Valentin Zsifkovits

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Signature Valentin Zsifkovits

Valentin Zsifkovits (born January 1, 1933 in Stinatz ; † May 10, 2019 in Oberwart ) was an Austrian Roman Catholic theologian , social ethicist and priest .

Life

Act as a priest

Valentin Zsifkovits was ordained a priest on June 29, 1958 in the parish church of St. Martin in Eisenstadt by Bishop Stefan László , then Apostolic Administrator of Burgenland . As a result, he was chaplain in Oberwart for one year , then from 1959 to 1964 prefect of studies at the Episcopal Seminary in Mattersburg and until 1969 at the Burgenland Seminary in Vienna . During this time he was also active as a religion teacher.

During the time of his scientific activity and also after his retirement as a university professor on October 1, 2001 (see section Scientific activity ) Zsifkovits worked as a pastor in various areas of Styria , Burgenland and Vienna , among others. a. as a pastor of the Good Shepherdesses or as a priest representative in various parishes .

Scientific activity

Zsifkovits studied Catholic theology and political science at the University of Vienna , where he received his doctorate in both sciences (1963 and 1969). It was part of the teaching tradition of Catholic social teaching and, in particular, of the Austrian theologian, legal scholar and economist Johannes Messner . He worked as a university assistant to Rudolf Weiler at the Institute for Ethics and Social Sciences of the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Vienna and received his habilitation in 1973 at this faculty .

From December 18, 1973 to September 30, 2001, Zsifkovits held the chair for ethics and social studies at the Catholic-Theological Faculty of the University of Graz , which he headed as dean from 1981 to 1983 . His main research interests were the assessment of social phenomena and developments from the perspective of Christian social ethics, peace ethics, political ethics, business ethics and medical ethics.

In his area of ​​expertise he was known far beyond Austria's borders as a speaker and author of monographs and numerous articles in anthologies, encyclopedias and specialist journals. He made a name for himself u. a. as co-editor of a number of books. V. a. mention his leading role in the creation of the Catholic Social Lexicon (1980).

Zsifkovits' successor at the Chair of Ethics and Social Studies at the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Graz has been his former assistant Leopold Neuhold since 2003 .

“Valentin Zsifkovits was a representative of Christian social teaching who was respected and respected in various social classes and areas . With self-confidence, but also in alignment with and respect for the individual laws of the respective cultural areas, he made social teaching an essential point of orientation in teaching and research for a society that needs orientation. ... As a teacher and researcher, he attached great importance to arguments and a realistic approach, he tried to relate realism and passion. Sharp in the argumentation and comprehensive in his reference, he expected his listeners and readers to think of their own and thus put science at the service of people, in an experience-based ethics. "

- Leopold Neuhold in an obituary about his teacher and predecessor Valentin Zsifkovits.

Valentin Zsifkovits died on May 10, 2019 in Oberwart Hospital . The requiem for him took place on May 17, 2019 in the mortuary in Stinatz. It was for the Eisenstadt diocese of diocesan bishop Giles J. Zsifkovics and the Diocese Graz-Seckau from Graz city parish provost canon Christian Leibnitz celebrated . Then Zsifkovits was buried in the local cemetery of Stinatz.

Awards (selection)

Fonts (selection)

  • The idea of ​​the state according to Paul in Rom. 13: 1-7. With special consideration of the environment and the patristic interpretation (= Viennese contributions to theology . Volume 8). Herder, Vienna 1964, OCLC 492621025 (also dissertation, Vienna 1963).
  • Peace as a value. On the value problem of peace research (= Hanns Seidel Foundation. Reports & Studies . Volume 3). Olzog, Munich / Vienna 1973, ISBN 3-7892-7067-9 (also habilitation thesis, Vienna 1973).
  • as editor with Alfred Klose and Wolfgang Mantl : Katholisches Soziallexikon , 2nd revised. Edition (1st edition: 1964), Tyrolia, Innsbruck, Vienna (among others) 1980, ISBN 3-222-11300-9 .
  • as editor with Rudolf Weiler : Experience-based ethics. Festschrift for Johannes Messner on his 90th birthday . Duncker and Humblot, Berlin 1981, ISBN 3-428-04837-7 .
  • Ethics of Peace (= Social Perspectives . Volume 1). Veritas, Linz 1987, ISBN 3-85329-607-6 .
  • Politics without morals? (= Social Perspectives . Volume 6). Veritas, Linz 1989, ISBN 3-85329-773-0 .
  • as editor: Religion - War - Peace. Peace-promoting and peace-inhibiting factors in various religions (= writings on peace and conflict research . Volume 3). VWGÖ, Vienna 1991, ISBN 3-85369-843-3 .
  • Asylum policy with heart and common sense. On a current problem (= social perspectives . Volume 8). Pustet, Regensburg 1993, ISBN 3-7917-1395-7 .
  • Economy without morals? . Tyrolia-Verlag, Innsbruck / Vienna 1994, ISBN 3-7022-1929-3 .
  • Democracy needs values . (= Time diagnoses . Volume 2). LIT-Verlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-8258-3710-6 .

literature

Web links

Commons : Valentin Zsifkovits  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e party Msgr. DDr. Valentin ZSIFKOVITS . In: Institute for Ethics and Social Studies of the Theological Faculty of the University of Graz, accessed on May 14, 2019.
  2. ^ A b Leopold Neuhold : Mourning for social ethicist Valentin Zsifkovits . In: catholic-kirche-steiermark.at, accessed on May 14, 2019.
  3. ↑ a b Obituary notice Valentin Zsifkovits May 14, 2019 . In: kleinezeitung.at, May 14, 2019, accessed on May 14, 2019.
  4. ↑ Valentin Zsifkovits: The state thought of the Apostle Paul in Rom 13: 1-7: with special consideration of the environment and the patristic interpretation , dissertation 1963. In: Österreichischer Bibliothekenverbund, accessed on May 15, 2019.
  5. ↑ Valentin Zsifkovits: Katholische und Protestantische Staatsanschauung: a comparison , dissertation 1969. In: Österreichischer Bibliothekenverbund, accessed on May 15, 2019.
  6. ↑ Valentin Zsifkovits: Peace as Value: On the Value Problems of Peace Research , Habilitation thesis 1973. In: Austrian Library Association, accessed on May 15, 2019.
  7. ↑ Valentin Zsifkovits obituary on May 16, 2019 . In: kleinezeitung.at, May 16, 2019, accessed on May 17, 2019.
  8. ↑ Obituary - Em. O.Univ.-Prof. GDR. Valentin Zsifkovits. University of Graz , Institute for Ethics and Social Studies, May 13, 2019, accessed on May 14, 2019 .
personal data
SURNAME Zsifkovits, Valentin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman Catholic theologian and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH January 1, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH Stinatz
DATE OF DEATH May 10, 2019
Place of death Oberwart