Werner Becker (theologian)

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Werner Becker CO (born May 17, 1904 in Mönchengladbach ; † June 1, 1981 in Leipzig ) was a German lawyer and Roman Catholic theologian , oratorian and Newman researcher .

Life

Werner Becker, who played an important role in the second phase of German Newman reception after the Second World War, came from Romano Guardini's circle . From 1922 he studied law in Freiburg, Berlin and Bonn and received his doctorate in 1925 with Carl Schmitt with a dissertation on the "State doctrine of Thomas Hobbes ". He then studied theology in Tübingen; his teachers included Karl Adam and Paul Simon . After further theological studies in Paris, Bonn and Bensberg, he was ordained a priest in Aachen in 1932. He was a member of the Oratory of St. Philipp Neri in Leipzig. From 1933 to 1938 he was a student pastor in Marburg, from 1939 to 1943 in Leipzig. During this time he was able to rescue persecuted Jews with the Oratorians. Thus Becker is part of the so-called rescue resistance . In the last months of the war he was a medic in the Wehrmacht. After the end of the war and the “Third Reich” he was again a university chaplain in Leipzig until 1961, after which he was head of the ecumenical office there from 1966 to 1976. As a Newman researcher and as a co-founder of the German Newman Society (together with Heinrich Fries ) he made lasting contributions.

Fonts (selection)

  • The Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions . In: Catholica. Quarterly journal for ecumenical theology , vol. 20 (1966), pp. 108–135.
  • Letters to Carl Schmitt , ed. by Piet Tommissen . Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1998. ISBN 3-428-09200-7 .

bibliography

  • Wolfgang Trilling , Maria Marschner: Publications by Werner Becker, Leipzig. A selection . In: Catholica, Vol. 28 (1974), pp. 163-168.
  • Wolfgang Trilling: Bibliography Werner Becker, Leipzig. Supplement to the selection of his writings published in 1974 (Catholica, 28th vol., Pp. 163-168) . In: Catholica, Vol. 35 (1981), pp. 321-325.

literature

  • Heinrich Fries : Ecumenical Standstill? The theological conversation - consensus and difficulties. Werner Becker on his 70th birthday . In: Catholica 28 (1974), pp. 98-113.
  • Michael Ulrich: "Help me to thank you!" On the death of Werner Becker . In: Catholica, Vol. 35 (1981), pp. 318-320.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Michael Ulrich: "Help me thank you!" On the death of Werner Becker . In: Catholica, Vol. 35 (1981), pp. 318-320.
  2. ↑ Günter Biemer : The truth will be stronger. The life and work of Cardinal Newman . Lang, Frankfurt am Main, 3rd, revised. Edition 2009. ISBN 978-3-631-58421-7 . P. 532.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Becker, Werner
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Roman Catholic theologian
DATE OF BIRTH May 17, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Mönchengladbach
DATE OF DEATH June 1, 1981
Place of death Leipzig