Over the Christmas break one of the books I read was Thomas Oden’s personal and theological memoir, A CHANGE OF HEART. It had just come, nicely groomed, from the IVP stable. Arriving at Drew University as a tenured professor, Oden took up with the Jewish scholar, Will Herberg, who soon became, “my irascible, endearing Jewish friend.” One day Will leaned into Oden’s face and told him that he was densely ignorant of Christianity: “You will remain theologically uneducated until you study carefully Athanasius, Augustine and Aquinas.” After rediscovering the ancient Christian writers Oden says, “my mind was steadily focused on making no new contribution to theology, but to adhering closely to the unchangeable, irreversible and unalterable apostolic tradition.” An incredible mission for any academic! The result, however, was “discovering the joy and meaning of consensual Christianity . . . It was by the grace of God that I had a change of heart and found what I had always been seeking. . . . I who had once been a social radical became a ‘mere Christian’ and finally became a theologian after having only pretended to be one.” One of the treats of this book is that it is more than an autobiography. As a theological memoir, there is also theological insight, depth and challenge. Along the way there is also much to move the heart—and many incidental reading suggestions! I am grateful to Tom and to IVP for their contribution to my Christmas, and life.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 22:29:25 +0000
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