Helmut Thielicke

Helmut Thielicke (4 December 1908 – 5 March 1986) was a German Protestant theologian and rector of the University of Hamburg from 1960 to 1978. He grew up in Wuppertal and studied philosophy and theology. He earned his doctorate in philosophy in 1932 and in theology in 1934. Thielicke faced challenges during the Nazi era due to his involvement with the Confessing Church, leading to his dismissal from a professorship in Heidelberg. He served in church positions in Ravensburg and Stuttgart, continuing his preaching and lecturing despite government restrictions. After World War II, he was instrumental in reviving academic work, holding professorships at Tübingen and later founding a new theological faculty at Hamburg, where he also served as dean and pastor. He undertook lecture tours internationally and met with prominent figures like Billy Graham and President Jimmy Carter. Thielicke died in Hamburg in 1986.