Udo Schaefer
Udo Schaefer | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 19, 1926 |
| Died | August 30, 2019 |
| NSA member | Germany |
Udo Schaefer (October 19, 1926 - August 30, 2019)[1] was a German Bahá’í who was a prominent author in the field of Bahá’í studies and served for many years on the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany. In his career he was a lawyer.
Background[edit]
Schaefer was born in 1926 to Catholic parents, although his parents were not active in the Church so he was not raised with religious instruction. He began studying musicology in the 1940's. He first heard of the Bahá’í Faith in Heidelberg and after a period of investigation he became a Bahá’í in 1948. In 1950 he began studying law at the Ruperto Carola University in Heidelberg. In 1952 he married Sigrun.[2]
In the early 1950's Schaefer began giving lectures and seminars related to the Faith and he continued to write and speak on the religion throughout his life. In his career he became a judge and the chief public prosecutor of the Heidelberg State Court serving until 1988. In 1985 he represented the Bahá’í International Community at a United Nations congress on Crime and Crime Prevention in Milan, Italy, and in 1992 he again represented the Bahá’í International Community at a United Nations congress in Syracuse, Italy. In 1994 he was a member of a delegation for German-Iranian dialogue on human rights in Tehran.[2]
The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message to the National Spiritual Assembly of Germany after his passing:
"The Universal House of Justice learned from a communication received from your Secretary of the passing of Udo Schaefer, and it asks that you convey its condolences to his wife, children, and other family members for the loss they have sustained. It recalls the years he served as a member of your institution and, in particular, the contributions he made to a prominent publication written to overcome misunderstandings about the Faith that had arisen among certain Christians in Germany. The House of Justice will offer supplications in the Holy Shrines that his soul, now relieved of earthly concerns, may be immersed in the ocean of God's grace. Prayers will also be offered that the hearts of his loved ones may be consoled at this time of bereavement."[3]
Publications[edit]
- 1977 - The Light Shineth in Darkness
- 1983 - The Imperishable Dominion
- 1988 - The Bahá'í Faith: Sect or Religion?
- 1995 - Beyond the Clash of Religions: The Emergence of a New Paradigm
- 1997 - In a Blue Haze: Smoking and Bahá’í Ethics
- 2000 - Making the Crooked Straight, with Nicola Towfigh and Ulrich Gollmer.
- 2007 - Bahá’í Ethics in Light of Scripture, Vol. 1: Doctrinal Fundamentals
- 2009 - Bahá’í Ethics in Light of Scripture, Vol. 2: Virtues and Divine Commandments
Talks[edit]
- 1983 - On the Future of Penal Law
- 2002 - Theological Foundations and Structural Elements of Bahá’í Studies
External links[edit]
- http://www.udoschaefer.com
- "Also by Udo Schaefer"
- English Books
- English articles
- Udo Schaefer (German Wikipedia)
