Gebhard Fürst
Encyclopedia
Gebhard Fürst is the Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
.
Fürst began his career attending the Collegium Ambrosianum in Stuttgart
, where he studied Greek
and Hebrew
, in 1969. He then studied theology
at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Tübingen (1970) and at the University of Vienna
(1971 to 1973). In 1975, he passed the necessary theological exams. He then entered the Seminary of Rottenburg-Stuttgart in Rottenburg am Neckar
. He was ordained as a deacon in Nürtingen
in 1976 and, a year later, he was ordained as a priest by Bishop Georg Moser
in the Basilica of St. Vitus in Ellwangen an der Jagst. That same year, he became the vicar at St. Joseph's Church in Stuttgart.
In 1986, Fürst became the Director of the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
and a member of the Caucus of Bishop Ordinaries. The next year, he received his doctorate in fundamental theology for his work Sprache als metaphorischer Prozess. Johann Gottfried Herder
s hermeneutische Theorie der Sprache (Speech as a metaphorical process. Johann Gottfried Herder's Hermeneutic Theory of Language). In 1993, he was Chairman of the leadership circle of the Catholic Academy of Germany. Fürst was made an honorary chaplain to the Pope (Monsignor
) in 1999 and, a year later, the eleventh Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
.
Today, Fürst is the Chairman of the Prize Committee of the "Aleksandr Men Prize for Cultural Ecumenism". He is also a member of the Culture Board of the State Capital of Stuttgart, a leading member in the Board of Trustees of the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Friends and Patrons of the Academy. Fürst has further memberships in the History Club of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, in the Diocesan Institute, in the Theological Commission of the Consortium of the Christian Church in Baden-Württemberg
(ACK), and in the Women's Commission of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (since 1999). Bishop Fürst belonged to the national Ethics Council as the representative of the Catholic Church from 2001 to May 2004. The council was established by a 2001 decision of the German Cabinet
.
Fürst is a member of A.V. Alania Stuttgart chapter of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
.
In 2009, Fürst criticized the lifting of the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson and said that it had led to "external and internal alienation from the church on the part of many believers, to a betrayal of trust especially among Jewish sisters and brothers in their relationship to the Church, and to a considerable disturbance in the Christian-Jewish dialogue."
Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
The German Catholic Diocese of Rottenburg, established by Pope Pius VII on August 16, 1821, was renamed the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart on January 18, 1978 under Pope Paul VI. The following men have served as Bishop of the diocese:...
.
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, where he studied Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, in 1969. He then studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Tübingen (1970) and at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
(1971 to 1973). In 1975, he passed the necessary theological exams. He then entered the Seminary of Rottenburg-Stuttgart in Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar is a medium-sized town in the administrative district of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It rests about 50 km southwest of the provincial capital Stuttgart and about 12 km southwest of the district town Tübingen...
. He was ordained as a deacon in Nürtingen
Nürtingen
Nürtingen is a town in the district of Esslingen in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is located on the river Neckar.-History:The following events occurred, by year:*1046 : First mention of Niuritingin in the document of Speyer...
in 1976 and, a year later, he was ordained as a priest by Bishop Georg Moser
Georg Moser
Georg Moser was the Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.Moser was born in Leutkirch in the Allgäu. After studying theology at the University of Tübingen from 1942 to 1947, he entered the priesthood in 1948. Moser earned his doctorate at the same university in 1962...
in the Basilica of St. Vitus in Ellwangen an der Jagst. That same year, he became the vicar at St. Joseph's Church in Stuttgart.
In 1986, Fürst became the Director of the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
The Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. The diocese is located in the Württemberg part of the German State of Baden-Württemberg.-History:...
and a member of the Caucus of Bishop Ordinaries. The next year, he received his doctorate in fundamental theology for his work Sprache als metaphorischer Prozess. Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried Herder
Johann Gottfried von Herder was a German philosopher, theologian, poet, and literary critic. He is associated with the periods of Enlightenment, Sturm und Drang, and Weimar Classicism.-Biography:...
s hermeneutische Theorie der Sprache (Speech as a metaphorical process. Johann Gottfried Herder's Hermeneutic Theory of Language). In 1993, he was Chairman of the leadership circle of the Catholic Academy of Germany. Fürst was made an honorary chaplain to the Pope (Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
) in 1999 and, a year later, the eleventh Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart
The German Catholic Diocese of Rottenburg, established by Pope Pius VII on August 16, 1821, was renamed the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart on January 18, 1978 under Pope Paul VI. The following men have served as Bishop of the diocese:...
.
Today, Fürst is the Chairman of the Prize Committee of the "Aleksandr Men Prize for Cultural Ecumenism". He is also a member of the Culture Board of the State Capital of Stuttgart, a leading member in the Board of Trustees of the Academy of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Society of Friends and Patrons of the Academy. Fürst has further memberships in the History Club of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, in the Diocesan Institute, in the Theological Commission of the Consortium of the Christian Church in Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany. Baden-Württemberg is in the southwestern part of the country to the east of the Upper Rhine, and is the third largest in both area and population of Germany's sixteen states, with an area of and 10.7 million inhabitants...
(ACK), and in the Women's Commission of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (since 1999). Bishop Fürst belonged to the national Ethics Council as the representative of the Catholic Church from 2001 to May 2004. The council was established by a 2001 decision of the German Cabinet
Cabinet of Germany
The Cabinet of Germany is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's organization are set down in articles 62 to 69 of the Basic Law.-Nomination:...
.
Fürst is a member of A.V. Alania Stuttgart chapter of the Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen
The Cartellverband der katholischen deutschen Studentenverbindungen or Cartellverband is a German umbrella organization of Catholic male student fraternities .-Foundation:...
.
In 2009, Fürst criticized the lifting of the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson and said that it had led to "external and internal alienation from the church on the part of many believers, to a betrayal of trust especially among Jewish sisters and brothers in their relationship to the Church, and to a considerable disturbance in the Christian-Jewish dialogue."
Works
- Sprache als metaphorischer Prozess: Johann Gottfried Herders hermeneutische Theorie der Sprache, Mainz: Matthias-Grünewald-Verl, 1988.
- "Kirche braucht Kulturstationen". Ein Gespräch mit Akademiedirektor Gebhard Fürst, in: Herder Korrespondenz 53 (1999)182-187.
- Zäsur: Generationswechsel in der katholischen Theologie/Akademie der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart. Hrsg. von Gebhard Fürst. - Stuttgart: Akad. der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart, 1997.
- Höllenerfahrungen in Literatur und Kunst (1998)
- Dialog als Selbstvollzug der Kirche?, Ed. Gebhard Fürst. - Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder, 1997.
- Dialog als Selbstvollzug der Kirche? (Quaestiones disputatae 166) Hrsg.: Gebhard Fürst. Verlag Herder Freiburg i. Br./Basel/Wien 1997
- Das heilige Buch der Menschen. Johann Gottfried Herders hermeneutische Sprachtheorie der Bibel. Ein Beitrag zur Herder-Forschung, in: Fides quaerens intellectum: Beiträge zur Fundamentaltheologie. [Max Seckler zum 65. Geburtstag]/Ed. Michael Kessler. Tübingen 1992
- Wechselbekenntnisse: auf dem Weg zur Normalität; aus einer Ost-West-Begegnung in turbulenter Zeit, Ed. Gebhard Fürst, Stuttgart: Akad. der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart, 1992.
- Dialog und Gastfreundschaft: 40 Jahre Akademie der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart 1951 - 1991, [Ed. der Akademie der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart. Verantw. für den Inhalt: Gebhard Fürst]. - Stuttgart: Akad. der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart