Gerhard Bergmann (theologian)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gerhard Bergmann (born July 25, 1914 in Hagen ; † November 20, 1981 in Esslingen am Neckar ) was a Protestant pastor , preacher and evangelist of the German Tent Mission (DZM).

Live and act

Gerhard Bergmann was born on July 25, 1914 in Hagen as the third son of the married couple Karl and Clara Bergmann. In 1920 he moved to Halver (Sauerland) with his family, who consciously lived according to the Evangelical Code , where he attended the commercial vocational school and worked in his father's mineral water factory and as a fitter in an electrical factory. Influenced by reading Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche , he turned with youthful enthusiasm to the NSDAP , which seemed to be fighting for the realization of his ideals. After a conversion experience on May 9, 1931, he resigned his office in the Hitler Youth , he became a parish member and in 1932 applied to the St. Chrischona seminary .

Theologian and pastor

He had to interrupt his studies in Protestant theology , philosophy and psychology because of the war. He was a soldier and was wounded. It was only after 1945 that he finished his studies and received his doctorate. From 1954 to 1959 he worked as a Protestant parish priest in Remscheid . That was also his last permanent ecclesiastical office.

Preacher and author

In 1959 he became a member of the Evangelical Tent Mission , which evangelizes with a tent with 2,100 places; and from then on he devoted himself to great evangelism all over the world. From 1960 to 1963, he and Billy Graham undertook a major preaching and biblical mission through several major German cities. In 1963 he traveled to Israel for evangelism events. At the World Congress for Evangelism in Berlin from October 26 to November 4, 1966, he was the only German to give a speech, the main lecture entitled: "The Reformation from 1517 to 1966" .

Several major preaching trips took him from 1966 to 1973 through the USA, South Africa, Canada and India, where he preached the biblical message in front of thousands of believers in stadiums, halls and squares. In Europe alone, especially in Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland, it reached over 7 million listeners. He became known to a wide audience as a regular speaker for the ARD program Das Wort zum Sonntag .

In addition to his work at many major events, he published 40 academic and popular science books and writings. The well-known ones include: Jesus and the churches, Alert about the Bible, Are we still Christians? Church at the crossroads and as one of its last What do I get from faith? In the discussion on the main topic of his time, he intervened with the specially designed text “Can the peace still be saved?”.

Gerhard Bermann died of heart failure during an evangelism event in Esslingen am Neckar on November 20, 1981. Bergmann is the most famous citizen of the city of Halver beyond the borders of his hometown. Among other things, he was a leading member and committed evangelist of the German Tent Mission (DZM) in Siegen , as well as the German Evangelical Alliance . When asked what people should say about him, he replied: "He was an arsonist of God".

Awards

  • On October 20, 1973 he received the Federal Cross of Merit l from the hands of Federal President Gustav Heinemann . Great for his services to preaching the Christian message in German all over the world.
  • In 1973 he was awarded the coat of arms of the city in his home town of Halver.
  • A street in Halver bears his name.
  • A memorial plaque was attached to his home.

Fonts (selection)

  • Diary of an evangelist - an annual mirror in experiences and encounters , Schriftenmissions-Verlag, Gladbeck 1968
  • Church at the Crossroads - Faith or Errbelief , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1970
  • Problems of a Questioning Generation , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1970
  • ... and there is an afterlife - on the trail of the supernatural , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1971
  • Not a day without Jesus , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1972 (several editions)
  • Alarm about the Bible , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1974
  • Basic questions in life , Hänssler , Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1974
  • Love - so and different , Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1975
  • What do I have from faith? , Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1976 (several editions)
  • Life after death , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1977
  • Faith and the question of evidence , Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1979 (several editions)
  • Jesus Christ is the answer to all questions , St. Johannis-Druckerei and C. Schweickhardt , Lahr-Dinglingen 1979
  • Jesus Christ or Buddha, Mohammed, Hinduism? Schriftenmission, Gladbeck 1979
  • Christianity and Socialism - Incompatible? Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1979 (several editions)
  • The Challenge of Islam , Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1980
    • Le défi de l'Islam , Center de Diffusion Évangélique Les Bons Semeurs, Paris
  • People have to have something solid , Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1980
  • Does God really exist? Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1980
  • Life but how? Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1980
  • It's about salvation - everything is grace , Verlag der Liebenzeller Mission , Bad Liebenzell 1981
  • Can the peace still be saved? Schriftenmissions-Verlag, Gladbeck 1981
  • Suffering and consolation , Hänssler, Neuhausen-Stuttgart 1982
  • Fear of no way out? Schulte, Wetzlar 1983
  • My way to Jesus , Phonomission of the mission troops Happy News, Grossalmerode 1984

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Eternal high voltage. Der Spiegel N ° 45, October 31, 1966
  2. ↑ See speakers since 1954 .
  3. ↑ Did the Ascension end after three meters? Evangelist Pastor Dr. Gerhard Bergmann on the life and resurrection of Jesus. Der Spiegel N ° 46, October 31, 1966
  4. ^ "German Billy Graham" Evangelist Gerhard Bergmann born 100 years ago. Evangelical news agency Idea, Wetzlar July 24, 2014
personal data
SURNAME Bergmann, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Protestant pastor, author and evangelist of the German tent mission
DATE OF BIRTH July 25, 1914
PLACE OF BIRTH Hagen
DATE OF DEATH November 20, 1981
Place of death Esslingen am Neckar