Heinrich Bolleter

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Heinrich Bolleter (born May 13, 1941 in Zurich ) is a Swiss clergyman. He is bishop - since May 2006 former bishop - of the Methodist Church of Central and Southern Europe, which includes the countries of Albania , Algeria , Bulgaria , France , Croatia , Macedonia , Montenegro , Austria , Poland , Switzerland, Serbia , Slovakia and the Czech Republic , Includes Tunisia and Hungary .

Life

Heinrich Bolleter was born on May 13, 1941 in Zurich, where he grew up and completed his school education up to the Matura . Then he took the path to church service, which had been prepared, among other things, by personal commitment in the youth work of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Zurich-Oerlikon. Theological training took place from 1962 to 1965 at the Theological Seminary of the (then) Episcopal Methodist Church in Frankfurt am Main . Particular focus of the individual further education was in the area of individual psychology as well as in the area of ​​editorial tasks.

In 1966 he married Martha Zellweger (now Martha Bolleter), with whom he has three children.

In 1969 he was an elder of the United Methodist Church ordained . The assignments as pastor led him to Baden AG , Zurich-Wipkingen , Thalwil and Zofingen . During his ten-year tenure in Thalwil, he also designed the magazine “Kirche + Welt” as sole editor and represented an open church that corresponds to the tradition of Methodism.

In 1989 Heinrich Bolleter in Baden was elected as successor to Franz Werner Schäfer for an initial four years, then in 1993 in Bern-Bümpliz he was elected Bishop of the Methodist Church for life. Its area of ​​supervision covered 14 countries in Europe and North Africa. Bolleter's successor was Patrick Streiff in May 2006 .

Heinrich Bolleter has always seen himself in the role of a mediator between the free church - evangelical tendencies and the ecumenical movement of the large churches. He made this clear again and again through his commitment in the field of interchurch relationships. He was president of the Association of Evangelical Free Churches and Congregations in Switzerland and the Working Group of Christian Churches in Switzerland .

In 2006 Heinrich Bolleter was awarded the Great Silver Medal with the Star for Services to the Republic of Austria in the Vienna Hofburg on behalf of the Federal President of the Republic of Austria .

Works

Heinrich Bolleter's publications include numerous shorter and longer articles and brochures with episcopal messages as well as books such as Schön that this life exists. Thoughts for light and dark days ( ISBN 3-85706-247-9 ) and fingerprints. Sermons - Thoughts - Notes ( ISBN 978-3-8391-8853-8 ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Republic of Austria honors Bishop Bolleter on March 9, 2006
  2. ↑ List of all decorations awarded by the Federal President for services to the Republic of Austria from 1952 (PDF; 6.9 MB)
personal data
SURNAME Bolleter, Heinrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss clergyman
DATE OF BIRTH May 13, 1941
PLACE OF BIRTH Zurich