Marc Boegner
Encyclopedia
Marc Boegner, commonly known as pasteur Boegner (pastœʁ bœɲe; 21 February 1881 – 18 December 1970), was a theologist, influential pastor, notable member of the French Resistance
, and a French essayist, and a notable voice in the ecumenical movement.
, Vosges
in 1881, Boegner was educated in Orléans
, and later Paris, where he studied law. Poor eyesight was an obstacle to his pursuit of a career within the navy but after a spiritual conversion experience he entered the Faculty for Theology in Paris and in 1905 was ordained a pastor of the Reformed Church of France. After having been a Protestant pastor
in a rural parish in Aouste-sur-Sye in Drôme
, in 1911 he became professor of theology at the House of the Missions of Paris, and in 1918 went on to the Parish of Poissy-Annonciation where he remained until 1952. In 1928, he inaugurated the sermons of Protestant Lent on the radio, which contributed to his notoriety. There he preached on the unity of Christians
. In 1929, he became the first president of the Protestant Federation of France (Fédération protestante de France), a position he held until 1961. In 1938 he became the first president of the national council of the Reformed Church
of France (l'Église réformée de France), a post he held until 1950. He was on two occasions the professor at the Academy of International Law at The Hague. Between 1938 and 1948 he was president of the administrative committee of the provisional World Council of Churches
in formation. After the council had been formed he became one of its co-presidents, a post he held until 1954.
Boegner actively worked, during the occupation, in an open way as well as clandestinely, to try to improve the lot of the Jews, and even defended and saved a number of them. His compassion extended also to many political refugees. He intervened with Pierre Laval, in vain, to ask him to give up including Jewish children younger than 16 years in the deportation convoys. In 1943, he condemned the forced sending of workers to Germany
under the STO. Against violence and the armed struggle, he let his faith and conscience choose against joining the Maquis
in an early stage. His action to help the Jews during the war made him be awarded the Righteous among the Nations
in Yad Vashem
in 1988.
Having met six times, in the middle of his resistance work, Marshal Philippe Pétain
, he was decorated with the Francisque and was named a member of the National Council of Vichy. He remained, at the time of his questioning in the Allied lawsuit against the old leader, on July 30, 1945, to testify for the good intentions and the goodwill expressed by Pétain in the difficult circumstances of France - a lenient idea of Pétain's actions, today contradicted by authors and some historians.
After the war, he continued his fight for unity while taking part in the ecumenical movement
(mouvement œcuménique). He was also a Protestant observer during the Second Vatican Council
(1962–1965) during which he staged a public dialogue with Cardinal Bea
in Geneva. He also met Pope Paul IV
. The ecumenical movement is the subject of his last book published in 1968 (The Long Road to Unity, Eng. trans. 1970)
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
, and a French essayist, and a notable voice in the ecumenical movement.
Biography
Born in ÉpinalÉpinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
, Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
in 1881, Boegner was educated in Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, and later Paris, where he studied law. Poor eyesight was an obstacle to his pursuit of a career within the navy but after a spiritual conversion experience he entered the Faculty for Theology in Paris and in 1905 was ordained a pastor of the Reformed Church of France. After having been a Protestant pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
in a rural parish in Aouste-sur-Sye in Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
, in 1911 he became professor of theology at the House of the Missions of Paris, and in 1918 went on to the Parish of Poissy-Annonciation where he remained until 1952. In 1928, he inaugurated the sermons of Protestant Lent on the radio, which contributed to his notoriety. There he preached on the unity of Christians
Oikoumene
Ecumene is a term originally used in the Greco-Roman world to refer to the inhabited universe . The term derives from the Greek , short for "inhabited world"...
. In 1929, he became the first president of the Protestant Federation of France (Fédération protestante de France), a position he held until 1961. In 1938 he became the first president of the national council of the Reformed Church
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
of France (l'Église réformée de France), a post he held until 1950. He was on two occasions the professor at the Academy of International Law at The Hague. Between 1938 and 1948 he was president of the administrative committee of the provisional World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
in formation. After the council had been formed he became one of its co-presidents, a post he held until 1954.
