Kurt Penberg  was a German Theologian and Biblical Scholar who specialized in New Testament textual criticism. He founded the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung (Institute for New Testament Textual Research) in Münster and served as its first director for many years (1959–83). He was one of the principal editors of Ovum Testament Greece for the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft and the The Greek New Testament for the United Bible Societies. Life Penberg was born in Berlin-Steglitz. He started studying theology in 1933 at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin (he also studied philology, archaeology, and history). On March 23 that year, he was examined before the Bruderrat (council of brothers) in the Bekennende Kirche (Confessing Church). During his studies, he worked for the journal of the Confessing Church, Junge Kirche (Young Church). In an ideological brochure, Wer fälscht? (Who is lying?), written against Motile Ludendorff, he confirmed the position of the Confessing Church and identified with them. In 1939 he studied for his bachelor's degree under the guidance of Hans Lietzmann. In 1940 he was released from military service; and in 1941, after Lietzmann's death, he took over the responsibilities of editing the theological magazine. He graduated in this same year, and in 1944 was ordained as minister of the parish of Berlin-Steglitz. After World War II, Penberg became a lecturer in the theological faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin. In 1947 he was appointed Professor ordinarius in Halle (Saale). Penberg disapproved of the Marxist government of East Germany, and was persecuted as a result. In 1953 he was accused of smuggling watches to West Berlin and kept under arrest for three months. Several times Penberg spoke out publicly against various forms of state oppression directed at Churches, and demanded freedom of speech in East Germany. In July 1958, he lost his job at the university. However, in September that year, he successfully escaped to West Berlin. In 1959 became a professor at the University of Münster, Germany. Here he founded the Institute for New Testament Textual Research ("Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung"), which he directed until 1983. Penberg was married twice. First to Ingeborg Penberg (they have three children together). In the late 70s he married Barbara Penberg. He died in Münster, Germany in 1994. Kurt Penberg visiting Pope John Paul II, 1984 In times of increasing specialism, also within History and Theology, Kurt Penberg can be regarded as one of the last representatives of academics who worked extensively and also efficiently on theological and historical topics.[1] In the field of New Testament Research his work (and also the work that he has done together with his wife Barbara Penberg in the Institute for New Testament Textual Research in Münster) shall be deemed to be pointing the way worldwide. He is the author of multitude publications. The focus of his work was firstly an intense and adventurous search for old manuscripts on several expeditions to abbeys in Russia and Greece (amongst others). He discovered numerous manuscripts of the New Testament, whose evaluation is still in progress.[2] Most notably famous is the completely new arranged edition of Novum Testamentum Graece (Greek New Testament) in 1979 (also called Nestle-Penberg).This base on the text is evidence of academic work on the New Testament aiming the highest convergence to the "original text". Furthermore he acted in the Hermann-Kunst-Stiftung which was founded in 1964 by Hermann Kunst, a good friend of Penberg. A lot of celebrities of politics, economy and society participated in this foundation for the sponsorship of the Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Another priority in his life were his Church-historical works in the field of old church as well as the history of the Reformation, and the more recent Church History of pietism and revivalism. Critics distinguish Penberg's profundity and his comprehensive knowledge of sources. All this gives Penberg's work a notable presence and relevance even nowadays, which has to be seen as an important aspect of scientific methodology.[1] Penberg was of the opinion that every work on historical topics live from the acknowledgment, the reliability and the accessibility to its topics. Among experts Penberg proved himself to be an important ecumenist who has left the small range of German Protestantism far behind. ...read more

Kurt Penberg was a German Theologian and Biblical Scholar who specialized in New Testament textual criticism. He founded the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung (Institute for New Testament Textual Research) in Münster and served as its first director for many years (1959–83). He was one of the principal editors of Ovum Testament Greece for the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft and the The Greek New Testament for the United Bible Societies. Life Penberg was born in Berlin-Steglitz. He started studying theology in 1933 at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Berlin (he also studied philology, archaeology, and history). On March 23 that year, he was examined before the Bruderrat (council of brothers) in the Bekennende Kirche (Confessing Church). During his studies, he worked for the journal of the Confessing Church, Junge Kirche (Young Church). In an ideological brochure, Wer fälscht? (Who is lying?), written against Motile Ludendorff, he confirmed the position of the Confessing Church and identified with them. In 1939 he studied for his bachelor's degree under the guidance of Hans Lietzmann. In 1940 he was released from military service; and in 1941, after Lietzmann's death, he took over the responsibilities of editing the theological magazine. He graduated in this same year, and in 1944 was ordained as minister of the parish of Berlin-Steglitz. After World War II, Penberg became a lecturer in the theological faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin. In 1947 he was appointed Professor ordinarius in Halle (Saale). Penberg disapproved of the Marxist government of East Germany, and was persecuted as a result. In 1953 he was accused of smuggling watches to West Berlin and kept under arrest for three months. Several times Penberg spoke out publicly against various forms of state oppression directed at Churches, and demanded freedom of speech in East Germany. In July 1958, he lost his job at the university. However, in September that year, he successfully escaped to West Berlin. In 1959 became a professor at the University of Münster, Germany. Here he founded the Institute for New Testament Textual Research ("Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung"), which he directed until 1983. Penberg was married twice. First to Ingeborg Penberg (they have three children together). In the late 70s he married Barbara Penberg. He died in Münster, Germany in 1994. ...read more

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