Joachim Hempel

Cathedral Dean, Braunschweig, Germany

Joachim Hempel has served as the Cathedral Dean in Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany, since 1992. The cathedral, built in 1173, is one of Germany’s well-known Romanesque churches.

Since 1982, he has organized and led more than 50 study trips and excursions for groups keen on exploring “countries of the bible” in the Middle East and Africa. Countries examined include Israel, Jordan, Sudan, Jordan, Ethiopia, Yemen and many others.

His publications include analyses of the situation of Christians in the region, the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, on the challenges of city-based churches in Germany, as well as sermons and books on the history of the Cathedral in Braunschweig.

He studied protestant theology in Marburg, Germany, and spent the early part of his career as a Lutheran priest in Addis Ababa, in Ethiopia. Since that time, he has maintained a network of high-level contacts to religious leaders throughout the wider region.