Walter J. Hollenweger

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Walter J. Hollenweger (born June 1, 1927 in Antwerp ; † August 10, 2016 in Krattigen ) was an Evangelical Reformed theologian from Switzerland . He held a professorship for intercultural theology in Birmingham, England , specializing in the Pentecostal churches , the charismatic movement and the churches of the Third World.

Life

Born in Antwerp , Switzerland, Hollenweger was the son of a waiter who worked on British luxury ships. After 1929 the family returned to Switzerland, where they settled in Zurich. He attended a Sunday school of the Swiss Pentecostal Movement , where he later also became a lay preacher. He completed a banking apprenticeship in Zurich . He later made up his federal Matura and studied Protestant theology in Zurich and Basel , and was ordained in 1961. In 1966 he received his doctorate. theol. in Zurich. From 1965–1971 he was Executive Secretary at the World Council of Churches in Geneva . He was a member of the Christian Peace Conference and took part in the 1st All-Christian Peace Assembly in Prague in 1961 .

From 1971 to 1989 Hollenweger taught as professor for intercultural theology and missiology at the State University of Birmingham (England).

Hollenweger is the author of numerous theological publications, in particular on the history of the Pentecostal movement, intercultural theology and musical and dramaturgical interpretations of the Bible. With the "narrative exegesis" he established a special method of interpreting the Bible. In doing so, he combines the historical-critical interpretation methodology taught at universities with narrative elements and dramaturgical and musical productions. His events attracted a lot of attention, especially at the German Evangelical Church Congress . Later he was one of the first to organize so-called anointing services , in which he prayed for people and had them blessed.

His three-volume main work on intercultural theology combines the religious experiences of Christian communities from all over the world and from different denominations with the findings of modern university theology. Hollenweger advocates an appreciation of the theological and religious experiences of people from cultures of the so-called Third World through European theology. His ideas for a dialogic and participatory didactics in theology are described in his book Der Klapperstorch und die Theologie .

After returning to Switzerland, he lived in Krattigen in the Bernese Oberland , where he died on August 10, 2016.

Honors

Hollenweger was honored in 1995 with the Sexau Community Prize for Theology .

Publications

  • Walter J. Hollenweger: Evangelism ; in: Theologische Realenzyklopädie 10 (1982), pp. 636–641 (overview in theological reference work)
  • Walter J. Hollenweger: Experiences of corporeality. Intercultural Theology , Munich 1979
  • Walter J. Hollenweger: dealing with myths. Intercultural Theology 2 , Munich 1982
  • Walter J. Hollenweger: Spirit and matter. Intercultural Theology 3 , Munich 1988
  • Walter J. Hollenweger: The rattle stork and the theology. The crisis of theology and the church as an opportunity , Kindhausen / CH 2000
  • Walter J. Hollenweger: The creeping fundamentalism in the regional churches ; in the NZZ , issue of August 28, 2005

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Curriculum vitae of Walter J. Hollenweger , (PDF; 68 kB)
  2. ↑ 22.08.2016 Jean-Daniel Plüss: Walter J. Hollenweger died - evangelist and intercultural theologian , Livenet 22 August 2016
personal data
SURNAME Hollenweger, Walter J.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss Protestant Reformed theologian
DATE OF BIRTH June 1, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Antwerp
DATE OF DEATH August 10, 2016
Place of death Krattigen