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[German Version] I. Early Church and Middle Ages – II. Protestantism (Germany) – III. Roman Catholic Church after Trent – IV. Orthodox Church – V. Non-Catholic Churches outside Germany I. Early Church and Middle Ages The New Testament contains scattered statements about the personal qualifications required of someone holding ministerial office in the church (e.g. 1 Tim 3:2–13; Tit 1:6–9) but says nothing about their training. Since the gospel implies understanding and address persons, the question of the theological education and…

[German Version] The history of pastoral colleges (Ger. Pastoralkolleg) begins with a course for clergy in Neuendettelsau in October of 1945, led by G. Merz. Its purpose was to ease the return to normal ministry for clergy returning from war and imprisonment and to provide orientation to ease their anxiety. The name, which goes back to Merz, denotes both the form of the course and the institution – generally a conference center under the direction of a theologian supporting the continuity of the concept…

[German Version] are official or unofficial gatherings of clergy for theological study and consultation on church matters. In the Confessing Church, they were intended to bring together the ordained clergy of a district, deanery, or canonry “in mutual ministry, in cooperative work under the Word of God, and in prayer” ( Barmer Theologische Erklärung, 66). The prototypes were the Prophezei of Zürich and the Congrégations des pasteurs of Geneva, which met weekly for Bible study, consultation on pastoral questions, and continuing education. The earliest pastoral …