PAX, Elpidius (born Wolfgang Pax). Breslau 22.4.1912 — Lippstadt, Kr. Soest 14.4.1993. German Linguist and Catholic Theologian. Son of Ferdinand Albert Pax (1885–1964), a marine biologist, and Marie Serbin (Wikipedia names her as Elisabeth Nohr). Studied classics, comparative linguistics, archaeology and philosophy at Breslau, especially under Havers and Strauss. Ph.D. 1936 Breslau. PD 1937 Breslau. From 1939 worked in Leipzig University Library, war service as meteorologist of Luftwaffe. At the end of the war, after a spiritual crisis, converted from Lutheranism to Catholic faith and in 1946 joined Franciscan Order in Rietberg and took the monastic name Elpidius. In 1947-50 studied Catholic Theology, 1950 ordained priest. In 1950-53 studied exegesis at Munich, Dr.Theol. there 1955. In 1953-55 Prefect of a Catholic internate in Hildesheim, 1955-59 priest in Berlin. In 1959-60 further studies at Papal Institute in Rome. In 1960-73 Professor of Biblical Exegesis and Judaistics at Studium Biblicum Franciscanum in Jerusalem, emeritus 1982. From 1973 Professor of New Testament and Judaistics at Benedictine Abbey Dormitio in Mt. Zion.
Publications: Diss. “Sprachvergleichende Untersuchungen zur Etymologie des Wortes ἀμφίπολος” Wörter und Sachen 18, 1937, 1-88.
– “Zum Rāmāyaṇa”, ZDMG 90, 1936, 616-625; obituary of Otto Strauss, ZDMG 100, 1950, 42-48.
– Exegetical and theological works (but still often using linguistic methods, e.g. “Zur Deutung des Wortes missa ‘Messe’”, Die Sprache 1, 1949, 87-100).
Sources: *G.C. Bottini, Liber annuus 1993, 615-628; German Wikipedia.
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