Prof. Axel Noack
Overview
Contact details
Telephone: +49 (0) 345 / 55 230 56
Email: axel.noack@theologie.uni-halle.de
Mailing Address:
Prof. Axel Noack
Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg
Institute of Historical Theology
Seminar for Church History
Franckeplatz 1 Haus 30
06099 Halle/Saale
Office Hours: by appointment
Personal information
I was born on 8 November 1949 in Biesnitz, in the District of Niesky, (also known as Görlitz today) and attended school in Halle/Saale. As a conscientious objector, I was not permitted to pursue a university degree in mathematics. Following my Abitur (university qualifying exam) and the completion of technical training as industrial locksmith, I assisted at the Diakonie in Lobetal, near Berlin. From 1969 to 1975, I studied Protestant theology at an Advanced Catechetical Seminary in Naumburg (Saale). I was ordained in 1978 after serving as Vicar (Pastor-in-training) in Merseburg and as Repetitor (Tutor) at the Advanced Catechetical Seminary (qualifying thesis: Die Geschichte der Evangelischen Studentengemeinden in der DDR - History of Protestant Student Communities in the GDR). From 1978 to 1985, I was student and the District Youth Pastor in Merseburg and from 1985 to 1997 the Pastor of the congregation in Wolfen (Church District of Bitterfeld).
In 1986, I became a member of the Association of the Federal Church Leaders of the Evangelical Churches in the GDR (Konferenz der Kirchenleitungen des Bundes der evangelischen Kirchen in der DDR Association) and from 1991 to 2003, I was a member of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD – Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland). In 1997, I was appointed Bishop of the Evangelical Church for the Church Province of Saxony. I held this position until the merger of our church with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thuringia to form the Evangelical Church in Central Germany (EKM, Evangelische Kirche in Mitteldeutschland) in 2009. Since summer 2009, I have been teaching Contemporary Church History and Regional Church History in my capacity as Pastor at Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg.
I chaired the board of »Dienste in Übersee« (Overseas Service) and am now on the supervisory board of the Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED), an organization of the German Protestant Churches charged with supporting developmental work. Since 2003, I have been chairing the »Arbeitsgemeinschaft Missionarische Dienste« (Missionary Services Task Force) and since 2005 I am the »Authorized Representative of the Council of the EKD for the Missionary Service of the Church«.
I am married to a pastor and have three children and a grandson.