Karl Lehmann
His Eminence Karl Lehmann Cardinal, Bishop of Mainz Cardinal Lehmann, 2014 Church Mainz Cathedral Province Freiburg im Breisgau Diocese Mainz Appointed 21 June 1983 Installed 2 October 1983 Predecessor Hermann Volk Other posts Cardinal-Priest of S. Leone I Orders Ordination 10 October 1963 by Julius August Döpfner Consecration 2 October 1983 by Hermann Volk Created Cardinal 21 February 2001 Rank Cardinal Priest Personal details Born (1936-05-16) 16 May 1936 (age 78) Sigmaringen, Germany Nationality German Denomination Roman Catholic Motto state in fide Coat of arms Karl Lehmann (born 16 May 1936) is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Bishop of Mainz and former Chairman of the Conference of the German Bishops (German: Deutsche Bischofskonferenz), the highest representative post of the Catholic Church in Germany. He was educated at the Seminary of Freiburg from 1957-1964. He went on to study in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University where he was awarded a doctorate in philosophy, summa cum laude in 1962, thesis: "Vom Ursprung und Sinn der Seinsfrage im Denken Martin Heideggers". He also studied for a doctorate in theology, summa cum laude, which he gain in 1967, thesis: "'Auferweckt am dritten Tag nach der Schrift' — Exegetische und fundamentaltheologische Studien zu 1 Kor 15,3b-5". He was ordained to the priesthood on 10 October 1963 in Rome, by Cardinal Döpfner. After being awarded is PhD in philosophy he served as an Assistant of Fr. Karl Rahner, S.J., Münich at the Institute of Christian Thought and Religious Philosophy, 1964-1967; 1967-1968. Instructor of dogmatics and history of dogma at the University of Munich in 1967. Obtained the Habilitationsstipendium of the German Research Council (DFG) in 1968. Professor of dogmatic theology, Mainz, 1968-1971; of dogmatic and ecumenical theology, Freiburg, 1971-1983. Member of the Ecumenical Working Group of Evangelical and Catholic Theologians in 1969; scientific leader, 1976; and chairman, 1988. Declined professorships in Munich in 1971; and in Tübingen in 1981. From 1971, co-editor of the international journal Communio. Member of the board of the Synod of the Dioceses of the Federal Republic of Germany, 1971-1975. Member of the International Theological Commission, 1974-1984. Prelate of honour of His Holiness, March 26, 1979. He was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2013 papal conclave that selected Pope Francis.