Already in the first round of voting, Cornelia Richter, who has served as pastor on a volunteer basis in Austria, received 64 out of a total 68 votes, thus exceeding the required two-thirds majority. She succeeds Michael Chalupka in this leadership position, who is retiring at the end of the year. Professor Richter was nominated for by all seven superintendent assemblies, constituted of delegates from all parishes of the respective dioceses. In election voting at the Evangelisches Realgymnasium school of Vienna-Donaustadt, she was the sole candidate.
Unlike a professorship, the office of Bishop is not attainable by way of career ladder-type progression. Rather, according to Professor Richter, “It is only entrusted and granted.” Expressing her gratitude for the great confidence placed in her, Richter continued: “Church is about community, and a vibrant church requires a vibrant community life—the Bishop plays a central role in all this.” In the face of continuing declines in church membership, the task remains “to ensure that Protestant Christianity has a prominent voice in our society.”
Rector Professor Hoch offered his salutations on the occasion of the new Bishop’s appointment: “I most warmly congratulate you on behalf of the University of Bonn! This historic appointment sends a powerful signal. Cornelia Richter is a theology scholar with a spiritual vision for society who is greatly respected both academically and personally—these are the key qualities she brings to this important office of authority. We are proud that such an inspiring individual is an outstanding researcher and hard-working professor from the ranks of our own University.”
Cornelia Richter (age 54) grew up in Bad Goisern. Her father was a pastor and her mother was an organist in the local church for many years. After completing her Theology degree in Vienna and Munich she worked as research associate at Theology faculties in Vienna, Marburg and Copenhagen. She then taught in Hermannsburg, Zurich and then Gießen, where in 2011 she was appointed Chair of Systematic Theology and Ethics. In 2012 she accepted an appointment at the University of Bonn as Professor of Systematic Theology with a concentration in teacher training. Since 2020, Richter has been Professor of Dogmatics and Philosophy of Religion and Co-Director of the Bonn Institute for Hermeneutics. In 2024 Richter began teaching also at the University of St. Andrews (UK). From 2020 to 2024 Cornelia Richter was the first female dean of the Faculty of Protestant Theology. In 2024 she became the first female chair of the University of Bonn Senate. In addition to her current work on dogmatic and other theology, Richter is a known expert in the interdisciplinary field of resilience research. Since 2012 she has been active as pastor, regularly working as preacher and liturgist at the Schlosskirche in Bonn, of which she became director as University Preacher in 2024.