Ernst Petzold (27 March 1930 – 21 January 2017) was a German Lutheran theologian and pastor.
[1] Born in Leipzig, Petzold attended the Thomasschule from 1940 to 1948 and was a member of the Thomanerchor[2] under Günther Ramin.
In 1981 he completed his dissertation "Eschatologie als Impuls und als Korrektiv für den Dienst der rettenden Liebe, dargestellt an der Theologie Johann Hinrich Wicherns" eschatology as impulse and as a corrective for the service of the saving love, shown in the theology of Johann Hinrich Wichern.
From 1988 to 1992 he was president of the "Internationaler Verbandes für Innere Mission und Diakonie" (International Association for Inner Mission and Charity), called from 1989 "Europäischer Verband für Diakonie" (European Association for Charity).
[3] Petzold was instrumental to help the church's charity organisation even in the difficult times in East Germany.