Uta Ranke-Heinemann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uta Ranke-Heinemann
Born	(1927-10-02)2 October 1927 Essen, Germany
Died	25 March 2021(2021-03-25) (aged 93) Essen, Germany
Education	Burggymnasium Essen University of Bonn University of Basel University of Oxford University of Montpellier
Occupation	Theologian
Organization	University of Duisburg-Essen
Notable work	Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven
Spouse(s)	Edmund Ranke
Children	Johannes Ranke-Heinemann
Parent(s)	Gustav Heinemann (father)
Relatives	Christina Rau (niece)

Uta Ranke-Heinemann (born October 2, 1927 – died March 25, 2021) was an important German thinker, professor, and writer. She made history in 1969. She was the first woman in the world to complete a special advanced degree in Catholic theology. This degree, called a habilitation, allowed her to teach at a university.

She taught about early Church history and the New Testament at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Later, her right to teach Catholic theology was taken away. This happened because she had different ideas about some religious beliefs. The university then created a new teaching position for her. This new role was about the History of Religion, and it was open to people of all faiths.

In 1988, she wrote a famous book called Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven. This book looked at the Catholic Church's views on women. It was very popular and was printed many times. It was also translated into 12 different languages. In 1992, she wrote another book, Nein und Amen. In this book, she said that some religious stories are "fairy tales you don't need to believe to have a living faith."

Her Life and Studies

Uta Heinemann was born in Essen, Germany. Her parents were Protestants who followed the Calvinist faith. Her father, Gustav Heinemann, later became the third President of Germany in 1969. He was the first president from the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).

Uta was a very bright student. She was the only girl accepted at the Burggymnasium Essen. She finished school with excellent grades.

Becoming a Theologian

Uta studied Protestant theology for almost seven years. She went to universities in Bonn, Basel, Oxford, and Montpellier. In 1953, she became a Catholic after marrying Edmund Ranke, who taught religion. They had two sons together.

In 1954, she earned her doctor's degree in Munich. This made her one of the first women to achieve this in theology. One of her classmates and friends at that time was Joseph Ratzinger. He later became Pope Benedict XVI.

In 1969, Uta Ranke-Heinemann became the first woman in the world to complete her habilitation in Catholic theology. She did this at the University of Munich. After that, she became a professor at Essen University in 1970. She taught about the history of the early Church and the New Testament.

Her Work for Peace

Uta Ranke-Heinemann was also very active in the peace movement. During the Vietnam War, she spoke out against the use of napalm bombs. She even traveled to North Vietnam. In 1979, she helped organize food aid for Cambodia, which was suffering from a severe food shortage.

She continued teaching, first in Duisburg from 1980, and then in Essen from 1985. In 1987, the Bishop of Essen, Franz Hengsbach, took away her license to teach Catholic theology. This happened because she questioned the idea of the virgin birth of Jesus. This meant she could no longer hold her teaching position.

However, the University of Essen supported her. They created a brand new teaching position just for her. This new role was for the History of Religion. Her book, Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven, was translated into 12 languages.

In 1999, Uta Ranke-Heinemann ran for President of Germany. She ran as an independent candidate, meaning she was not part of a political party. However, she lost the election to Johannes Rau. He was married to her niece, Christina Rau.

She announced in 1992 that she was moving away from traditional Christian beliefs. Uta Ranke-Heinemann passed away at her home in Essen on March 25, 2021. She was 93 years old.

Her Beliefs

Ranke-Heinemann at the Weltjugendtag in Cologne, 2005

Uta Ranke-Heinemann's book Nein und Amen was first published in 1992. In this book, she explained her decision to move away from the traditional church. The book was reprinted many times and was translated into English as Putting Away Childish Things. It was also translated into Spanish and Polish.

She updated the book in 2002 after her husband passed away. The new subtitle was Mein Abschied vom traditionellen Christentum, which means "My Farewell to Traditional Christianity." In it, she listed seven main points about her new views:

• The Bible is not directly the word of God. Instead, it is the word of men.
• The idea that God exists in three persons is something humans imagined.
• Jesus was a man and not God.
• Mary is the mother of Jesus, but not the mother of God.
• God created heaven and earth. However, hell is a made-up idea by humans.
• The devil and the idea of original sin do not truly exist.
• The idea of a bloody redemption through Jesus' death on the Cross is like a pagan sacrifice. She felt it came from very old religious ideas from the Stone Age.

Images for kids

See also

In Spanish: Uta Ranke-Heinemann para niños