Manfred Josuttis
Manfred Josuttis (born March 3, 1936 in Insterburg , East Prussia ; † February 9, 2018 in Rosdorf ) was a German Protestant theologian . Josuttis taught from 1968 to 2001 as a professor for practical theology at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen .
biography
Manfred Josuttis studied Protestant theology in Wuppertal , Bonn and Göttingen. He did his doctorate with a systematic-theological thesis on Karl Barth . Josuttis initially worked as a pastor in the auxiliary service in Seibersbach and from 1963–1968 as a pastor of the parish-related parishes of Gödenroth and Heyweiler in the parish of Simmern . As a farewell, he dedicated a sermon book on the story of David to his congregations .
In 1968 Josuttis was appointed to the chair for practical theology in Göttingen, which he held until his retirement, due to a homiletic study of legality in contemporary sermons .
plant
Manfred Josutti's early publications were shaped by the influence of Karl Barth's dialectical theology . Josuttis continued the thinking of his teachers Walter Kreck and Rudolf Bohren . He did his doctorate with the systematist Walter Kreck, and Josuttis switched to practical theology as assistant to Rudolf Bohren .
Even as a young scientist, Josuttis quickly turned away from a primarily dogmatic view of faith and the Church and sought to make insights from human and social sciences , especially depth psychology , fruitful for theological reflection. At the same time, in addition to questions of homiletics, he increasingly focused on questions of pastoral theology .
Josuttis summarized the sum of this work in 1982 in the book The Pastor is Different. Aspects of a contemporary pastoral theology . It analyzes areas of conflict in the life of the modern Protestant clergyman, marks the climax of the creative phase of the classical Josutti and becomes the standard work of pastoral theological literature. In 1988, Aspects of a Contemporary Pastoral Theology 2 appeared under the title The Theologian's Dream , in which Josuttis essentially retains the hermeneutical instruments, but emphasizes more strongly that the Protestant pastor has to fill his office in the “age of mortal danger”.
The third volume of pastoral theology, The Introduction to Life , published in 1996, then signals a paradigm shift . Josuttis broke away from the primarily psychologically and sociologically oriented approach, now locating the subject of his investigation between phenomenology and spirituality . The philosopher Hermann Schmitz from Kiel served Josuttis primarily as a phenomenological informant . "Pastor and pastor lead into the hidden and forbidden zone of the saint" was now the motto. The “Introduction to Divine Service on a Behavioral Science Basis” under the title The Path to Life , which was published in 1991, was also shaped by this .
In the following years Josuttis' theoretical approach differentiated itself again towards a so-called “energetic” consideration of religious phenomena and their practical-theological reflection in homiletics, poimenics and liturgy . From 1992 he was a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in Salzburg . Manfred Josuttis last lived in Friedland near Göttingen .
Josuttis did not stop at this point, however, but rather found a biblical-Reformation approach more in the last years of his active and creative period. This is expressed especially in 2009 in his book Enlighten us with your light about the church services of the church year.
Selected publications
- The objectivity of revelation. Karl Barth's Anselm book and the way he thought about his theology (= Treatises on Protestant Theology (AET), 3). Bonn 1965 (dissertation).
- Legality in the sermon of the present (= studies on practical theology (SPTh), 3). Munich 1966 (no formal habilitation thesis, but basis for the appointment as professor for practical theology).
- Practice of the gospel between politics and religion. Basic problems of practical theology . Munich 1974.
- The pastor is different. Aspects of a contemporary pastoral theology . Munich 1982.
- Rhetoric and theology in preaching. Homiletic Studies . Munich 1985.
- The theologian's dream. Aspects of a contemporary pastoral theology 2 . Munich 1988.
- M. Josuttis, Dietrich Stollberg (ed.): Marriage break in the rectory. For pastoral care in an everyday life crisis (= Kaiser pocket books (KT NF), 87). Munich 1990.
- The way into life. An introduction to worship based on behavioral science . Munich 1991.
- Peter, the Church and the damned power . Stuttgart 1993.
- The introduction to life. Pastoral theology between phenomenology and spirituality . Gütersloh 1996.
- Powers of blessing. Potential of energetic pastoral care . Gütersloh 2000.
- Seduction to life. About the secrets of the Christian faith . 2006.
- Enlighten us with your light. Thoughts and prayers for church services during the church year . Gütersloh 2009.
- I am a guest on earth. A pastoral life story . Gütersloh 2016.
Web links
- Literature by and about Manfred Josuttis in the catalog of the German National Library
Individual evidence
- ↑ Obituary notice Prof. Dr. Manfred Josuttis. Theological faculty of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, accessed on February 12, 2018 .
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Josuttis, Manfred |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German Protestant theologian |
DATE OF BIRTH | March 3, 1936 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Insterburg |
DATE OF DEATH | February 9, 2018 |
Place of death | Rosdorf |