Dorothee Soelle - Mystic and Rebel: The Biography
by Renate Wind, Martin Rumscheidt (Translator)
4.20 · Rating details · 15 ratings · 4 reviews
Renate Wind has composed a well-researched and searching biography of Dorothee Soelle (19292003), who became a true religious provocateur and one of the most prolific and widely read theologians of the postwar period.
Born in Germany and educated at the University of Cologne, Soelle turned from literary studies to theology, concentrating on rethinking Christian convictions in light of World War II and the Holocaust. A poet and activist as well as theologian, after her arrival at Union Theological Seminary in 1974, where she assumed the post previously held by Paul Tillich, Soelle became a leading voice for the liberation of women and against militarism, especially the Vietnam War. Her person, work, travels, and the times themselves combined to make her a pioneer and leader in the most exciting developments of the period: political theology, feminist theology, and liberation theology.
Among her influential works were Christ the Representative (1967), Suffering (1975), To Work and to Love (1984), Theology for Skeptics (1994), and The Silent Cry (2001).
Winds short and insightful biography is informed by extensive interviews with Soelles friends and family, especially her husband, Fulbert Steffensky, by use of the familys archives, and by Winds extensive knowledge of contemporary theology, political history, and the contemporary church. (less)
Average rating4.20 · Rating details · 15 ratings · 4 reviews
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riley
Nov 18, 2020riley rated it it was amazing
Shelves: r-e
What a beautiful biography. Wind writes about the visionary Soelle in a tender way that makes it clear she carried affection for the late "mystic and rebel", yet openly and honestly, painting her as a real person full of flaws and contradictions throughout her passionate life. (less)
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Luke Hillier
Dec 05, 2020Luke Hillier rated it liked it
Shelves: academic-religion, christianity, memoir-bio
I read this quite quickly while working on a paper that explores some of Soelle's theological ideas and ideals. It was a perfectly adequate biography that included chapters on Dorothee's life from childhood until her death, obviously with most focus around her adult years as a theologian and professor. I found that it relied quite heavily on Soelle's own memoir and work, which gave the book more a "review" or "compilation" quality than I prefer. I think more analysis from the author drawing connections or expounding on different details would have added meaningful richness to the text.
Notably, I felt like this quality was most prominent when discussing Soelle's time in NYC, during which Wind seemed to feel more permission to speak critically of her subject. While it was disappointing and disillusioning to discover that, despite her radical politics and avowed concern for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed at a theological level, Dorothee struggled as many academics do to engage meaningfully in relationship with people of those categories.
I appreciated Wind's willingness to burst that bubble a bit, especially with the rest of the book being so complementary. That said, Soelle is certainly depicted as a faithful, fascinating, and deeply compelling figure here and this was helpful in establishing a sort of timeline to her life and the development of her thought. (less)
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Axel
Apr 09, 2018Axel rated it really liked it
Renate Wind writes a short, but compelling and even-handed portrait of Dorothee Soelle. I was introduced to Soelle's writings in a course on evil in the Christian tradition, and was intrigued by her early critical work on the concept of Christo-fascism, a cultural and theological cooption of Christianity by imperialist/nationalist/fascist movements. This text gives a deeper appreciation of her development of the concept. Seeing Soelle's growth from a callow child in Nazi Germany to a legendary theological rabble-rouser in late 20th century America gives us a deeper appreciation of her critical and prophetic works. Of particular interest, the book spent a share of its time presenting her place in the wider circle of mid-late 20th century German theologians. While she was clearly treated with disdain by the German church and academy as a whole, it was very interesting to see how a number of theologians we treat with reverence today (Moltmann, Bultmann, etc.) held her with a much higher esteem.
Plus, it introduced me to the word "Piet-cong" - a rather amusing if dark German wordplay for the historically and conceptually surprising, but increasingly common pietistic/hardline-leftist theologians in academic settings. (less)
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Barbara P
Apr 16, 2013Barbara P rated it it was amazing
Years ago while in Seminary I read a couple of books by Dorothee Soelle, a Liberation Theologian. Her work and life and writings inspired me. The recent biography showed up in our PP library. I read the book last week while away from home. The author wrote a short and to the point biography of her life and I was again enthralled with her life and struggles. Her life as a theologian and mystic began in earnest after the war. She lived in Germany and witnessed the murders of the Jews and its aftermath. In her searching and with a brillant mind she wanted to understand God in lieu of the evil AND good in the world. She became such a committed and outspoken Christian she was never allowed to teach at a German University. She did, however, become a member of the Union Seminary for some 10 years. She taught there six months of a year and spent the other six months in Germany with her husband and children. Soelle was a poet, activist as well as theologian and became a leading voice for the liberation of women and against militarism, especially the Vietnam War. She was a pioneer in so many areas: feminist theology, political theology and liberation theology. I am so grateful for her life and teaching. She died in 2003. (less)
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Editorial Reviews
"This book is a bole wide-ranging work. Dorothee emerges as a mystical Midas-like Figure who turned to gold the lives she touched by her insight and resolve." --Daniel Berrigan, University Poet-in-Residence, Fordham Univeristy
"Dorothee Soelle was one of the most evocative (and provocative!) voices in the Christian theological discourse of our era. Influenced by some of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century, and shocked into action by the post-war revelations about her nation and society, Soelle realized more than most that the ‘theology of the cross’ is a political theology. Renate Wind's biography, in this excellent translation, is a much-needed and lucid guide to the works of this inspired and fearless Christian witness." --Douglas John Hall, McGill University
