Cardinal Leo Scheffczyk, 85; Theologian Studied Catholic Doctrine

Cardinal Leo Scheffczyk, 85, a conservative theologian who due to his age did not participate in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI in April, died Thursday in Munich, Germany.

In a telegram, the pope praised Scheffczyk for his contributions to the study of theology, which include 80 published books.

“He dedicated his rich, priestly and academic life ... to the depths of theology and proclamation of the truth of God,” the pope said. Scheffczyk was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2001 by then-Pope John Paul II.

Born in 1920 in the northeastern German city of Beuthen, which is now Bytom, Poland, Scheffczyk moved to Bavaria after World War II. There he began his theology studies, first in Freising and later at the University of Munich. He became a professor of theology, teaching for 20 years on the Munich University theology faculty.

The focus of much of Scheffczyk’s study was Roman Catholic doctrine, including “Katholische Dogmatik,” a 1996 eight-volume work on Catholic dogma, which was published with his student Anton Ziegenaus and became a standard work of the Catholic Church.