Gérard Bessière (; 27 January 1928 – 8 December 2024) was a French diarist, poet, priest of the
Diocese of Cahors, onetime national
chaplain for the teaching staff of university parish, journalist of the weekly magazine ''
La Vie'', and author of numerous books on spirituality. He retired to a village in
Lot.
Life and career
Bessière was born in
Luzech,
Lot, in south-western France. His studies took place at the
seminaries in
Gourdon, in
Cahors and the
Institut Catholique de Paris.
After studying theology, philosophy,
exegesis
Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (philosophy), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern us ...
and
Biblical languages
Biblical languages are any of the languages employed in the original writings of the Bible. Some debate exists as to which language is the original language of a particular passage, and about whether a term has been properly translated from an ...
, he obtained a Philosophy Degree at the
Sorbonne University, and was occupied for a long time with clergy training in the
department of
Lot. He collaborated with the publishing house
Éditions du Cerf, for which he created the
collection . Together with
Hyacinthe Vulliez he founded the magazine . He made headlines in 2009 by excommunicating the pope.
Bessière was particularly interested in research on
Jesus
Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
; he published several works at Éditions du Cerf, including , , , ; and a richly illustrated monograph , published in the collection "
Découvertes Gallimard".
Bessière died on 8 December 2024, at the age of 96.
[
]
Selected publications
* ''Where is the Pope?'', 1974
* ''Jesus Ahead'', Burns and Oates, 1977
* ''Alors Jésus s'assit et dit…'', collection « Contes du Ciel et de la Terre ». Gallimard Jeunesse, 1993
** ''Jesus Sat Down and Said…'', Creative Education, 1997
* ''Jésus : Le dieu inattendu'', collection «
Découvertes Gallimard » (nº 170), série Religions. Éditions Gallimard, 1993.
* With
Francesco Chiovaro, ''Urbi et Orbi : Deux mille ans de papauté'', collection « Découvertes Gallimard » (nº 269), série Religions. Éditions Gallimard, 1995.
* With
Hyacinthe Vulliez, ''Frère François : Le saint d'Assise'', collection « Découvertes Gallimard » (nº 354), série Religions. Éditions Gallimard, 1998.
* " L'Enfant hérétique ", 2004. Edition Albin Michel.
* " Jésus est à tout le monde " 2009. Edition Les Amis de Crespiat.
References
External Links
*
1928 births
2024 deaths
French Roman Catholic priests
20th-century French male writers
21st-century French male writers
Institut Catholique de Paris alumni
University of Paris alumni
People from Lot (department)
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