Three Types of Today Theology

 Three Types of Today Theology

"Pluralism," the day's catchword, reigns in theology as well as culture. Gone are the towering figures and their entourages (Barth vs. Tillich, for example), or the simplistic 11 conservatives contra liberals" of another day. Now it's a bewildering array of traditions and tribes. How do we sort and sift this diversity?

George Lindbeck, whose postliberal school has current high visibility, offered a threefold typology at the 2001 meeting of the American Theological Society: academic, political and ecclesial theologies. Readers of The Clergy journal live and work in the third arena, so we narrow the focus to that circle, using another threesome within that category from a recent study of trends in systematic theology in the English-speaking world: evangelical ecumenical and experiential (As examined in the issue, "The Resurgence in Systematic Theology," Interpretation, Vol. XLIX, No. 5, July 1995.)

Evangelical theology is grounded in a "convertive piety" (Stanley Grenz), giving pride of place to Scripture; ecumenical theology draws deeply on the church and its traditions, bringing them into relationship to an authoritative biblical text and a catalytic social context; experiential theology uses human experience, broadly conceived - "thinking or doing or feeling" - as its fundamental referent relating traditional authorities to it.

Evangelical Theology

Evangelicalism shares in today's diversity, ranging from old evangelicals of revivalist tradition (Billy Graham) to new evangelicals geared to apologetics (Carl Henry), from charismatics (Nicky Gumbel) to confessionalists (Mark Noll), from political fundamentalists (Jerry Falwell) to justice and peace evangelicals (Jim Wallis), and more. These sharp differences drive its theologians today to search for the things that unite them as in the recent Christianity Today project, "The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration" signed by a list of luminaries (Thomas Oden, Charles Colson, James Packer, David Wells, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, etc.). For all the agreement, other notable evangelicals are busy challenging the presumed consensus.

Another sign of the search for centralities is the outpouring of evangelical works in systematics. Major efforts that cover all the doctrines include those of Millard Erickson, Donald Bloesch, Thomas Oden, Alister McGrath, Wayne Grudem, Stanley Grenz, Paul Jewett, Robert Lightner, James Leo Garrett, Richard Rice, Gerald Bray, A. J. Conyers, and coauthors Gordon Lew and Bruce Demarest.

On the specifics of doctrine, current evangelical thought (in North America and Europe) moves between the poles of stability and change, wariness about modernity-postmodernity, on the one hand, and on the other, a curiosity about and even cautious welcome of the same. At one end are theologians like David Wells who indict popular evangelicalism as well as mainstream theology for their bondage to contemporary culture, Millard Erickson warning of the seductions of postmodernism and Ronald Nash, Wayne Grudem, and D. A. Carson castigating other evangelicals for their accommodationist tendencies. At the other end are Clark Pinnock and John Sanders vigorously arguing for an "open view of God" in contest with the perceived rigidities of the foregoing (Sanders in a lively debate forum in Christianity Today on the subject). Others in that camp are Stanley Grenz who wants to stake out a "center" but is seen by his critics as stained by his postmodernist sympathies and Pannenbergian allegiances, and Roger Olson, vocal critic of "Celebration" and its perceived Calvinist captivity.

A bipolar view of today's evangelical theology, however, is inadequate, for it obscures a large middle ground where some of its major theologians, and probably many grassroots evangelicals, dwell. Among its formative theologians are Donald Bloesch, influenced also by Karl Barth and P T. Forsyth; Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Seminary, known for his "generous orthodoxy"; Timothy George, dean of Beeson Seminary, active in catholic-evangelical exchange; the prolific British evangelical Anglican, Alister McGrath; and popular writers like Eugene Peterson and Philip Yancey.

Evangelical women theologians? Roberta Hestenes and Beverley LaHaye signed "Celebration" but there is no counterpart here to the influential experiential or ecumenical feminists. However, emerging figures appear in the Fall 2001 Women's Bible Commentary edited by Catherine Clark Kroeger, to date mostly unknown and from around the world: Elaine Phillips, Molly Marshall, Camilla Blessing, Kay Jobes, Rosemary Dowsett. Others are associated with the journal of Christians for biblical equality, Priscilla Papers - Aida Besancon Spencer, Gretchen Gaebelein Hull, Rebecca Grothius, Lynn Smith, Loretta Finger. Evangelical women also have their spectrum, from Sarah Foy on the right to Nancy Hardesty on the left.

Ethnic evangelical theologians? Broadly conceived, yes: educators like Robert Pazmino, ethicists like Eldine Villafane, communicators like William Pannell, but few formative self-defined systematic theologians, though Samuel Solivan or Luis Pedraja who teach the discipline show promise. Assemblies of evangelicals drawing up their "essentials" are still in the main white Anglo-Saxon Protestant males. For all that, evangelical theology as now written cannot be dismissed with a wave of a politically correct hand for its influence is considerable, as indicated by the circulation figures of the evangelical journal, Christianity Today, five times that of the ecumenical journal, The Christian Century.

Ecumenical Theology

Identity is also a key concern of ecumenicals. This quest for essentials has taken place prominently in official church dialogues, some of them coming to fruition in the last few years with notable influence on denominational histories (an interesting example of how the work of theologians can have significant institutional impact). Cases in point are the 1997 Lutheran-Reformed Formula of Agreement, the 1999 Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, and the 2000 Lutheran-- Episcopal "Called to Common Mission." A comparable breakthrough involving new ecclesial relations for nine denominations in this country is scheduled for 2002, based on the "COCU consensus." Paralleling these are a World Council of Churches global study, "The Nature and Purpose of the Church," and preparations for a 2003 North American assembly on ecclesiology marking an anniversary of the 20th-century Montreal Faith and Order meeting. The doctrine of the church, after an eclipse, is once again to the fore.

The ecumenical identity quest is apparent in its own outpouring of new works in systematics, like the ecumenical dialogues, often self-consciously rooted in ecclesial traditions, rather than as private entrepreneurial ventures. Roman Catholic works include a joint project edited by Francis Fiorenza and John Galvin, individual ventures by Frans Josef van Beeck and Richard McBrien, and the continuing influence of liberation theology's Gustavo Gutierrez: a Lutheran coedited work by Carl Braaten and Robert Jenson and others by Ted Peters and Robert Jenson himself- Reformed volumes by Daniel Migliore, John Leith, Shirley Guthrie and Gordon Spykman; Methodist-steeped but ecumenically oriented projects by Geoffrey Wainwright and Thomas Oden; works in the Baptist tradition by James McClendon (deceased) and Thomas Finger; Eastern Orthodoxy's contribution by Michael Pomanzansky. Attempting an ecumenical approach to doctrinal basics, but with varied contextual emphases are the volumes of John Douglas Hall, Christopher Morse, Gustavo Guitierrez, Peter Hodgson/Robert King, Fred Herzog (deceased), and the writer. Two of the world's best-known theologians, themselves deeply involved in ecumenical dialogue, have completed major projects: Jurgen Moltman's five-volume series and Wolfhart Pannenberg's trilogy.

The religious pluralism of the day is another setting that contributes to the identity quest. A range of ecumenical responses are to be found, marked by the effort to strongly affirm Christian particularity but also to honor the role of world religions in the purposes of God, notably recent works by Joseph DiNoia and Mark Heim. Concern about the erosive effects of religious pluralism produced the recent and much-discussed Vatican statement, Dominus Iesus. Ecumenical dialogue with Judaism is a separate agenda, as is seen by the growing literature asserting the continuing covenant with Israel ("anti-supersessionism"). New Testament scholars N. T. Wright, leader Keck, Paul Achtemeier, Elizabeth Achtemeier, and Richard Hays stress the Christian debt to Hebrew traditions while making a strong case for a high Christology contra the Jesus Seminar.

Influential voices in all three of these arena - ecumenism, systematics, and interfaith issues - include: an "evangelical catholic" perspective with its voice in the journal Pro Ecclesia, with older theologians, Lindbeck, Jenson, Braaten, Wainwright, and newer voices, Bruce Marshall, David Yeago, R. R. Reno, Christopher Seitz; a rising neo-- Barthian school with formative figures George Hunsinger, Bruce McCormick, William Placher, and William Stacy Johnson, and British theologians John Webster and Colin Gunton, with the new International Journal of Systematic Theology as a prominent venue; a self-described "radical orthodoxy" group in Great Britain with John Milbank as a formative figure.

A "resident alien" theology has made great strides among clergy restive with politically correct trends and/or culturally accommodative thought, articulated by the influential writings of Stanley Hauerwas and John Yoder with William Willimon interpreting these themes in a more mainline churchly vein. Also taking up a critical stance toward culture-Protestantism are "center" movements in mainline churches (the label referring to Bonhoeffer's "Christ the Center" in the tradition of the 1934 Barmen Declaration).

The attention to "tradition" in ecumenical theology is reflected in the current retrieval of the doctrine of the Trinity. Moltmann and Pannenberg have led the way, but important contributions have been made by Orthodox John Ziziolas, Roman Catholic Catherine Mowry LaCugna (deceased) and liberation theologian Leonardo Boff, Reformed thinkers Thomas Torrance and Gunton, Lutherans Jeson, Ted Peters and Eberhard Jungel, and free church traditions Miroslav Volf Also retrievalist in a general sense, but with a sensitivity to the new in piety and mission, are Marva Dawn and Kathleen Norris.

The concern for context is represented by a lively exchange on science and faith and also the specifics of such issues as genetic ethics, with John Polkinghorne, Arthur Peacocke, and Ronald Cole-Turner making major contributions. Other issues of moment are on the boundary of culture and theology, with the pros and cons of postmodernism taken up by Anthony Thiselton, David Tracy, and "Reformed epistemologists" Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff. The meaning of "public theology" is much discussed by Max Stackhouse and also by the heirs of Leslie Newbigin in "Gospel and Culture" networks in North America and Great Britain. An ecumenical feminism that seeks to bring together the texts of Scripture and tradition with social context is represented by Letty Russell, Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen, Elizabeth Johnson, Ann Carr, and new voices that range from tradition-oriented Ellen Charry and Catherine Greene-McCreight to culture-- oriented Kathryn Tanner and Serene Jones.

Experiential Theology

Human experience, as it is shaped by culture, is diversity multiplied, so reflected in the advocacy theologies that make it their orientation point. Among the current are:

Gender Theologies

Feminist theology that still finds a place for "the Jesus story" (in contrast to a Mary Daly or Daphne Hampson who reject such), though now relativized and revised, includes such early leaders as Rosemary Radford Ruether reconceiving redemption in an exclusively this-worldly way as a "feminist ecological liberation theology." Elizabeth Shussler Fiorenza and Phyllis Tribble deconstructing and reinterpreting Christian Scripture in the light of feminist categories. Joining them are Carter Heyward arguing a post-colonial and post-patriarchal "lesbian feminist" point of view, Korean Chung Hyun Kyung merging goddess traditions with Holy Spirit themes, Sallie McFague seeking 11 to relativize the incarnation" vis-a-vis a cosmic inclusivity, Rita Nakashima Brock replacing the classical Christ with the "erotic" Chrita/Community, Ada Maria Isasi-Dias espousing a mujerista theology that interprets redemption in terms of the liberation of Hispanic women, womanist theologian Dolores Williams viewing Calvary as a "double cross," coauthors Susan Brookes Thistlewaite and Mary Potter Engel, and political theologian Dorthee Solle redoing the standard loci in min-systematics that picks up many of the foregoing accents. The Re-Imagining Conference of 1993 and its smaller sequels proved a platform for North American feminist-womanist concerns. Gay/lesbian theologies join the gender category drawing on the earlier work of John Boswell.

Pluralist and Postmodern Theologies

"Plural shock" (like culture shock and future shock) requires the abandonment of classical claims that Christ is 11 the way, truth, and life" for all human beings, according to a group of theologies that takes the contemporary experience of religious diversity as normative. Wilfred Cantwell Smith, John Hick, and Paul Knitter are formidable figures in this school of thought. Ninian Smart and Steven Konstantine have coauthored the first full-scale systematic theology based on the pluralist premise. The much-publicized Jesus Seminar is its own kind of theological pluralism viewing Jesus as a human-scale social reformer, mystic, or philosopher, one among many rather than the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity, notables in this camp being Robert Funk, Dominic Crossan, and Marcus Borg.

Postmodern Theologies

Harvard scholar Gordon Kaufman's move from a Mennonite heritage to an "historicist" view of the Christian tradition and then on to a reconception of God and theology as imaginative human construals reflect the impact of postmodern times and interpreters. Edgar McKnight argues for a "postmodern use of the Bible" giving full play to "reader response" rather than submitting to the claims of authorial intention or historical critical retrieval. Rebecca S. Chopp and Mark Lewis Taylor have coedited an intentionally postmodern systematics collection with a focus on the fragmentary, ambiguous, and open 

Process Theologies

We leave this category to the end, for depending on the priorities in authority (Scripture as source and philosophy as a resource, or vice versa), process theologies could be placed in either "ecumenical" or "experiential" categories. Today's leading proponents, John Cob, David Griffin, Margaret Hewitt Suchocki are church thinkers, and their seminary-based Institute of Process Theology influential in some mainline church settings. However, our "experiential" rubric is its present locale, as the process philosophical self-designation suggests the normative role of the thought of Alfred North Whitehead.

Conclusion

Guidelines for clergy confronted with this cacophony? Here are a few:

1. Note the common concern for identifying the essentials in all three kinds of theology, especially so in the writing of systematics that cover all the basic Christian doctrines. Find an author in your ecclesial tradition, or one who shares your perspective - evangelical, ecumenical, experiential-- and study that persons careful attempt to do theology in the round. Do the same with another from a different tradition or point of view. The discipline will refresh you on the key Christian teachings and equip you for preaching and teaching in response to the "what do we believe?" questions of your parishioners. Find a comparable book on theological basic for laity that could be used in a course of parish study.

2. Familiarize yourself with your denomination's ecumenical involvements. Make use of the documents on theological agreement for a study group in the congregation or with local congregations of the communion with which you are, or will be, in new relationship. Or take a breakthrough ecumenical document such as the Lutheran-Catholic joint Declaration on the Doctrine of justification and invite other congregations in the community to share in an Advent or Lenten series on the same. (The popular Living Room Dialogues after Vatican 11 were fruitful venues for theological deepening and interchurch amity.)

3. In terms of evaluation of trends and perspectives, look with an ecumenical eye for the gifts giveable in traditions different from your own. Paul, confronted with diversity in the Corinthian church, spoke of a body with many parts, each bringing its charism. Learn what you can from where you can.

4. When surveying the field and clarifying your own point of view, don't settle for reductionism. Paul didn't and warned us that no body is made up of just one organ. Theological tribalism today flirts again with that kind of rigidity. Better the newly formulated ecumenical wisdom of "mutual affirmation and mutual admonition," saying a grateful "yes" where we can see commonalities and offering to, and receiving from the other a teachable "no."

5. Write on your banner this updated and slightly revised version of the aphorism of pseudonymous Rupertus Meldinius coined in the midst of the 17th-century theological warfare not unlike our own: "In essentials unity, in perspectives diversity, in all things charity!"

Source: The Clergy Journal, Nov/Dec 2001.