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Volker Bleil is a doctoral candidate at the University of Zurich, specializing in Reformation history. His academic journey includes theological studies in Tübingen, Edinburgh, and Zurich from 1984 to 1990. Over the span of nearly three decades, he served as a pastor in various congregations in Württemberg, ultimately holding the position of deputy dean at the Martin-Luther-Kirche in Ulm. From 2019 to 2024, he took on the role of theological director of the Kloster Kappel, which is an educational institution of the Evangelical-Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich. His dissertation project, tentatively titled "The Reformed Monastery and School," explores the transformation of the Cistercian monastery in Kappel into a Reformed boarding school and its influence on the Zurich Reformation. This study challenges the conventional belief that all monasteries were completely abolished and secularized during the Reformation by examining the unique path taken by the monastery under Abbot Wolfgang Joner and his young schoolmaster Heinrich Bullinger beginning in 1523. This institution not only survived but also became a significant educational center for future pastors and state elites in Zurich.
Kloster Kappel • Zurich, Switzerland
Leading theological education and direction at Kloster Kappel.
Martin-Luther-Kirche • Ulm, Germany
Served as the deputy dean providing leadership and administrative support.
Various Congregations • Württemberg, Germany
Served in various pastoral roles across different congregations.
Department of Law