12 Facts About Gregory Baum

Gerhard Albert Baum, better known as Gregory Baum, was a German-born Canadian priest and theologian in the Catholic Church.

Gregory Baum became known in North America and Europe in the 1960s for his work on ecumenism, interfaith dialogue, and the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jews.

Gregory Baum became interested in the work of Karl Mannheim and developed a program of ideology critique that he hoped would eliminate the ideological or prejudicial elements in religion.

Gregory Baum connected the Frankfurt School's concept of "the end of innocent critique" with Liberation theology's "preferential option for the poor".

Gregory Baum arrived by boat in Quebec in 1940 with other Germans, most of them Jewish; they were housed in refugee camps, under military control.

Gregory Baum was the professor of theology and sociology at University of Saint Michael's College in the University of Toronto and, after 1986, professor of theological ethics at McGill University's Faculty of Religious Studies.

Gregory Baum composed an early draft of the conciliar document Nostra aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions, that was later expanded to address all the world religions.

Gregory Baum was among the small group of theologians who worked on the fourth and final draft.

Gregory Baum continued contributing to The Ecumenist, serving as editor of one issue per year until his death.

Gregory Baum was a member and frequent editor of the international Catholic review Concilium.

Gregory Baum died in hospital in Montreal on October 18,2017, surrounded by his friends.

Gregory Baum's funeral was held at his parish church, Saint Pierre-Apotre in Montreal.