In memoriam Prof. Em. Dr. Gerhard Maier

August 30, 1937 – April 4, 2026

On April 4, 2026, the South German theologian Prof. em. Dr. Gerhard Maier passed away. He was 88 years old. With deep gratitude, ETF Leuven remembers him as an influential theologian who, in addition to his leadership role in the Evangelical Regional Church in Württemberg, was of great significance for the development of ETF Leuven as an interdenominational and international theological faculty.

Gerhard Maier was born in 1937 in the southern German city of Ulm. He studied theology, law, and art history in Tübingen. From 1980 to 1995, he served there as rector of the Albrecht-Bengel-Haus, an evangelical study center where theology students from the University of Tübingen received academic and spiritual guidance from a distinctly Bible-centered perspective. During this period, he also became known as the author of significant theological works, particularly in the field of biblical studies. Throughout his impressive career, Professor Maier wrote, among other things, a large number of commentaries on various books of the Bible and, as co-editor, left his mark on two influential commentary series.

In 1991, Dr. Maier was appointed Guest Professor of Old Testament at ETF Leuven. In this role, over a period of seventeen years until his retirement in 2008, he played a key role in developing the doctoral program, particularly in the field of Biblical Studies. With inspiring dedication, he guided numerous doctoral students in their dissertation projects and served as promoter or co-promoter to five doctoral candidates from Germany, the U.S., and Indonesia. His great expertise was matched by remarkable modesty, which was also evident in his inspiring lectures during the annual doctoral colloquia.

For Professor Maier, theological scholarship was inextricably linked to the church. From 1995, he served as regional church leader in the Ulm area, and from 2001, he served as bishop in the Evangelische Landeskirche (Evangelical Regional Church) of Württemberg for four years. Even in this particularly influential ecclesiastical position, a clear biblical orientation was close to his heart.

By: Prof. Dr. Andreas Beck