Carlos Kloppenburg
Encyclopedia
Carlos Kloppenburg, O.F.M. (born November 2, 1919 – May 8, 2009) was a German
-born Brazil
ian bishop
of the Roman Catholic Church
.
Carlos Kloppenburg was born in Molbergen
near Oldenburg
, Germany
, on November 2, 1919. His parents were Bernard and Josephine Kloppenburg who immigrated to Brazil with their family of 9 in 1924.
Carlos Kloppenburg was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church on January 6, 1946 in the religious order of the Orders of Friars Minor
under the name Boaventura (in English and German, Bonaventure). He was ordained as a bishop August 1, 1982 and appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
as well as Titular Bishop of Vulturaria on May 22, 1982. On August 8, 1986 Pope Paul II appointed him to the Diocese of Novo Hamburgo
. He retired as Bishop emeritus of the diocese on November 22, 1995.
His principal life work was that of a Professor of Theology. He studied at the Antonianum University, Rome (D.Th., 1950). During the decade of the 1950s he made a study of Spiritism in Brazil. For that purpose he also studied parapsychology at Duke University, U.S.A. under Dr Charles S Rhyne.
Bishop Kloppenburg was a prolific writer. He wrote and published extensively on the theology of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1950s and into the 1960s he wrote on Spiritism in Brazil.
Bishop Kloppenburg was a Peritus of the Brazilian Bishops at Vatican II. He wrote the leading analytical work on Vatican II, The Ecclesiology of Vatican II.
While at Vatican II and before he was closely associated with then Bishop Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. They had known each other from the time when Bishop Kloppenburg was the doctoral thesis supervisor of Dom Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian Liberation Theologian, also of the Franciscan order. Leonardo Boff left the Catholic priesthood after criticism from then Father Kloppenburg directed at Boff's liberation theology.
Bishop Kloppenburg in in the 1970s and 1980s was engaged in doctrinal battles with the proponents of liberation theology.
Bishop Kloppenburg wrote and spoke extensively on the subject of spiritism during the decades of the 1950s and the 1960s including:
Nossas Superstiçoes (Our Superstitions; 1959);
O Espiritismo no Brasil (Spiritism in Brazil; 1960);
O Reencarnacionismo no Brasil (Reincarnationism in Brazil; 1961);
A Maçonaria no Brasil (Masonry in Brazil; 4th ed., 1961);
Pamphlets, including As Sociedades Teosoficas (The Theosophical Societies; 1959); O Rusacrucianismo no Brasil (The Rosicrucian Society in Brazil; 1959); Astrologia, Quiromancia e Quejandos (Astrology, Chiromancy and the Like; 1960)
Source: Helene Pleasants (1964) Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology with Directory and Glossary 1946-1996 NY: Garrett Publications
Bishop Kloppenburg's theological works include:
De Relatione inter Peccatum et Mortem (The Relationship Between Sin and Death; 1951);
The Peoples Church translated from the Spanish, Iglesia Popular 1977, on the subject of liberation theology, and the Catholic Church and socialism
Christian Salvation and Human Temporal Progress translated from the Spanish work, Salvacion Cristiana y Progresso Human Temporal 1978 on the subject of Christian salvation, progress, and liberation theology.
Pastoral Practice and the Paranormal Translated by Paul Burns. Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1979
The Ecclesiology of Vatican II the leading analytical work on Vatican II,
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...
-born Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
Carlos Kloppenburg was born in Molbergen
Molbergen
Molbergen is a municipality in the district of Cloppenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. west of Cloppenburg....
near Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, Germany
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...
, on November 2, 1919. His parents were Bernard and Josephine Kloppenburg who immigrated to Brazil with their family of 9 in 1924.
Carlos Kloppenburg was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Church on January 6, 1946 in the religious order of the Orders of Friars Minor
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
under the name Boaventura (in English and German, Bonaventure). He was ordained as a bishop August 1, 1982 and appointed auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia
The Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia is part of the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil. The Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia also carries the title Primate of Brazil...
as well as Titular Bishop of Vulturaria on May 22, 1982. On August 8, 1986 Pope Paul II appointed him to the Diocese of Novo Hamburgo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Hamburgo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Hamburgo is a diocese located in the city of Novo Hamburgo in the Ecclesiastical province of Porto Alegre in Brazil.-History:...
. He retired as Bishop emeritus of the diocese on November 22, 1995.
His principal life work was that of a Professor of Theology. He studied at the Antonianum University, Rome (D.Th., 1950). During the decade of the 1950s he made a study of Spiritism in Brazil. For that purpose he also studied parapsychology at Duke University, U.S.A. under Dr Charles S Rhyne.
Bishop Kloppenburg was a prolific writer. He wrote and published extensively on the theology of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1950s and into the 1960s he wrote on Spiritism in Brazil.
Bishop Kloppenburg was a Peritus of the Brazilian Bishops at Vatican II. He wrote the leading analytical work on Vatican II, The Ecclesiology of Vatican II.
While at Vatican II and before he was closely associated with then Bishop Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. They had known each other from the time when Bishop Kloppenburg was the doctoral thesis supervisor of Dom Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian Liberation Theologian, also of the Franciscan order. Leonardo Boff left the Catholic priesthood after criticism from then Father Kloppenburg directed at Boff's liberation theology.
Bishop Kloppenburg in in the 1970s and 1980s was engaged in doctrinal battles with the proponents of liberation theology.
Bishop Kloppenburg wrote and spoke extensively on the subject of spiritism during the decades of the 1950s and the 1960s including:
Nossas Superstiçoes (Our Superstitions; 1959);
O Espiritismo no Brasil (Spiritism in Brazil; 1960);
O Reencarnacionismo no Brasil (Reincarnationism in Brazil; 1961);
A Maçonaria no Brasil (Masonry in Brazil; 4th ed., 1961);
Pamphlets, including As Sociedades Teosoficas (The Theosophical Societies; 1959); O Rusacrucianismo no Brasil (The Rosicrucian Society in Brazil; 1959); Astrologia, Quiromancia e Quejandos (Astrology, Chiromancy and the Like; 1960)
Source: Helene Pleasants (1964) Biographical Dictionary of Parapsychology with Directory and Glossary 1946-1996 NY: Garrett Publications
Bishop Kloppenburg's theological works include:
De Relatione inter Peccatum et Mortem (The Relationship Between Sin and Death; 1951);
The Peoples Church translated from the Spanish, Iglesia Popular 1977, on the subject of liberation theology, and the Catholic Church and socialism
Christian Salvation and Human Temporal Progress translated from the Spanish work, Salvacion Cristiana y Progresso Human Temporal 1978 on the subject of Christian salvation, progress, and liberation theology.
Pastoral Practice and the Paranormal Translated by Paul Burns. Chicago: Franciscan Herald Press, 1979
The Ecclesiology of Vatican II the leading analytical work on Vatican II,
See also
- List of oldest Catholic bishops
- Archdiocese of São Salvador da BahiaRoman Catholic Archdiocese of São Salvador da BahiaThe Archdiocese of São Salvador da Bahia is part of the Roman Catholic Church in Brazil. The Archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia also carries the title Primate of Brazil...
- Diocese of Novo HamburgoRoman Catholic Diocese of Novo HamburgoThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Hamburgo is a diocese located in the city of Novo Hamburgo in the Ecclesiastical province of Porto Alegre in Brazil.-History:...