Gerhard Besier
Encyclopedia
Gerhard Besier is a German
Lutheran theologian
, historian
and politician
best known for his work on church-state relations in the Third Reich and in the German Democratic Republic
.
, and religious freedom issues in contemporary society. His views on religious freedom follow the libertarian American model, a stance which has made him controversial in Germany.
Besier taught historical theology at Heidelberg University from 1992 to 2003. From 2003 to 2008, he was the director of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism at Dresden University; his contract was not renewed following widespread criticism in Germany of his liberal views on Scientology
. Besier currently holds the Chair in European Studies at Dresden University. He is a visiting professor at universities in the United States, Sweden and Poland, and is the editor of Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte, an academic journal on church history.
Formerly considered close to the conservative Christian Democratic Union
party, Besier joined the left-wing Die Linke party in April 2009, and was nominated for a safe Landtag
seat in Saxony
. He holds three doctorates, including an honorary doctorate from Lund University
in recognition of his services to religious freedom.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Lutheran theologian
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...
, historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
best known for his work on church-state relations in the Third Reich and in the German Democratic Republic
German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
.
Work
Besier's publications have focused on church history, including church history during the Third Reich and the German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
, and religious freedom issues in contemporary society. His views on religious freedom follow the libertarian American model, a stance which has made him controversial in Germany.
Besier taught historical theology at Heidelberg University from 1992 to 2003. From 2003 to 2008, he was the director of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism at Dresden University; his contract was not renewed following widespread criticism in Germany of his liberal views on Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
. Besier currently holds the Chair in European Studies at Dresden University. He is a visiting professor at universities in the United States, Sweden and Poland, and is the editor of Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte, an academic journal on church history.
Formerly considered close to the conservative Christian Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
party, Besier joined the left-wing Die Linke party in April 2009, and was nominated for a safe Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
seat in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. He holds three doctorates, including an honorary doctorate from Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
in recognition of his services to religious freedom.
English
- Churches, Southern Africa and the Political Context. 1999, Minerva Press, ISBN 978-0754105640.
- The Holy See and Hitler's Germany. 2007, Palgrave Macmillan, ISBN 1-4039-8831-5 (with Francesca Piombo).
- Fascism, Communism and the Consolidation of Democracy: A Comparison of European Dictatorships. 2007, Lit Verlag, ISBN 978-3825896577 (with Francesca Piombo and Katarzyna Stoklosa).
- Religion, State and Society in the Transformations of the Twentieth Century – Modernization, Innovation and Decline. 2008, Lit Verlag, ISBN 9783825809805.
- Totalitarianism and Liberty. Hannah Arendt in the 21st Century. Krakow 2008, Ksiegarnia Akademicka, ISBN 978-83-7188-057-5 (with Katarzyna Stoklosa and Andrew Wisley)
German
- Seelsorge und Klinische Psychologie. Defizite in Theorie und Praxis der Pastoralpsychologie. Göttingen 1980, ISBN 3-525-62182-5
- Preußische Kirchenpolitik in der Bismarckära. 1980.
- Protestantische Kirchen Europas im Ersten Weltkrieg. 1984.
- Der SED-Staat und die Kirche. Der Weg in die Anpassung. Munich 1993, ISBN 3-570-02080-0
- Der SED-Staat und die Kirche 1969–1990. Die Vision vom „dritten Weg“. Berlin and Frankfurt am Main 1995, ISBN 3-549-05454-8
- Der SED-Staat und die Kirche 1983–1991. Höhenflug und Absturz. Berlin and Frankfurt am Main 1995, ISBN 3-549-05455-6
- Christliche Hoffnung, Weltoffenheit, Gemeinsames Leben. Gelbe Mammuts auf dem Berg. Brunnen, 1998 (with Christl Ruth VonholdtChristl Ruth VonholdtChristl Ruth Vonholdt is a German physician for Child and Adolescent Medicine, Director of the German Institute for Youth and Society , Christian author and is member of the Reichenberg Fellowship....
and Hermann Klenk) - Die neuen Inquisitoren. Religionsfreiheit und Glaubensneid. Zurich 1999, Teil 1: ISBN 3-720-15277-4, Teil 2: ISBN 3-720-15278-2
- Die Rufmordkampagne. Kirchen & Co vor Gericht. Bergisch Gladbach 2002, ISBN 3-929-35119-6
- Konzern Kirche. Das Evangelium und die Macht des Geldes. Hänssler Verlag, 2002, ISBN 3-775-12858-1
- Der Heilige Stuhl und Hitler-Deutschland: Die Faszination des Totalitären. Munich 2004, ISBN 3-421-05814-8
- Religionsfreiheit und Konformismus. Über Minderheiten und die Macht der Mehrheit. Lit. Verlag, Münster 2004, ISBN 3-825-87654-3
- Das Europa der Diktaturen. Eine neue Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-421-05877-6
- Im Namen der Freiheit. Die amerikanische Mission. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2006, ISBN 978-3-525-36734-6
External links
- CV, Dresden University