Hans Küng
Professor Hans Küng, born in Sursee, Switzerland in 1928, is a scholar of theology and philosophy and a prolific writer. He studied philosophy and theology at the Gregorian University (Rome), the Sorbonne and the Institut Catholique de Paris. In addition, Dr. Küng holds numerous awards and honorary degrees from several universities.
Dr. Küng is President of the Global Ethic Foundation (Stiftung Weltethos). From 1960 until his retirement in 1996, he was Professor of Ecumenical Theology and Director of the Institute for Ecumenical Research at the University of Tübingen.
He held guest professorships in New York, Basel, Chicago, Ann Arbor/Michigan, Houston/Texas. From 1962 to 1965, he served as official theological consultant (Peritus) to the Second Vatican Concil appointed by Pope John XXIII. In 1979 the Vatican withdrew Dr. Küng's ecclesiastical teaching permission because of his opposition against the doctrine of papal infallibility.
He was the drafter of »The Declaration Toward a Global Ethic« of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 1993, and of the proposal of the InterAction Council for a Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities, 1997. Dr. Küng and Dr. Richard von Weizsäcker have been invited by the UN Secretary General as members of the Group of Eminent Persons, who are co-authors of the book »Crossing the Divide: Dialogue among Civilizations«.
Dr. Küng is co-editor of several journals and has written many books, which have been translated into different languages, including: Justification; The Council, Reform and Reunion; The Church; Infallible?; On Being a Christian; Does God Exist?; Eternal Life?; Theology for the Third Millennium; Christianity and the World Religions; Judaism; Christianity; Global Responsibility; A Global Ethics for Global Politics and Economics; and Tracing the Way. Spiritual Dimensions of the World Religions; The Catholic Church. A Short History; My Struggle for Freedom. Memories.