Biography

Hans Hermann Henrix, Prof. Dr. h.c. - Director emeritus of the Episcopal Academy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aachen, Germany. He studied economics at the Albert-Magnus University in Cologne and theology at the universities of Frankfurt-St. Georgen, Innsbruck and Munster (his teachers there: Karl Rahner, Walter Kasper). He received his Diploma in Theology in 1969 and began his professional career as Assistant Director of the Academy in Aachen. He became its lecturer on the Theology of Ecumenism in 1970, and Director from 1988 to 2005. In 2000 he received an honorary doctorate in philosophy from the University of Osnabrueck, Department of Educational and Cultural Studies. Dr. Henrix was the chairman of the Board of the Catholic Academies in Germany (2000-2005) and is consultant of the German Bishops' Conference for the Catholic-Jewish relations. Pope John Paul II appointed him 2003 to a consultor of the Vatican Commission for the Religious Relations with the Jews. Pope Benedict XVI renewed this mandate by a notification from March 18, 2008. On May 13, 2009 the Rector of the University of Salzburg awarded him the title Honorary Professor due to his specific scientific qualification. The award was applied by the Centre for Theology Intercultural and Study of Religions (Faculty of Theology) and the Centre for Jewish Cultural History (Inter-facultative). During the Winter Semester 2009/2010 Henrix was guest lecturer of the RWTH Aachen (Institute for Catholic Theology) and read on the topic: “Judaism and Christianity in Difference and Nearness. Perspectives of a Theology of ‘Ecumenics’ between Jews and Christians”.

The emphasis of his theological work lies in ecumenism, especially questions concerning the relationship between the Church and the Jewish People or Judaism. From 1985 to 1987 he was the Catholic president of the German Coordinating Council of the Associations for Christian-Jewish Cooperation. Since 1977 he has been a member of the working group “Jews and Christians” of the Central Committee of Roman Catholics in Germany and since 1978 a Catholic guest member of the group “Christians and Jews” of the Protestant “Kirchentag”. Since 1979 he has been consultant to the German Conference of Catholic Bishops on questions of Judaism. From 1990 to 2013 he was a member of the Vatican delegation at the official meetings of the International Liaison Committee between the Roman Catholic Church and the Jewish people. Pope John Paul II appointed 2003 him as consultor of the Vatican Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. Pope Benedict XVI renewed this mandate 2008. At the request of Prof. Henrix, the mandate was not renewed by Pope Francis in 2014.


Dr. Henrix lectures at universities (Aachen, Bamberg, Berlin, Belfast, Bonn, Bratislava, Brüssel, Budapest, Cincinnati, Dublin, Erfurt, Essen, Frankfurt, Gießen, Gnesen, Göttingen, Hamburg, Innsbruck, Jerusalem, Krakau, Leuven, Linz, Luzern, Marburg, Moskau, München, Münster, Notre Dame/Indiana, Osnabrück, Paderborn, Posen, Prag, Rom, Salzburg, Siegen, Tübingen, Vallendar, Wien, Wuppertal), academic institutions and international conferences throughout Europe, Israel and the United States. He has published five books and edited more than twentybooks, including two volumes of statements on Christian-Jewish relations, Die Kirchen und das Judentum: Dokumente 1945-1985 (1988; with Rolf Rendtorff) and Die Kirchen und das Judentum: Band II, Dokumente 1986-2000 (2001; with Wolfgang Kraus). He has also published about 200 articles and essays in German, English, French, Polish and Spanish in various books and journals. He is co-editor of the theological journals Freiburger Rundbrief and Kirche und Israel and – representing the German Bishops – member of the Advisory Board of the International Martin Buber Foundation and of the Executive Board of the Adalbert-Foundation in Krefeld/Germany. He also is working as an advisor and mediator in the intersection of religion, society, culture and politics.