Elise Pfister (1886–1944) was a Swiss

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

and

cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

. In 1918, together with Rosa Gutknecht, she was one of the first two women to graduate in theology. The same year, both were ordained as pastors of the Reformed Church of Zürich. They are considered to be the first women in Europe to be ordained as pastors. Born on 22 September 1886 in

Horgen Horgen () is a municipality in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland. It is one of the larger towns along the south bank of the Lake of Zurich. On 1 January 2018 the former municipality of Hirzel merged into the mu ...

, Elise Pfister was the daughter of Hans Jacob Pfister and Albertine Sigg. After qualifying as a teacher in 1906, she taught at primary schools in

Albis The Albis is a chain of hills in the Canton of Zürich, Switzerland. Localisation A paronamic tower allows to observe the landscape. Picture gallery Albis - Balderen IMG 3281.jpg, Hiking trail from Felsenegg to Uetliberg __NOTOC__ ...

and

Dübendorf Dübendorf is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Uster (district), Uster in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Zürich (canton), Zürich in Switzerland. It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population o ...

. She then studied theology at the

University of Zurich The University of Zurich (UZH, ) is a public university, public research university in Zurich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of the ...

, graduating in 1918. Together with her friend Rosa Gutknecht, she was ordained the same year. Appointed as assistant pastors at Zurich's

Grossmünster The Grossmünster (; "great minster") is a Romanesque-style Protestant church in Zürich, Switzerland. It is one of the four major churches in the city (the others being the Fraumünster, Predigerkirche, and St. Peterskirche). Its congregation ...

, the two were principally involved in social work. Although the church and their male colleagues would have liked them to become vicars of their own parishes, as they did not have the right to vote, in 1920 the governmental authorities concluded that women could not be assigned to publicly funded administrative positions such as pastors in charge of their own parishes. They therefore remained as assistants for the remainder of their careers. Elise Pfister died in Zürich on 6 February 1944.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfister, Elise 1886 births 1944 deaths Clergy from Zurich People from Horgen Ordination of women in Christianity Swiss Calvinist and Reformed ministers Women Christian clergy University of Zurich alumni