Halle (dpa/sa) – After 20 years in office, the university preacher at the University of Halle, Jörg Ulrich, has been relieved of his duties. The church historian had organized the honorary post in a great way, the regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany, Friedrich Kramer, paid tribute to him. “As a passionate and great preacher, he developed university service series with his university service preparation group that were worthy of Martin Luther University and combined theological depth with the joy of the gospel,” said Kramer.

The regional bishop released the 62-year-old during the end-of-semester service on Tuesday evening in the Moritzkirche. Ulrich took over the office in 2003. He studied theology in Hamburg and Durham, among other places, and has been a professor of church history at the University of Halle since 2002. Ulrich’s successor, Friedemann Stengel, is scheduled to take office in April.

Prorector Insa Theesfeld described the retiring university preacher as a link between academic education and the Christian religion. “University services offer an important orientation in these times, in which so much information and the need for information processing affects us,” she said.