Heinrich Rennings

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Heinrich Rennings (born July 9, 1926 in Kamp-Lintfort ; † October 3, 1994 in Lampaden ) was a Roman Catholic theologian.

In 1961 he was the founder of the "Lebendiger Gottesdienst" series, from 1975 to 1985 professor of liturgical science at the Theological Faculty in Paderborn , then until 1994 head of the German Liturgical Institute in Trier and consultant of the church service congregation. Rennings was instrumental in the implementation of the liturgical reform in Germany. In addition to the permanent professorship mentioned above, he also lectured at other universities in Germany from time to time.

Career

Youth and Studies

Heinrich Rennings grew up in Kamp-Lintfort on the Lower Rhine with two younger sisters. In 1944 he was called up for military service in Italy, where he was taken prisoner for two years. After his return and the passing of the Abitur he entered the theologian convict Collegium Borromaeum Münster in his home diocese. At the University of Innsbruck he, like Bernhard Fraling and Josef Homeyer , attended a few semesters including Josef Andreas Jungmann and Hugo and Karl Rahner . In 1952 he completed his dissertation at the Innsbruck Institute for Philosophy on the subject of the position of the Enlightenment philosophy to Christian instruction and some terminological influences . On December 17, 1955, Rennings was ordained a priest by Bishop Michael Keller .

Chaplain and second degree

He had his first pastoral position as a chaplain in Xanten in 1956/57. From 1959 to 1962 Rennings was sub-director of the Collegium Borromaeum in Münster. In 1960 he published his first major contribution to the Liturgical Yearbook . In order to be able to further qualify in liturgical science, he was released from the bishop to study again. After stays at the universities of Paris and Innsbruck, he obtained his second doctorate in 1965 with his work The pastoral liturgical instructions of the newer German diocesan synods on the Eucharist (1918-1963) , this time in Catholic theology.

In 1961, before his second degree, he founded a new pastoral liturgical series of Living Worship Services . His series included comments by Emil Joseph Lengeling and a few younger authors who, in retrospect, formed an honorable circle, such as Johannes Bours , Hermann Josef Spital , Herbert Muck and Otto Nussbaum . The aim of this series was to provide support for a liturgical celebration that was rooted in the general pastoral work of the Church and that was properly organized.

Liturgist

After completing his dissertation, he took on the position of a consultant at the Liturgical Institute in Trier in 1966, and from 1970 to 1974 continued the function of director of the pastoral liturgical department. In the course of the liturgical reform, Rennings was appointed to several commissions, such as Commission 1 for the standard hymn book, the liturgy commission of the German Bishops' Conference, the international consortium of liturgy commissions and the commission responsible for the translation of liturgical documents. He worked as a secretary at the Würzburg Synod . In 1972 he was called to the Roman Congregation for Divine Worship for the first time and took part in the creation of the Children's Mass Directory.

In 1976 Heinrich Rennings was appointed to the newly created chair for liturgical science at the Theological Faculty in Paderborn. Several times he dealt with the then new praise of God (1975) and was in close contact with one of the main responsible, the Paderborn auxiliary bishop Paul Nordhues . In the 1977/78 academic year, Rennings was director of the theological faculty, then vice-rector until 1980. In addition, he lectured in liturgy at several other universities, such as the State University of Music and from 1979 to 1982 at the University of Paderborn (Department I), followed by an activity at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences in Paderborn. His Eucharistic Prayer "Reconciliation", written in 1980, has meanwhile become part of the treasure trove of liturgical prayers.

In 1985 he was called again to the German Liturgical Institute in Trier, this time as head of the institute. In addition, Rennings held lectures and courses on the liturgy, beyond Europe and in the USA. From 1987 he was also appointed managing director of the Standing Commission for the publication of the common liturgical books. 95). From 1987 Heinrich Rennings was consultant of the worship concregation, and in the following term of office from 1994 a new appointment was made by the then Prefect Augustinus Cardinal Mayer . Rennings died in the same year.

Renning's literary work includes around 400 titles, including articles in various specialist journals. His focus was on liturgical documents, guidelines and regulations of church authorities. In addition to his writing activities, he was a pastor in his place of residence near Trier. Rennings has made a significant contribution to the implementation of the liturgical reform of Vatican II.

In December 2005 the Rennings Wagner Foundation of the German Liturgical Institute was set up in Trier. The purpose of the foundation is to promote worship in the Catholic Church. The foundation is named after the two former institute directors Heinrich Rennings and Johannes Wagner.

Works

  • Heinrich Rennings / Helmut Hucke: The church service meeting of the community . Grünewald, Mainz 1973, ISBN 3-7867-0185-7 .
  • Heinrich Rennings (ed.): Documents for the renewal of the liturgy. Documents of the Apostolic See. First volume . Butzon & Bercker, Kevelaer 1983, ISBN 978-3-7666-9266-5 .
  • Heinrich Rennings / Andreas Heinz (eds.): Bless today. Workbook on the Benediction . Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau 1987, ISBN 978-3-451-21064-8 .
  • Heinrich Rennings / Martin Klöckener (ed.): Documents for the renewal of the liturgy. Documents of the Apostolic See. Second volume . Butzon & Bercker, Kevelaer 1997, ISBN 3-7666-0077-X .
  • Martin Klöckener (ed.): The celebration of the sacraments in the community. Festschrift for Heinrich Rennings . Butzon & Bercker, Kevelaer 1986, ISBN 3-7666-9444-8 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Martin Klöckener: A life in the service of the liturgy. In memory of Heinrich Rennings (October 3rd, 1994) with the bibliography of his writings from 1986 . In: German Liturgical Institute Trier (Hrsg.): Liturgisches Jahrbuch. Quarterly booklets for questions about worship. 45th year 1995 . Aschendorff publishing house bookstore. Münster / Westphalia. 1995. ISSN  0024-5100 . Pp. 59-86.
  2. ↑ a b Rennings-Wagner-Stiftung homepage of the German Liturgical Institute, accessed on June 14, 2014
personal data
SURNAME Rennings, Heinrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German Roman Catholic theologian and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH July 9, 1926
PLACE OF BIRTH Kamp-Lintfort
DATE OF DEATH 3rd October 1994
Place of death Lampades