Kurt Koch
Encyclopedia
Kurt Koch is a Swiss
Cardinal
of the Roman Catholic Church
, currently serving as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
since his appointment was announced on 1 July 2010. He is also the bishop emeritus of Basel
having served from 1995 until he resigned the see in 2010.
in the canton of Lucerne. He studied theology at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich
and at the University of Lucerne
, graduating in 1975 with a Doctor of Theology
. He was ordained
to the priesthood
on 20 June 1982.
on the following 6 December. He received his episcopal ordination
on 6 January 1997 from John Paul II himself, with Archbishops Giovanni Battista Re and Jorge María Mejía
serving as co-consecrators
.
When a group of Swiss intellectual
s and theologians
called for John Paul's resignation
on 20 May 2004, Koch described the act as "disgusting and disloyal" as it was, moreover, the Pope's eighty-fourth birthday. In 2006, in an interview for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung he supported Muslim
's freedom to build minaret
s in Switzerland, but also asked for greater religious freedom
for Christians in Muslim countries
.
On 27 June 2007, Bishop Koch, along with several other Catholic prelates, attended a briefing from Cardinal Secretary of State
Tarcisio Bertone at the Apostolic Palace
on Pope Benedict XVI
's impending motu proprio
allowing wider celebration
of the Tridentine Mass
.
In July 2007, Koch defended the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
's document clarifying the expression of subsistit in in Lumen Gentium
, while he acknowledged that the document could appear confusing or hurtful to Protestants
; and he observed that the document and its reception showed the difference between the ecumenical
goals of Catholics and the Orthodox
on the one hand and that of Protestants on the other.
Koch was President
of the Swiss Episcopal Conference
from 2007 until 2010. He is a member of the Swiss Council of Religions.
Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Koch as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on 1 July 2010, taking over from Cardinal Walter Kasper, who stepped down having reached the age limit. Koch was at the same time promoted to archbishop. He recounted: "The Holy Father told me in February, in a personal audience, his desire that I would begin to lead this council. It is a great joy for me because ecumenism has always been in my heart since in my country, Switzerland, Protestants are very close to us and I have also had a particular interest in the Orthodox Churches."
On 16 October 2010, Pope Benedict appointed him as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
for a five-year renewable term.
On 20 October 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
announced that he would be among the list of new cardinals to be created in a consistory on 20 November. He was duly created and proclaimed Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore
on 20 November 2010. On 29 December 2010 Cardinal Koch was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
.
He headed the Vatican's delegation to Istanbul, Turkey to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Patriarch Bartholomew I, for the Feast of Saint Andrew
the Apostle on 30 November 2010 (the Patriarchate sends a delegation each year in turn for the 29 June Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter
and Saint Paul). He co-presided over a meeting of the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Vienna, Austria in September 2010 with Metropolitan John Zizioulas
of Pergamon
.
On 4 May 2011 Pope Benedict appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
. The five year term will be renewed until his 80th birthday.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
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...
, currently serving as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...
since his appointment was announced on 1 July 2010. He is also the bishop emeritus of Basel
Bishopric of Basel
The Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....
having served from 1995 until he resigned the see in 2010.
Personal background
Koch was born in EmmenbrückeEmmen, Switzerland
Emmen is a city in the district of Hochdorf in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland.-Geography:Emmen has an area of . Of this area, 46.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 18.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 33.3% is settled and the remainder is non-productive . , 18.19% of the...
in the canton of Lucerne. He studied theology at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and at the University of Lucerne
University of Lucerne
The University of Lucerne is a public university with a campus in Luzern, Switzerland. 1231 undergraduates and 1061 postgraduate students attend the university, which makes it Switzerland's smallest university....
, graduating in 1975 with a Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology
Doctor of Theology is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy....
. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 20 June 1982.
