Rudolf Pesch studied history, German studies and theology at the University of Bonn and the University of Freiburg. In 1962 he passed his state examination. In 1963 he married Ingeborg van Meegen, with whom he had two children: Berthold and Friederike. In 1964 he earned his first doctorate as Dr. phil in Freiburg with the work Die kirchlich-politische Presse der Katholiken in Deutschland vor 1848. In 1967 followed the promotion to Dr. theol. with the work Naherwartung. Tradition und Redaktion in Markus 13. After being scientific assistant at the Exegetical Seminar, New Testament Department at the University of Freiburg, he completed his habilitation in 1969 at the University of Innsbruck in the field of New Testament. In 1970, he was the first married layman to be appointed Professor of Biblical Studies at the University of Frankfurt. Pesch was advisor to the Würzburg Synod from 1971 to 1975 for the implementation of the decisions of the Second Vatican Council. In 1980 he moved to the Department of New Testament and Literature at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau. In 1976 he was a visiting professor in the Theological Year of the Dormition in Jerusalem and at the University of San Francisco. In 1984, he renounced his chair at the University of Freiburg to get involved in the apostolic community, the then Integrated Community, of which he was a member since 1977. From 1984 to 2008 he committed to the establishment of the Academy for Faith and Form of the Catholic Integrated Community in Munich. From 2000 to 2002 he lived in Israel, where he was engaged in building up the "Beth Shalmon" in Motsa Illit near Jerusalem as a meeting place for Jews and Christians in the "Urfeld circle" and became a member of the "Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel". From 2008 he taught together with other professors of the Catholic Integrated Community at the newly established "Chair for the Theology of the People of God" as part of the Institute of Pastoral Theology "Redemptor Hominis" at the Pontifical Lateran University. The main research areas of Pesch were the Gospel of Mark and the Acts of Luke, to which Pesch published authoritative comments. Many of his books have been translated into Italian. From March 2010 Pesch lived with his wife with his daughter Friederike Wallbrecher in Rome. He was received in a private audience on 19 August 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. He died on 13 January 2011 in Rome and is buried in Castel Gandolfo.
Publications (Selection)
Römerbrief, 3. edition, Würzburg 1994. Das Markusevangelium. Part 1: Einleitung und Kommentar zu Kap. 1,1 - 8,26, 5. edition, Freiburg 1989. Das Markusevangelium. Part 2: Kommentar zu Kap. 8,27 - 16,20, 4. edition, Freiburg 1991, Die Apostelgeschichte. Volume 1: Apg 1-12, 3. Aufl., Zürich/Neukirchen-Vluyn 2005. Die Apostelgeschichte. Volume 2: Apg 13-28, 2. edition., Zürich/Neukirchen-Vluyn 2003 Juden und Christen – ein einziges Volk Gottes?, Düsseldorf 2009, Paulus ringt um die Lebensform der Kirche. Vier Briefe an die Gemeinde Gottes in Korinth, Freiburg u.a. 1986. Paulus und seine Lieblingsgemeinde. Drei Briefe an die Heiligen von Philippi, Freiburg u.a. 1984, Die Entdeckung des ältesten Paulus-Briefes. Die Briefe an die Gemeinde der Thessalonicher, Freiburg u.a. 1984, Das Evangelium der Urgemeinde, 3. Aufl., Freiburg u.a. 1984, Zwischen Karfreitag und Ostern. Die Umkehr der Jünger Jesu, Zürich u.a. 1983, Wie Jesus das Abendmahl hielt. Der Grund der Eucharistie, 3. Aufl., Freiburg u.a. 1979, with Gerhard Lohfink: Tiefenpsychologie und keine Exegese - Eine Auseinandersetzung mit Eugen Drewermann, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 1988, Die Weihnachtsbotschaft : die biblischen Weihnachtstexte neu übersetzt und ausgelegt, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 2016, Die lebendigste Jesuserzählung : das Lukasevangelium / kommentiert von Thomas P. Osborne und wörtlich übers. von Rudolf Pesch in Zusammenarbeit mit Ulrich Wilckens und Reinhard Kratz, Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 2009, Die matthäischen Weihnachtsgeschichten : die Magier aus dem Osten, König Herodes und der bethlehemitsche Kindermord ; Mt 2 neu übersetzt und ausgelegt, Bonifatius, Paderborn, 2009, Der Jude Jesus von Nazareth : zum Gespräch zwischen Jacob Neusner und Papst Benedikt XVI., zusammen mit Achim Buckenmaier und Ludwig Weimer, Bonifatius, Paderborn, 2008, Gott ist gegenwärtig : die Versammlung des Volkes Gottes in Synagoge und Kirche, St Ulrich, Augsburg, 2006, Antisemitismus in der Bibel? : das Johannesevangelium auf dem Prüfstand, St. Ulrich, Augsburg, 2005, Über das Wunder der Jungfrauengeburt : ein Schlüssel zum Verstehen, Verlag Urfeld, Bad Tölz, 2002, Über das Wunder der Brotvermehrung: Gibt es eine Lösung für den Hunger in der Welt?, Knecht, Frankfurt am Main, 1995, La visione di Stefano, Brescia 1969, Paideia, Il vangelo di Marco Parte prima, Brescia 1980, Paideia, ; Parte seconda, Brescia 1982, Paideia, Tra Venerdì santo e Pasqua : la conversione dei discepoli di Gesù, 1993, Morcelliana, La scoperta della più antica lettera di Paolo : Paolo rivisitato : le lettere alla comunità dei Tessalonicesi, 1987, Paideia, Il processo a Gesù continua 1993, Queriniana, Il miracolo della moltiplicazione dei pani : c'è una soluzione per la fame nel mondo? 1997, Queriniana, I fondamenti biblici del primato, 2002, Queriniana, Atti degli Apostoli, 1992, Cittadella, Antisemitismo nella Bibbia? : indagine sul Vangelo di Giovanni, 2007, Queriniana, Il Vangelo del Natale, Brescia 2008, Queriniana, Simon Pietro : storia e importanza storica del primo discepolo di Gesù Cristo, 2008, Queriniana, The trial of Jesus continues, Pickwick Publications, Allison Park, Pa., 1996, Princeton theological monograph series, Volume 43,
