Der Lebensweg des Theologen Otto Piper (1891-1982)

The theologian Otto Piper (1891-1982) is an unjustly forgotten figure of contemporary history. Hendrik Niether presents a comprehensive academic and political biography of the theologian, focusing particularly on his life and intellectual development during the Weimar Republic. Through historical and political contextualization, the author analyzes Piper's work and political engagement using the constellation paradigm from the perspectives of intellectual and theological history. Piper's biography and thought are of special interest because he vigorously defended the democratic rule of law in Weimar, thereby fundamentally distinguishing himself from the national-Protestant majority of his contemporaries. Furthermore, shaped by his traumatic experiences during the First World War, he advocated reconciliation among nations and the idea of an international ecumenism. This stance, together with his membership in the SPD, made his academic career difficult and led, following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, to his dismissal from public service and eventual emigration to the United States, where Piper held the chair of New Testament at Princeton from 1937 to 1962.