Ecclesiastical career
On 21 August 1995, Koch was elected Bishop of Basel; his election was confirmed by Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
on the following 6 December. He received his episcopal ordination
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on 6 January 1997 from John Paul II himself, with Archbishops Giovanni Battista Re and Jorge María Mejía
Jorge María Mejía
Jorge María Mejía is an Argentine Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is Archivist Emeritus of the Holy Roman Church and Librarian Emeritus of the Holy Roman Church.-Early life and ordination:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
.
When a group of Swiss intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s and theologians
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
called for John Paul's resignation
Papal abdication
Papal resignation is envisaged as a possibility in canon 332 §2 of the Code of Canon Law and canon 44 §2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches...
on 20 May 2004, Koch described the act as "disgusting and disloyal" as it was, moreover, the Pope's eighty-fourth birthday. In 2006, in an interview for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung he supported Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
's freedom to build minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s in Switzerland, but also asked for greater religious freedom
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
for Christians in Muslim countries
Islam by country
Islam is the world's second largest religion after Christianity. According to a 2009 demographic study, Islam has 1.57 billion adherents, making up 23% of the world population....
.
On 27 June 2007, Bishop Koch, along with several other Catholic prelates, attended a briefing from Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...
Tarcisio Bertone at the Apostolic Palace
Apostolic Palace
The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...
on Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's impending motu proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
allowing wider celebration
Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" . The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" , and for administering most of the sacraments in...
of the Tridentine Mass
Tridentine Mass
The Tridentine Mass is the form of the Roman Rite Mass contained in the typical editions of the Roman Missal that were published from 1570 to 1962. It was the most widely celebrated Mass liturgy in the world until the introduction of the Mass of Paul VI in December 1969...
.
In July 2007, Koch defended the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
's document clarifying the expression of subsistit in in Lumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium
Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on November 21, 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5...
, while he acknowledged that the document could appear confusing or hurtful to Protestants
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
; and he observed that the document and its reception showed the difference between the ecumenical
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
goals of Catholics and the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
on the one hand and that of Protestants on the other.
Koch was President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Swiss Episcopal Conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
from 2007 until 2010. He is a member of the Swiss Council of Religions.
Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Koch as president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on 1 July 2010, taking over from Cardinal Walter Kasper, who stepped down having reached the age limit. Koch was at the same time promoted to archbishop. He recounted: "The Holy Father told me in February, in a personal audience, his desire that I would begin to lead this council. It is a great joy for me because ecumenism has always been in my heart since in my country, Switzerland, Protestants are very close to us and I have also had a particular interest in the Orthodox Churches."
On 16 October 2010, Pope Benedict appointed him as a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
for a five-year renewable term.
On 20 October 2010 Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
announced that he would be among the list of new cardinals to be created in a consistory on 20 November. He was duly created and proclaimed Cardinal-Deacon of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore
Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore
Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore is a Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin Mary located in Rome's Piazza Navona.- History :...
on 20 November 2010. On 29 December 2010 Cardinal Koch was appointed a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Congregation for the Oriental Churches
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical,...
and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Paul VI on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988....
.
He headed the Vatican's delegation to Istanbul, Turkey to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Patriarch Bartholomew I, for the Feast of Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
the Apostle on 30 November 2010 (the Patriarchate sends a delegation each year in turn for the 29 June Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and Saint Paul). He co-presided over a meeting of the International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in Vienna, Austria in September 2010 with Metropolitan John Zizioulas
John Zizioulas
John Zizioulas is the Eastern Orthodox metropolitan of Pergamon. He is the Chairman of the Academy of Athens and a noted theologian.-Academic Education and Career:...
of Pergamon
Pergamon
Pergamon , or Pergamum, was an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, in Mysia, today located from the Aegean Sea on a promontory on the north side of the river Caicus , that became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon during the Hellenistic period, under the Attalid dynasty, 281–133 BC...
.
On 4 May 2011 Pope Benedict appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
. The five year term will be renewed until his 80th birthday.