Dr. Wolfgang Picken studied Catholic theology, political science, social sciences and philosophy in Bonn, Rome and Cologne. After being ordained to the priesthood, he received his doctorate in Bonn in Political Sciences in 2004. From 2004 to 2019 he was pastor of Bonn-Bad Godesberg, the largest pastoral area in the Archdiocese of Cologne. There he founded the "Bürgerstiftung Rheinviertel" as an innovative, local social network. The foundation is now the largest of its kind in the Federal Republic of Germany and has grown into a social enterprise run by citizens. Since 2019 he has been the city dean of Bonn, pastor of the cathedral basilica and chairman of the Caritas Council of Bonner Caritas. He is also the author of books (e.g.: "WIR. Die Zukunft der Zivilgesellschaft") and, from the summer semester 2023, will be a lecturer at the University of Bonn.

Politics and Religions | Basic Democratic Values | Functionality and Sustainability of Civil Society | Political Party Research