Prof. Dr. Joachim Piepke was born in Danzig in 1943. At the end of World War II his family had to move west and finally resettled in Freiburg in southwestern Germany. Due to the experience of displacement Piepke had an early sensitivity for differing social contexts and developed an interest in other cultures. He finished school in 1962 and eventually joined the Steyler missionaries (SVD).
The same year Piepke took up his studies in St. Gabriel/Mödling near Vienna. Among his major subjects were not only Anthropology and Religious Studies but also Philosophy and Linguistics. He furthermore took notice of the liberation theology in South-America. In 1969, Piepke finished his studies and his theological training.
Between 1970 and 1980 he lived in Brazil. During this period Piepke not only worked as a priest but started teaching at several schools. Eventually he did lectures at the Theological Institute in Sao Paolo and became its head chairman in 1978. During the oppression of the country´s military government, Piepke continously supported the people´s movement.
In 1980 Piepke moved to Rome in order to finish his PhD of Theology. Three years later he took up a position at the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule SVD in St. Augustin, where he was teaching for many years. Piepke also became head chairman of the Anthropos-Institute in 1986. He furthermore was acclaimed a full professor for Dogmatic Theology in 1995 and became rector of the Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule in 1998.
His major interests not only focus on theological matters but also include indigenous cultures and afro-brasilian cults, i.e. Candomblé
Short Portrait: Joachim Piepke
Joachim Piepke
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