Biography

Thomas Schirrmacher holds a chair in theology (ethics, mission, world religions), is President of Martin Bucer Theological Seminary (Bonn, Berlin, Zurich, Innsbruck, Prague, Istanbul), director of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (Bonn, Cape Town, Colombo) of the World Evangelical Alliance and president of Gebende Hände gGmbH (Giving Hands), an internationally active relief organisation, as well as owner of a publishing house and coowner of a consulting company.

Born in 1960, Schirrmacher studied theology from 1978 to 1982 at STH Basel and since 1983 Cultural Anthropology and Comparative Religions at Bonn State University. He earned a Drs. theol. in Missiology and Ecumenics at Theological University (Kampen/Netherlands) in 1984, and a Dr. theol. in Missiology and Ecumenics at Johannes Calvin Foundation (Kampen/Netherlands) in 1985, a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology at Pacific Western University [heute: California Miramar University] in Los Angeles (CA) in 1989, a Th.D. in Ethics at Whitefield Theological Seminary in Lakeland (FL) in 1996, and a Dr. phil. in Comparative Religions / Sociology of Religion at State University of Bonn in 2007. In 1997 he received a honorary doctorates (D.D.) from Cranmer Theological House, in 2006 one from Acts University in Bangalore.

He was pastor of the ‘Protestant Society of Germany’ in Bonn and Erftstadt, 1982 to 1986, co-theologian of the ‘Evangelical Free Church’ in Bonn 1992-1998, and 1998-2000 pastor of the Free Reformed Church in Bonn.

Schirrmacher taught Mission, World Religions and Cultural Anthropology at FTA Giessen (Germany) from 1983-1989 and from 1990-1996 ethics, missiology, comparative religions and cultural anthropology at ‘Independent Theological Seminary’ in Basel (‘Staatsunabhängige Theologische Hochschule Basel’ – STH Basel). He held and holds different chairs, eg 1994-1999 ‘Philadelphia Theological Seminary’ (PA, USA) (professor of Mission), 1995-2000 at Cranmer Theological House (Shreveport, LA) (professor of Mission and Ethics), since 1996 at Whitefield Theological Seminary (Lakeland, FL) (professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics), since 2000 at Acts University (Bangalore), since 2006 at the State University of Oradea, Romania and at the State University of the West in Timisoara, Romania (professor of the sociology of religion) and since 2009 as Distingiushed Professor of Global Ethics and International Development at William Carey University (Shillong, Meghalaya, India).

He is internationally active pro family and against abortion (as director of the Institute for Life and Family) and against persecution of Christians (as director of the International Institute of Religious Freedom of the World Evangelical Alliance and as director of the Commission for Religious Freedom of the German and the Austrian Evangelical Alliance and member of the same commission of the World Evangelical Alliance). Since 2010 he is also Chair of the Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance and since 2011 Chair of the Association of German Speaking Evangelical Missiologists.

He also is involved in all kinds of publishing activities. He has been editor of ‘Bibel und Gemeinde’ and editor of ‘Evangelikale Missiologie’, co-editor of ‘Contra Mundum: A Reformed Cultural Review’, and of ‘Reflection: An International Reformed Review of Missiology’. Presently he is editor of the International Journal for Religions Freedom, the Evangelical Review of Theology, and ‘Evangelikale Missiologie’.

Since 1986 he owns the publishing house ‘Culture and Science Publ.’ (‘Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft’), which publishes academic books on language, culture, religion and mission, and co-owns Consulting Schirrmacher GbR, a business and educational business company.

He has written or edited 94 books on ethics, missiology and cultural anthropology, which were translated into 17 languages.

He is listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World, Dictionary of International Biography, International Who is Who of Professionals, Kürschenrs Gelehrten-Kalemder, EU-Who is Who, Who is Who in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 2000 Outstanding People of the 21st Century, 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of the 21st Century, International Who’s Who in Distance Learning, and other biographical yearbooks.

Honours:

1997 Honorary doctorate: D. D., Cranmer Theological House, Shreveport (LA), USA, for his achievement in alternative curriculum development and for the unity of Christians

2002 named ‚Man of Achievment’ by the International Biographical Center Oxford for his achievements in the area of the ethcis of international development

2006 Honorary doctorate: D. D., ACTS University, Bangalore (Indien), for 20 years of helping to combine university education with social programmes in India 2007 Franz-Delitzsch-Award, Germany, for his dissertation on Hitler

2008 International ProFide Award (Finland) for advocating human rights and religious freedom worldwide, especially for refugees from Iraq

2009 Distinguished Professor of Global Ethics and International Development, William Carey University, Shillong, Meghalaya, India