Peter Schäfer

Peter Shepherd ( born June 29, 1943 in Mülheim an der Ruhr ) is a German Judaic scholar. He is regarded as one of the leading Judaizers for the period of antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Shepherd is the only scientist who has received the Mellon Award and the Leibniz Prize.

Life

After graduating from high school in 1962 at the classical section of the later to become Otto Pankok -Gymnasium in Mülheim / Ruhr Peter Schäfer studied four semesters of Catholic Theology, Philosophy and Judaic Studies at the Rheinische Friedrich- Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, a further two years with a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and most recently at the Albert- Ludwigs- University of Freiburg. He was in 1968 in Freiburg Dr. phil. doctorate. After working as a research assistant at the Eberhard -Karls- University Tübingen, he habilitated in 1973 in Jewish Studies at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt am Main. In 1974 he received an appointment at the University of Cologne on the extraordinary professorship of Jewish Studies at the Martin Buber Institute; In 1982 he became a full professor in Cologne. In 1984 he moved to the Free University of Berlin, where he became director of the Institute for Jewish Studies.

In 1998 he was a member and Visiting Mellon Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton; Since 2003, Shepherd is also the first chair holder of the " Ronald O. Perelman Professorship of Judaic Studies" and "Professor of Religion " at Princeton University in New Jersey. He became director of the study program in Jewish Studies, 2005. At the FU he was on leave of absence until his retirement (2008).

Work

Peter Schaefer, who is fluent in English, Hebrew, Aramaic, and other languages ​​, received in 1994 the Leibniz Prize, Germany's highest science award. In December 2006, he received the prestigious " Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Distinguished Achievement Award," for short Mellon Award for his significant initiative to revive the tradition of Jewish Studies in Germany. With funds $ 1,500,000 price is the highest honor for scholars in the United States.

He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Utrecht in 1992. He was a visiting professor at several universities and is involved in numerous committees. Shepherd since 1997 Foreign Member of the American Philosophical Society. 2002/ 03 he was a Fellow at the Historisches Kolleg in Munich. He is a regular member of the Berlin- Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and there in the " Commission Martin Buber -works issue " involved. 2007/ 08 he was a Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study Berlin. Shepherd was for many years chairman of the Association of the Judaizers in the Federal Republic of Germany eV Since 2006 he is a Fellow at the American Academy for Jewish Research. In 2007 he became an honorary doctorate from the University of Tel Aviv, Israel, honored.

He has published numerous books and scientific papers.

Appreciation

In the grounds of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation states: Prof. Schäfer counted among the most important Jewish Studies researchers for the period of antiquity and the early Middle Ages. The influence of his scientific work, however rich far beyond the subject of Judaism beyond. So influenced his historical and analytical work, research in other fields in the humanities and religious studies, including research on mysticism, of the literature of the Renaissance and early Christianity. Professor Shepherd have significantly helped revive the tradition of Jewish Studies in Germany and thus influences the scientific landscape in other European countries. - Justification for the award of the Mellon Award January 12, 2007

Works (selection)

As the author:

• The idea of ​​the Holy Spirit in the rabbinic literature ( = Studies on the Old and New Testament. Vol. 28). Kösel, Munich 1972, ISBN 3-466-25328-4 ( = dissertation, University of Freiburg, in 1968/69 ).
• History of the Jews in ancient times. The Jews of Palestine from Alexander the Great to the Arab conquest. Catholic Biblical Association, Stuttgart 1983, ISBN 3-460-32021-4. Review by Jan Thomas Nelis in: Journal for the Study of Judaism. Volume 14, Number 2, 1983, pp. 221-224. Second, revised edition: History of the Jews in ancient times. Mohr Siebeck / UTB, Tübingen 2010, ISBN 978-3-16-150218-7

• Dt. Translation: Jews hate and fear Jews. The emergence of anti-Semitism in antiquity. Publisher of the World's Religions, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-458-71028-8.

• Dt. Translation: Jesus in the Talmud. Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2007, ISBN 978-3-16-149462-8

As the editor:

• ( with Irina Wandrey ) Reuchlin and his heirs: researchers, thinkers, ideologues and spinners. Thorbecke, Ostfildern 2005, ISBN 3-7995-5981-7.
• Ways of mystical experience of God: Judaism, Christianity and Islam ( = headings of the Historical College Colloquia, Vol 65. ). Oldenbourg, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-486-58006- X.