Basilea Schlink

Edmund Schlink, born in 1903 and passing in 1984, was a German-Lutheran pastor and theologian. He held a professorship in dogmatic and ecumenical theology at Heidelberg University from 1946 until his retirement in 1971. His academic journey began with studies in mathematics, philosophy, and the sciences, but a personal religious conversion in 1926 led him to focus on theology. Schlink earned multiple doctorates and was deeply involved in theological discourse, supporting the Confessing Church and opposing the German Christians during the Nazi era, which led to professional repercussions.

His significant contributions include founding an ecumenical institute at Heidelberg and initiating the first long-standing dialogue between Lutheran and Roman Catholic theologians in Germany. Schlink was a prominent figure in the World Council of Churches, serving on its Faith and Order Commission and attending several assemblies. He also acted as the official representative of the Evangelical Church in Germany to the Second Vatican Council, where he was chosen as a spokesman for non-Catholic observers. His scholarly work, particularly on baptism and ecumenical dogmatics, aimed to bridge theological divides between Christian denominations.

Edmund Schlink was born in Darmstadt in 1903. His father was a professor of mechanics and aeronautics, while his mother's family had a background influenced by Herrnhut pietism. He received his early education in Braunschweig, later attending Tübingen University. His initial studies spanned mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and physics. After experiencing a personal religious conversion following a crisis of faith in 1926, Schlink shifted his academic focus to theology. He completed his first doctorate in religious psychology at Marburg in 1927, examining personality changes related to religious conversion and depression. He went on to pursue theology at the University of Münster, earning a second doctorate under Karl Barth. His academic career progressed with a third dissertation, a post-doctoral thesis in theological anthropology, accepted at the University of Giessen in 1934.

Schlink's career was marked by significant ecumenical engagement. In 1946, he established an ecumenical institute at Heidelberg University, pioneering such an initiative in German academia. That same year, he co-founded the first enduring dialogue between Lutheran and Roman Catholic theologians in Germany, fostering improved relations between these churches. He was actively involved in the World Council of Churches, serving on its Faith and Order Commission and attending multiple assemblies. Schlink represented the Evangelical Church in Germany at the Second Vatican Council, where he played a key role as a spokesperson for non-Catholic observers. His extensive theological writings, including "Ecumenical Dogmatics," sought to reconcile doctrinal differences and promote Christian unity. He received honorary doctorates from universities in Mainz, Edinburgh, and Paris.

As a member of the Confessing Church, Edmund Schlink actively supported the Barmen Declaration. He later interpreted this declaration through the lens of key teachings in the Book of Concord, particularly the distinction between law and gospel. His public criticism of the "German Christians" (Deutsche Christen) led to pressure from the Gestapo, resulting in his removal from his teaching position at Giessen. From 1935 to 1939, he taught at the seminary in Bethel. Following the seminary's closure by the Gestapo and restrictions on his public activities, Schlink ministered to "confessing" congregations in Hesse and Westphalia. He also taught practical theology to seminarians in Strasbourg and later directed the preachers' seminary in Soest before his professorship at Heidelberg.