Martin RUMSCHEIDT

Reverend Dr. Hans Martin Rumscheidt passed away on January 29, 2024, age 88. An internationally respected theologian, scholar, teacher, author and mentor, Martin was the son of Maria and Carl Rumscheidt. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Lukens; his children, Peter (Tracy Cipryk), Bob (Natalie Guzzo), and Heidi; his brother, Carl; stepsister, Birgit Haustein-Hillemann; stepdaughter, Hanna Lukens; grandchildren, Taylor, Sydney, Jordan, Sarah and Veronica Rumscheidt and Annie McNeill; step granddaughter, Sophia Lukens Rivas; and many nieces and nephews. Besides his parents, Martin was predeceased by his wife, Barbara Rumscheidt; brothers, Eberhart and Fritz Rumscheidt; sisters, Heidi Rumscheidt Patriquin and Margaret Rumscheidt Ludvik; son-in-law, Chris McNeill; and nephew, Mark Rumscheidt. A graduate of McGill University, Martin was an ordained Minister of the United Church of Canada serving congregations in Montreal, Quebec as well as in Enterprise and Toronto, Ontario. He taught historical theology at the University of Windsor and until his retirement in 2002 he was Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology at the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax. Martin received honorary Doctorates of Divinity from Victoria University in the University of Toronto (2002) and the Atlantic School of Theology (2013); and the Eternal Flame Award from the University of Texas at Austin (2020) at the 50th Annual Scholars Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches. He fostered international conversation in the area of Christian-Jewish dialogue and reconciliation, among others. In New England Martin was a speaker at seminars for educators and in high schools and church youth groups. Martin authored, co-authored, edited, translated or co-translated over 60 books, articles and essays including works on Adolf von Harnack, Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothee Sölle and feminist biblical interpretation. Most recently he published In Search for a Theology Capable of Mourning, a collection of his essays. Services are planned for March 23rd in Durham, New Hampshire and June 22nd at St. Andrews United Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Martin's family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Martin and Barbara Rumscheidt Memorial Scholarship, Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax (www.astheology.ns.ca). On-line condolences with Kent & Pelczar Funeral Home & Crematory, New Hampshire www.kentandpelczarfh.com.