. Lebensweltlich – systematisch – didaktisch, hg. von R. Lachmann, G. Adam und W. Rothgangel, Göttingen 2006 ("Ethical key issues: Context - Reflection - Didactics")
• as co-editor: Kontinuität und Umbruch im deutschen Wirtschafts- und Sozialmodell (Jahrbuch Sozialer Protestantismus 1), Gütersloh 2007
• as editor: Und das Leben der zukünftigen Welt. Von Auferstehung und Jüngstem Gericht, Neukirchen-Vluyn 2007 ("And the life of the world to come...: Resurrection and the Last Judgment")
• as co-editor: Von der Barmherzigkeit zum Sozial-Markt. Zur Ökonomisierung der sozialdiakonischen Dienste (Jahrbuch Sozialer Protestantismus 2), Gütersloh 2008 ("Mercy and Capitalism: On the economization of Christian social services")
• as co-editor: Nature, Space, and the Sacred. Transdisciplinary Perspectives, Ashgate, Surrey (UK) 2009
• as main editor: Globalisierung (Jahrbuch Sozialer Protestantismus 3), Gütersloh 2009 ("Globalization")
• as editor: „Und Gott sah, dass es gut war“. Schöpfung und Endlichkeit im Zeitalter der Klimakatastrophe, Neukirchen-Vluyn 2009 ("And God saw that it was good: Creation and Finitude in the Era of Climate Change")

A complete and continuously updated list of Prof. Bedford-Strohm's publications can be found here (html).

Research interests

• Ecumenical theology
• ecclesiology
• bioethics
• ethics of peace
• economic ethics
• theories of justice
• theological ecology/ ethics of creation
• public theology

Involvements - Memberships

• World Council of Churches (Bioethics Working Group)
• Department of Social Ethics of the Protestant Church in Germany ( Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland)
• President of the Gesellschaft für Evangelische Theologie ("Society for Protestant Theology")
• Scholarly Advisory Board of the " Konfessionskundliches Institut Bensheim" ("Institute for Ecumenical Studies")
• Global Network for Public Theology
• Executive Committee of the „ European Forum for the Study of Religion and the Environment“
• Jury Member for the Award of the German "Luther Cities", „ Das unerschrockene Wort“
• Executive Committee of the Bamberg Center for Interreligious Studies
• Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft für Theologie
• Scholarly Advisory Board of the International Bonhoeffer-Society, German Section
• Member of the Board of Consultants, International Journal of Public Theology (IJPT)
• Ethics-Committee of Bamberg University
• Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria
• member of the "specialist group on ethics" of the Community of Protestant Churches in Europe ( CPCE)
• Scholarly Advisory Board of the Foundation "Dietrich-Bonhoeffer-Lehrstuhl"

Research contacts to other universities

• University of Heidelberg/ Germany
• University of Greifswald/ Germany
• Center for Theologiocal Inquiry, Princeton, NJ/ USA
• Union Theological Seminary, New York City, NY/ USA
• University of Pretoria/ South Africa
• University of Stellenbosch/ South Africa
• University of Port Elizabeth/ South Africa
• University of Western Cape/ South Africa
• University of Technology, Trondheim/ Norway
• Charles Sturt University, Canberra/Australien
• Faculdades EST, São Leopoldo (RS)/Brasilien

International Lectures (selection)

• "Human Dignity", Lecture at the meeting of the department for bioethics of the WCC, May 17, 2003, Washington, D.C. (USA)
• Response to Max Stackhouse, short lecture at the symposion "Public Theology in Central Europe", Prague (Czech Republic) organized by the Princeton Center for Theological Inquiry
• Public Theology and Ecology, lecture at the symposion "Public Theology in Central Europe", organized by the Princeton Center for Theological Inquiry, Debrecen (Hungary), March 26, 2004
• Theological Reflections on Human Dignity, Lecture at the symposion "Bioethics and the Ecumenical Movement", Ecumenical Center Bossey, near Geneva (Switzerland), April 25, 2004
• Invited participant at the international conference "Human Dignity, Rights of the Peoples and Integrity of Creation", organized by the WCC, December 4-10, 2004, Kigali (Ruanda)
• Presentation of a paper on bioethics at the international conference "Caring for Creation - An Agenda for the World Council of Churches", May 9-13, 2005, Basel (Switzerland) - in preparation of the Plenary Assembly of the WCC in Porto Alegre (Brasil) 2006
• Public Theology and Ecology, lecture at the European conference “Religion and Environment in Europe”, June 3-5, 2005, Benediktbeuern (Germany) - funded by the European Science Foundation (ESF)
• theological consultant at the Plenary Assembly of the WCC, February 13-25, 2006, Porto Allegre (Brasil)
• "Nurturing Reason. The Public Role of Religion in the Liberal State" and "Public Theology and the Global Economy. Ecumenical Social Thinking between Fundamental Criticism and Reform", David de Villiers Memorial Lectures, University of Pretoria, University of Stellenbosch and University of Port Elisabeth (South Africa), August 2006
• „Poverty and Public Theology. Advocacy of the Church in Pluralistic Society”, Bonhoeffer Lectures at Union Theological Seminary,  New York City, October 11, 2007
• "Biotechnology and Public Theology" at the Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies and the Ministry of the Church, December 04, 2007 in Johannesburg (South Africa; more information)
• "Menschenrechte in der Perspektive öffentlicher Theologie" ("Human Rights in a Public Theology Perspective"), February 11, 2008, Sils Maria (Switzerland)
• "Dietrich Bonhoeffer et la théologie publique" ("Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Public Theology"), February 26, 2008, Theological Seminary of Butare (Ruanda)
• Panel Discussion about "The Place of Religion in the Public Sphere Today", July 23 2008, Prague (Czech Republic), International Bonhoeffer Congress
• "Human Dignity in Global Ethical Perspective", November 25, 2008, Humboldt Kolleg, "Human dignity – Resources and challenges for public-theological discourse and practice in Africa today", University of Stellenbosch (South Africa)
• "Public Theology as a New Paradigm", February 10 2009, Reformed University of Debrecen (Hungary)
• "Gerechtigkeit erhöht ein Volk", May 6 2009, Berlichingen (Switzerland)
• "Public Theology and Civil Society", May 15 2009, Conference of the European Forum for the Study of Religion and the Environment in Turku/Åbo (Finland)
• "Is prophetic witness the appropriate mode of public discourse in European societies?", October 26, 2009, at the conference "Prophetic Witness: An appropriate mode of public discourse in democratic societies?", Centre for Public Theology, University of Pretoria (South Africa)
• "Public Theology and the Economy in a Globalising World", January 25, 2010, University of Stellenbosch (South Africa), Theological Day

Information about Prof. Bedford-Strohm's various German lectures can be found here (in German).

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