Rudolf Johannes Pesch (born September 2, 1936 in Bonn, † January 13, 2011 in Rome ) was a German Catholic

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

(New Testament scholar).

Life

Rudolf Pesch studied history, German studies and theology at the

University of Bonn The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine U ...

and the

University of Freiburg The University of Freiburg (colloquially german: Uni Freiburg), officially the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (german: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg), is a public university, public research university located in Freiburg im Breisg ...

. In 1962 he passed his state examination. In 1963 he married Ingeborg van Meegen, with whom he had two children: Berthold (* 1964) and Friederike (* 1965). In 1964 he earned his first doctorate as Dr. phil in Freiburg with the work ''Die kirchlich-politische Presse der Katholiken in Deutschland vor 1848'' (''The ecclesiastical-political press of Catholics in Germany before 1848''). In 1967 followed the promotion to Dr. theol. with the work ''Naherwartung. Tradition und Redaktion in Markus 13'' (''Imminant Expectation. Tradition and Redaction in Mark 13''). After being scientific assistant at the Exegetical Seminar, New Testament Department at the University of Freiburg, he completed his

habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...

in 1969 at the

University of Innsbruck The University of Innsbruck (german: Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck; la, Universitas Leopoldino Franciscea) is a public research university in Innsbruck, the capital of the Austrian federal state of Tyrol, founded on October 15, 1669. ...

in the field of

New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...

. In 1970, he was the first married layman to be appointed Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Frankfurt . Pesch was advisor to the Würzburg Synod from 1971 to 1975 for the implementation of the decisions of the

Second Vatican Council The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st Catholic ecumenical councils, ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions) ...

. In 1980 he moved to the Department of New Testament and Literature at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau. In 1976 he was a

visiting professor In academia, a visiting scholar, visiting researcher, visiting fellow, visiting lecturer, or visiting professor is a scholar from an institution who visits a host university to teach, lecture, or perform research on a topic for which the visitor ...

in the Theological Year of the

Dormition The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the ''Theotokos'' ("Mother of ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

and at the

University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. The university's main campus is located on a setting between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. The main campus is nicknamed "The Hil ...

. In 1984, he renounced his chair at the University of Freiburg to get involved in the apostolic community, the then Integrated Community, of which he was a member since 1977. From 1984 to 2008 he committed to the establishment of the Academy for Faith and Form of the Catholic Integrated Community in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

. From 2000 to 2002 he lived in Israel, where he was engaged in building up the "Beth Shalmon" in Motsa Illit near Jerusalem as a meeting place for Jews and Christians in the "Urfeld circle" and became a member of the "Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel". From 2008 he taught together with other professors of the Catholic Integrated Community at the newly established "Chair for the Theology of the People of God" as part of the Institute of Pastoral Theology "Redemptor Hominis" at the

Pontifical Lateran University The Pontifical Lateran University ( it, Pontificia Università Lateranense; la, Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis), also known as Lateranum, is a pontifical university based in Rome. The university also hosts the central session of the Ponti ...

. The main research areas of Pesch were the

Gospel of Mark The Gospel of Mark), or simply Mark (which is also its most common form of abbreviation). is the second of the four canonical gospels and of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to h ...

and the Acts of Luke, to which Pesch published authoritative comments. Many of his books have been translated into Italian (partly also in English and FrenchL' évangile n'est pas antisémite : Saint Jean soumis à l'examen. Desclée de Brouwer, Paris 2007, , German Original: Antisemitismus in der Bibel?). From March 2010 Pesch lived with his wife with his daughter Friederike Wallbrecher in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. He was received in a private audience on 19 August 2010 by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

. He died on 13 January 2011 in Rome and is buried in

Castel Gandolfo Castel Gandolfo (, , ; la, Castrum Gandulphi), colloquially just Castello in the Castelli Romani dialects, is a town located southeast of Rome in the Lazio region of Italy. Occupying a height on the Alban Hills overlooking Lake Albano, Castel Ga ...