"Through engaging the horrors of war, Christian anti-Semitism, and the depths of other suffering caused by human injustice, Dorothee Soelle developed a deep theo-poetics as she lived. Wind tells of her very particular struggles and joysof belonging and identity, Christian faith and reason, politics and prayer, the personal and the public. A most welcome biography of this fascinating and pre-eminent political theologian and eco-peace activist." --Marilyn J. Legge, Emmanuel College, Toronto
"orothee Soelle was one of the most evocative (and provocative!) voices in the Christian theological discourse of our era. Influenced by some of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century, and shocked into action by the post-war revelations about her nation and society, Soelle realized more than most that the ‘theology of the cross’ is a political theology. Renate Wind's biography, in this excellent translation, is a much-needed and lucid guide to the works of this inspired and fearless Christian witness." --Douglas John Hall, McGill University
"Through engaging the horrors of war, Christian anti-Semitism, and the depths of other suffering caused by human injustice, Dorothee Soelle developed a deep theo-poetics as she lived. Wind tells of her very particular struggles and joysof belonging and identity, Christian faith and reason, politics and prayer, the personal and the public. A most welcome biography of this fascinating and pre-eminent political theologian and eco-peace activist." --Marilyn J. Legge, Emmanuel College, Toronto
"orothee Soelle was one of the most evocative (and provocative!) voices in the Christian theological discourse of our era. Influenced by some of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century, and shocked into action by the post-war revelations about her nation and society, Soelle realized more than most that the ‘theology of the cross’ is a political theology. Renate Wind's biography, in this excellent translation, is a much-needed and lucid guide to the works of this inspired and fearless Christian witness." --Douglas John Hall, McGill University
"Through engaging the horrors of war, Christian anti-Semitism, and the depths of other suffering caused by human injustice, Dorothee Soelle developed a deep theo-poetics as she lived. Wind tells of her very particular struggles and joys—of belonging and identity, Christian faith and reason, politics and prayer, the personal and the public. A most welcome biography of this fascinating and pre-eminent political theologian and eco-peace activist." --Marilyn J. Legge, Emmanuel College, Toronto
About the Author
Martin Rumscheidtis an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada and retired professor of historical theology at the University of Windsor, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Charles University, Prague. He is the translator of Act and Being (1996)in Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, English edition, and cotranslator with the late Barbara Rumscheidt of Soelle"s Against the Wind (1999) and The Silent Cry.
Nancy Lukensis Professor Emerita of German and Women's Studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her translations include among others three volumes in Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works, English edition: Sanctorum Communio (1998, with Reinhard Krauss), Fiction from Tegel Prison (2000), and Bonhoeffer"s prison poetry and late correspondence in Letters and Papers from Prison (2010), as well as Daughters of Eve: Women Writers of the German Democratic Republic (1993). She and her husband, Martin Rumscheidt, are co-translators of Soelle"s The Mystery of Death (2007).
Renate Wind lives in Heidelberg and is Professor of Biblical Theology and Church History at the Evangelische Hochschule Nurnberg. She has been engaged for many years in the peace movement and is author of Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Spoke in the Wheel (1991).
Product details
Publisher : Fortress Press (April 15, 2012)
Language : English
Hardcover : 224 pages
Customer Reviews: 4.4 out of 5 stars 2 ratings
Top reviews from the United States
Clint Schnekloth
5.0 out of 5 stars
A theologian who should be more widely known and read
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2013
This is a lovely and convicting biography. It's lovely in that it focuses the reader on crucial aspects of Soelle's career, always walking that delicate balance between telling the story of a life and evaluating the theological contributions of the theologian under examination.
Renate Wind is a concise and fair biographer. She knows her material well. In the end, readers of this biography will have an excellent sense of the challenges Soelle was confronted with as perhaps the most prominent female theologian of the last generation. More importantly, readers will know Soelle's contributions to that theology, which are as much in her actions as an advocate for social justice as they were in her theology itself.
The two are so intimately tied together as to be inseparable. Of particular interest to theologians and Christians of all types will be Wind's thesis, summarized in the sub-title, that Soelle brought mystical theology and rebel (liberation?) theology into conversation with each other. Or one could say how they energize each other.
Soelle also writes some of the first theology after Auschwitz, theology after the death of God, eco-theology, and theology inviting the world into the rising ecumenical and inter-faith conversations of the 20th century.
That she was also a political activist centered out of the political evensong movement in journey makes her life story even that more compelling.
You won't be disappointed with this biography, and it will convince you that reading the biographies of prominent theologians is well worth the time.
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4 people found this helpful
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Matthijs Kronemeijer
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK introduction to Sölle, disappointing as a bio but good pictures
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2016
I was disappointed as I read this biography alongside Solle's own memoirs "Against the Wind" (Gegenwind). The biography does very little more than retelling the memoirs. Almost every telling anecdote pre-1995 that's in the biography is also in Against the Wind. There is not enough independent engagement.
What I did like though is the selection of pictures. And there is some extra info about her (especially on her divorce and second marriage) that is quite valuable. It is a carefully edited book that probably does well as a gentle introduction to Sölle. I first gave two stars but now I made it three. But I still think a biography of a person who has written so engagingly about herself should have more to add.
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