wfn.org | Pierre Lanarhs, Champion of Religious Liberty, died aged 92

["Christian B. Schäffler (APD Schweiz)" <APD@stanet.ch>]

February, 20, 2004
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief APD
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Schweiz

Pierre Lanarhs, Champion of Religious Liberty, died aged 92

Berne/Switzerland (APD)  Pierre Lanarhs, a jurist and
champion of religious liberty, died in Clapiers, southern
France, on  February 2, 2004, aged 92. Born in Madagascar
in 1912, he worked for more than 44 years in different
positions in the Seventh-day Adventist Church: in
Madagascar, France and Switzerland. Pierre Lanarhs
studied Law in Paris, got his Ph.D  in Geneva, and
graduated from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological
Faculty at Collonges-sous-Saleve, France. He worked as
a pastor, school principal, church leader, writer,
producer of radio and TV programs and at the Euro-Africa
Division of the Seventh-day Adventists, the European
headquarters of this protestant free church in Berne.
He was in charge of the following departments: Radio
and Television, Education, Ministerial Association,
Public Affairs and Religious Liberty.

 From 1966 through 1982, Lanarhs also acted as General
principal in Madagascar and France. Till his retirement,
countries, in Africa, the Middle East and the United
French-speaking countries and his years spent as a school
States. Besides the many contacts with important
of experts, as well as the publishing and edition of
Faculty at Collonges-sous-Saleve, Haute-Savoie, in the
political and religious personalities, the
Defense of Religious Liberty (AIDRL), an NGO with
organization of conventions, symposiums and meetings
Secretary of the International Association for the
this he dedicated his talents as a lecturer in the
the international magazine Conscience et liberte 
he also taught in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological
vicinity of Geneva.
headquarters in Berne. His interventions on behalf
through education was also part of his assignment. To

As Pastor Ulrich Frikart, the president of the Euro-Africa
Division of the Seventh-day Adventists (Berne), told
Adventist Press Service (APD), the world-wide
interventions on behalf of religious liberty have been,
for more than 100 years, a regular and important part of
the policy of his church on behalf of the Human Rights.
Ulrich Frikart expressed his appreciation for Pierre
Lanarhs international contribution, over many years, on
behalf of liberty of religion and conscience, of the
separation of Church and State, and for the pedagogical
merits of his promotion of religious tolerance in a
Christian perspective.