Boegner actively worked, during the occupation, in an open way as well as clandestinely, to try to improve the lot of the Jews, and even defended and saved a number of them. His compassion extended also to many political refugees. He intervened with Pierre Laval, in vain, to ask him to give up including Jewish children younger than 16 years in the deportation convoys. In 1943, he condemned the forced sending of workers to Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
under the STO. Against violence and the armed struggle, he let his faith and conscience choose against joining the Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
in an early stage. His action to help the Jews during the war made him be awarded the Righteous among the Nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
in Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953 through the Yad Vashem Law passed by the Knesset, Israel's parliament....
in 1988.
Having met six times, in the middle of his resistance work, Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
, he was decorated with the Francisque and was named a member of the National Council of Vichy. He remained, at the time of his questioning in the Allied lawsuit against the old leader, on July 30, 1945, to testify for the good intentions and the goodwill expressed by Pétain in the difficult circumstances of France - a lenient idea of Pétain's actions, today contradicted by authors and some historians.
After the war, he continued his fight for unity while taking part in the ecumenical movement
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...
(mouvement œcuménique). He was also a Protestant observer during the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
(1962–1965) during which he staged a public dialogue with Cardinal Bea
Augustin Bea
Augustin Bea, SJ was a German scholar at the Gregorian University specializing in biblical studies and biblical archeology. He was confessor of Pope Pius XII. In 1959, Pope John XXIII made him cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first President of the Secretariat for Promoting...
in Geneva. He also met Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV
Pope Paul IV, C.R. , né Giovanni Pietro Carafa, was Pope from 23 May 1555 until his death.-Early life:Giovanni Pietro Carafa was born in Capriglia Irpina, near Avellino, into a prominent noble family of Naples...
. The ecumenical movement is the subject of his last book published in 1968 (The Long Road to Unity, Eng. trans. 1970)
Works
- Les Catéchismes de Calvin, étude d'histoire et de catéchétique, thèse de doctorat soutenue devant la faculté de théologie protestante en 1905
- The Unity of the Church (1914)
- La Vie et la pensée de T. Fallot, 2 vol. (1914–1926)
- L'Influence de la Réforme sur le développement du droit international (1926)
- Le Christianisme et le monde moderne (1928, recueil de prédications)
- Les Missions protestantes et le droit international (1929)
- Dieu, l'éternel tourment des hommes (1929, recueil de prédications)
- Jésus-Christ (1930, recueil de prédications)
- T. Fallot, l'homme et l'œuvre (1931)
- Qu'est-ce que l'Église ? (1931, recueil de prédications)
- L'Église et les questions du temps présent (1932)
- La Vie chrétienne (1933)
- Le Christ devant la souffrance et devant la joie (1935, recueil de prédications)
- L'Évangile et le racisme (1939)
- Le Problème de l'unité chrétienne (1947, recueil de prédications)
- La Prière de l'Église universelle (1951)
- La Vie triomphante (1953)
- Le Chrétien et la souffrance (1956)
- Les Sept paroles de la Croix (1957)
- Notre vocation à la sainteté (1958)
- Ténèbres et Lumières aux abords du Calvaire (1960, recueil de prédications)
- L'Exigence œcuménique des Églises. Souvenirs et perspectives (1968)
Ecclesiastical
- President of the French Federation of Christian associations of students (1923–1935),
- President of the Protestant Federation of France (1929–1961),
- President of the national council of the reformed Church of France (1938–1950),
- President of the Company of the evangelic missions of France (1945–1968),
- President of the oecumenical Movement of the Christian Churches (1948–1954).
Other
- Member of the Académie des sciences morales et politiques (1946)
- Member of the Académie française (1962). To date, Marc Boegner remains the only Pastor to ever be elected in the Académie française.
- Righteous among the NationsRighteous Among the NationsRighteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
(1988) - Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur