Peter Penner was born in Kasakhstan, in the former Soviet Union. At the age of 10, his family moved to West Germany where he continued and fi nished his general education. In Germany he also committed his life to Christ and soon became interested in practical evangelism and involved in different church planting activities. This involvement led him to start theological education, fi rst at the German Theological Seminary in Giessen, continuing at Kirchliche Hochschule in Bielefeld (a university linked Protestant institution) while graduating upon additional two study years at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California with an MDiv in Missiology. In his Master thesis he conducted a sociological and missiological research study of Munich and was invited to start a church and meeting centre in Munich. But, as he prepared himself for this venture while ministering in Bad Reichenhall as church planter, an accident on the autobahn near Munich changed his life direction.

Half a year later, in fall 1989, he again visited a number of TEE (Theological Education by Extension) study groups in the former Soviet Union, having been involved in this project already since 1985. 1991 he met Prof. David Bosch in Germany and continued under his supervision with postgraduate education after some additional studies at the University of Erlangen and Heidelberg, while remaining to be involved in TEE as Director of the German program. 1991 he was appointed Academic Dean of the Russian Bible Institute, becoming a year later the Rector of this institution, renamed to St. Petersburg Christian University (SPCU), and served in this capacity for 6 years. 1998 Peter Penner earned a ThD in Missiology at the University of South Africa submitting a dissertation on components of and factors affecting theological education in the CIS. At the same time he started to develop a validated Masters program in Biblical Studies in the Russian language in his new role as Dean of Postgraduate Studies. In 2000 Peter Penner was appointed Professor Extraordinarius at the University of South Africa. 2001 he was appointed lecturer in Biblical Studies at IBTS in Prague and a year later (2002) Director for Mission and Evangelism at the same institution.

In St. Petersburg he was actively involved in church planting and the work of a Baptist church that belongs to the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians and Baptists. He continues to be active in the life of Sarka Valley Community Church in Prague. Peter Penner was married to his wife Katharina in 1992, who continues to serve with him at IBTS. They have two children, Patrick and Miriam. Both, he and Katharina, were deeply involved in the ministry of SPCU in St. Petersburg. They have written a number of articles and continue to be involved with the EAAA theological journal.

Direct contact: E-Mail penner@neufeld-verlag.de