George Forell

George Wolfgang Forell (born 1919) is the Carver Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Iowa. He is an internationally known author, lecturer, and guest professor in the field of Christian ethics.

Early life and education

Forell was born on September 19, 1919 in Breslau, Germany, (now Wrocław, Poland). He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Vienna. In 1939 he came to the USA as a refugee from Nazi Germany. He enrolled at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, as a student in theology. He graduated in 1941 and was ordained as a Lutheran minister the same year. While serving as a parish pastor, he continued his education at Princeton Theological Seminary and Union Theological Seminary. In 1949 he received a Th.D. from Union Theological Seminary. In 1945 he married Elizabeth Rossing in Argyle, Wisconsin. They have two daughters, Dr. Madeleine Forell Marshall and The Rev. Mary Forell Davis, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Academic career

Forell joined Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter MN, as a Professor of Philosophy in 1949. In 1954 he moved to the University of Iowa as Professor of Religion. In 1958-59 he served as guest-professor at the University of Hamburg, Germany. He was Director of the Department of Religious Studies at The University of Iowa from 1966 to 1971. In 1973, he was named Carver Distinguished Professor of Religion. Forell is a past president of the American Society for Reformation Research. Forell has also served as a Professor of Systematic Theology at the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary in Maywood, Illinois (now part of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago) After his retirement from the University of Iowa in 1989 he lectured for extended periods of time in seminaries in Tokyo, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other academic institutions in Asia and Europe. Among his published bppks are: Faith Active in Love,1954 "Ethics of Decison'1956 "The Prorestanr Fairh" 1960, "Understanding the Nicene Creed"1965.'Martin Luther Theologian of the Church""1994"

Recognition

He received honorary degrees from Gustavus Adolphus College, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Luther College and Uppsala College. In 1984, a Festschrift, "Piety, Politics and Ethics", in honor of George Forell, edited by Carter Lindberg, was published by the Sixteenth Century Journal Publishers, Inc. Forell was named the distinguished alum for 2002 from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia.