Lukas Vischer (theologian)

Lukas Vischer ( born November 23, 1926 in Basel, † March 11, 2008 in Geneva) was a Swiss Reformed Evangelical theologian and committed ecumenicist.

Life

Youth and studies

Lukas Vischer grew up as the youngest of four children and attended after primary school the Humanistic Gymnasium in Basel. The school, he had to take home in 1945 because he was tied to illness for over a year in bed. For one semester, he studied at the University of Basel on a trial basis only history and law, but decided then to the study of theology. Characteristic of the study period and beyond was the Professor of New Testament and church history older Oscar Cullmann. In addition, he came directly with representatives of dialectical theology in contact ( studies with Karl Barth and confirmation by Edward Thurneysen ). Important milestones were the semester abroad in Strasbourg and Göttingen. In 1950 he completed his studies and was ordained by the Basel Church. He then completed a six-month teaching Vicariate in Feuerthalen ( ZH) Gottfried W. Locher, later Bernese professor of systematic theology and history of dogma. He then continued his studies with the goal of promotion. A semester abroad in Oxford enriched this time.

Rectory in Herblingen

1953 Lukas Vischer stepped in the community Herblingen on the outskirts of Schaffhausen his first pastorate. In the same year he married Barbara Schmidt, and their four children will all come to the world in Herblingen during this time. In addition to the rectory he remains scientifically active and writes next to a work on the history of confirmation his habilitation thesis.

In the service of the World Council of Churches

1961, the post of Secretary in the Research Department of the World Council of Churches ( WCC) was for Faith and created new and Lukas Vischer offered. In this role, he was delegated as observers in the sessions of the Second Vatican Council. Along with Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI. , He participated in 1964 at a lecture in Zurich on the council. In 1966, he was then Director of the Department of Faith and Constitution. Together with other predominantly Reformed theologians, he initiated in 1968, the Berne Declaration. He was co-editor of Documents growing consensus (Volumes 1-3).

Local and university involvement

From 1980 he worked for the newly created job Protestant ecumenism Switzerland and was at the same time (until 1992 ) of the Extraordinary Chair of Ecumenical Theology at the Theological Faculty of the University of Bern owners. He was instrumental in the preparation and implementation of the Evangelical Synod Schweizereischen ( 1981-87 ). He remained active and internationally: 1982 to 1989 he was director of the theological department of WARC. Since the late 1970s, he made ​​an extensive study of the environmental issues apart and puts the results into concrete projects and initiatives. In 1986, he was instrumental in establishing the Ecumenical Community Church and Environment (now oeku Church and the environment) and later initiated the establishment of the European Christian Environmental Network. Lukas Vischer was honored by several universities with an honorary doctorate. His estate is processed scientifically at the time as part of a project of the University of Bern.

Works in selection

• The history of interpretation of 1 Cor. 6:1-11. Waiver and Arbitration ( Habil ), Tübingen 1955.
• Ecumenical Church History of Switzerland. Edited by Lukas Rudolf Schenker and Dellsperger, Freiburg / Basel 1994.
• Responsible society? About sustainability, solidarity and human rights. Neukirchen 2001.