Konrad Raiser

Born in Magdeburg, Germany on 25 January 1938, Raiser spent his childhood in Schwerin, Göttingen and Bad Godesberg.

He concluded his academic theological education in Tübingen in February 1963, was ordained in May 1964 and finished pastoral training in 1965.and started working with the World Council of Churches, first in the department for Faith and Order.

Leaving the WCC in 1983, Raiser began to teach theology at Bochum University in Germany until he returned again to Geneva in 1992.

Noting the press of business facing the Council due to probable changes to be recommended by the Special Commission, and other items, the Central Committee, meeting in Potsdam in 2001, extended his term by one year to December 2003.

[1] Both Baron Richard von Weizsäcker (1964-1970 & 1979-1981) and his niece Dr. Elisabeth Raiser (2001–2003) were Presidents of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag (German Evangelical Church Congress).