Publications (selection)

Römerbrief (Die neue Echter-Bibel: Kommentar zum Neuen Testament mit der Einheitsübersetzung), 3. edition, Würzburg 1994 (1. edition 1983). Das Markusevangelium. Part 1: Einleitung und Kommentar zu Kap. 1,1 - 8,26 (Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament), 5. edition, Freiburg 1989 (1. edition 1976). Das Markusevangelium. Part 2: Kommentar zu Kap. 8,27 - 16,20 (Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament, Bd. 2,2), 4. edition, Freiburg 1991 (1. edition 1977), Die Apostelgeschichte. Volume 1: Apg 1-12 (Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar 5/1), 3. Aufl., Zürich/Neukirchen-Vluyn 2005 (1. Aufl. 1986). Die Apostelgeschichte. Volume 2: Apg 13-28 (Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar 5/1), 2. edition., Zürich/Neukirchen-Vluyn 2003 (1. edition 1986) Juden und Christen – ein einziges Volk Gottes?, Düsseldorf 2009, Paulus ringt um die Lebensform der Kirche. Vier Briefe an die Gemeinde Gottes in Korinth, Freiburg u.a. 1986. Paulus und seine Lieblingsgemeinde. Drei Briefe an die Heiligen von Philippi, Freiburg u.a. 1984, Die Entdeckung des ältesten Paulus-Briefes. Die Briefe an die Gemeinde der Thessalonicher, Freiburg u.a. 1984, Das Evangelium der Urgemeinde, 3. Aufl., Freiburg u.a. 1984 (1. Aufl. 1979), Zwischen Karfreitag und Ostern. Die Umkehr der Jünger Jesu, Zürich u.a. 1983, Wie Jesus das Abendmahl hielt. Der Grund der Eucharistie, 3. Aufl., Freiburg u.a. 1979, with Gerhard Lohfink: Tiefenpsychologie und keine Exegese - Eine Auseinandersetzung mit Eugen Drewermann, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 1988, Die Weihnachtsbotschaft : die biblischen Weihnachtstexte neu übersetzt und ausgelegt, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 2016, Die lebendigste Jesuserzählung : das Lukasevangelium / kommentiert von Thomas P. Osborne und wörtlich übers. von Rudolf Pesch in Zusammenarbeit mit Ulrich Wilckens und Reinhard Kratz, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 2009, Die matthäischen Weihnachtsgeschichten : die Magier aus dem Osten, König Herodes und der bethlehemitsche Kindermord ; Mt 2 neu übersetzt und ausgelegt, Bonifatius, Paderborn, 2009, Der Jude Jesus von Nazareth : zum Gespräch zwischen Jacob Neusner und Papst Benedikt XVI., zusammen mit Achim Buckenmaier und Ludwig Weimer, Bonifatius, Paderborn, 2008, Gott ist gegenwärtig : die Versammlung des Volkes Gottes in Synagoge und Kirche, St Ulrich, Augsburg, 2006, Antisemitismus in der Bibel? : das Johannesevangelium auf dem Prüfstand, St. Ulrich, Augsburg, 2005, Über das Wunder der Jungfrauengeburt : ein Schlüssel zum Verstehen, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz, 2002, Über das Wunder der Brotvermehrung: Gibt es eine Lösung für den Hunger in der Welt?, Knecht, Frankfurt am Main, 1995, La visione di Stefano (Studi Biblici), Brescia 1969, Paideia, Il vangelo di Marco Parte prima (Commentario Teologico del Nuovo Testamento), Brescia 1980, Paideia, ; Parte seconda (Commentario Teologico del Nuovo Testamento), Brescia 1982, Paideia, Tra Venerdì santo e Pasqua : la conversione dei discepoli di Gesù, 1993, Morcelliana, La scoperta della più antica lettera di Paolo : Paolo rivisitato : le lettere alla comunità dei Tessalonicesi, 1987, Paideia, Il processo a Gesù continua 1993, Queriniana, Il miracolo della moltiplicazione dei pani : c'è una soluzione per la fame nel mondo? 1997, Queriniana, I fondamenti biblici del primato, 2002, Queriniana, Atti degli Apostoli, 1992, Cittadella, Antisemitismo nella Bibbia? : indagine sul Vangelo di Giovanni, 2007, Queriniana, Il Vangelo del Natale, Brescia 2008, Queriniana, Simon Pietro : storia e importanza storica del primo discepolo di Gesù Cristo, 2008, Queriniana, The trial of Jesus continues, Pickwick Publications, Allison Park, Pa., 1996, Princeton theological monograph series, Volume 43,

References

External links

Literature by and about Rudolf Pesch
in the catalog of the

German National Library The German National Library (DNB; german: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek) is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany. It is one of the largest libraries in the world. Its task is to colle ...

Zenit: Rudolf Pesch (1936 - 2011) Throughout his life he wanted to overcome the division between faith and life

Chair of the Theology of the People of God: In Memoriam Rudolf Pesch
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pesch, Rudolf 20th-century German Catholic theologians 1936 births 2011 deaths