Introduction
Thomas Clark Oden (October 21, 1931 – December 8, 2016) was an American United Methodist theologian and religious author. He was Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Theology and Ethics at Drew University in New Jersey from 1980 until his retirement in 2004. He remained faculty emeritus until his death.
Oden is best known as a proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, an approach to theology that often relies on patristic sources. He has published a series of books that he says are tools for promoting "classical Christianity." Oden suggests that Christians need to rely upon the wisdom of the historical Church, particularly the early Church, rather than on modern scholarship and theology, which is often, in his view, tainted by political agendas.
Life
Oden was born in Altus, Oklahoma, the son of an attorney and music teacher. As a youth, he considered two vocations: lawyer or Methodist minister. At age ten, Oden’s family moved to Oklahoma City. After the Second World War, Oden returned to Altus and high school where he began his vocation of writing and speaking. Oden earned a B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma (1953), a B.D from Southern Methodist University (1956), and his M.A. (1958) and Ph.D. from Yale University (1960). He married Edrita Pokorny on August 10, 1952. They had three children: Clark, Edward, and Laura.
Oden says his mission is "to begin to prepare the postmodern Christian community for its third millennium by returning again to the careful study and respectful following of the central tradition of classical Christianity."
Oden has been active in the Confessing Movement in America, particularly within the United Methodist Church, and he has served on the board of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. Dean Timothy George of the Beeson Divinity School calls Oden “one of the most remarkable Christians of our time [who] has lived through, contributed to and helped overthrow several revolutions.”
He died on December 8, 2016 at the age of 85.
Works
Oden wrote and edited many books, articles, essays, and speeches on a wide range of topics. The following list is limited to books.
- The Crisis of the World and the Word of God, 1962
- Radical Obedience: The Ethics of Rudolf Bultmann, 1964
- The Community of Celebration, 1964
- Kerygma and Counseling, 1966
- Contemporary Theology and Psychotherapy, 1967
- The Structure of Awareness, 1969,1978 (Standard Book #:687-40075-9)
- The Promise of Barth, 1969
- Beyond Revolution, 1970
- The Intensive Group Experience, 1972
- After Therapy What?, 1974
- Game Free: the Meaning of Intimacy, 1974
- Should Treatment Be Terminated?, 1976
- TAG: The Transanctional Game, 1976
- Parables of Kierkegaard, 1978
- Agenda for Theology, 1979, rpt as After Modernity...What?, 1992 (ISBN 0-310-75391-0)
- Guilt Free, 1980
- Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry, 1983 (ISBN 0-06-066353-7)
- Care of Souls in the Classic Tradition, 1984 [1]
- Conscience and Dividends, 1985
- Crisis Ministries, was Vol 1 Classical Pastoral Care Series, 1986, rpt as Vol 4, 1994
- Becoming a Minister, Vol 1 Classical Pastoral Care Series, 1986, 1994
- The Living God, Systematic Theology, Vol 1, 1987, 1992
- Doctrinal Standards in the Wesleyan Tradition, 1988, rev 2008 (ISBN 0-310-75240-X)
- Phoebe Palmer: Selected Writings, 1988
- Ministry Through Word and Sacrament, Vol 4 Classical Pastoral Care Series, 1988, rpt 1994
- The Word of Life Systematic Theology, Vol 2, 1989, rpt 1992, 1998
- First and Second Timothy and Titus: Interpretation, 1989, rpt 2012
- Pastoral Counsel, Vol 3 Classical Pastoral Care Series, 1989, rpt 1994
- Life in the Spirit, Systematic Theology, Vol 3, 1992 rpt 1994,1998
- Two Worlds: Notes on the Death of Modernity in America and Russia, 1992
- The Transforming Power of Grace, 1993 (ISBN 0-687-42260-4)
- John Wesley's Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine, 1994 (ISBN 0-310-75321-X)
- Corrective Love: The Power of Communion Discipline, 1995 (ISBN 0-570-04803-6)
- Requiem: A Lament in Three Movements, 1995 (ISBN 0-687-01160-4)
- The Justification Reader, 2002
- The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity, 2003 (ISBN 0-06-009785-X)
- One Faith: The Evangelical Consensus (written with J. I. Packer), 2004 (ISBN 0-8308-3239-4)
- The Humor of Kierkegaard: An Anthology, 2004
- Turning Around the Mainline: How Renewal Movements Are Changing the Church, 2006
- How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind, 2007, pb 2010
- Good Works Reader, Classic Christian Reader Series, 2007
- Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology, 2009 (ISBN 978-0061449710)
- In Search of Solitude: Living the Classic Christian Hours of Prayer, 2010
- The African Memory of Mark: Reassessing Early Church Tradition, 2011
- Early Libyan Christianity, 2011
- John Wesley's Teachings
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- Vol 1: God and Providence, 2012 (ISBN 978-0310328155)
- Vol 2: Christ and Salvation, 2012 (ISBN 978-0310492672)
- Vol 3: Pastoral Theology, 2013 (ISBN 978-0310587095)
- Vol 4: Ethics and Society, 2014 (ISBN 978-0310587187)
- A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir, 2014 [2]
- Classical Pastoral Care series reprint, 1994
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- Vol 1: Becoming A Minister (ISBN 0-8010-6763-4)
- Vol 2: Ministry through Word and Sacrament (ISBN 0-8010-6764-2)
- Vol 3: Pastoral Counsel (ISBN 0-8010-6765-0)
- Vol 4: Crisis Ministries (ISBN 0-8010-6766-9)
- General editor, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture that Oden describes as a multi-volume patristic commentary on Scripture by the “fathers of the church” spanning “the era from Clement of Rome (fl. c. 95) to John of Damascus (c.645-c.749).” Detailed information about the set can be found at the publisher
Essays In Honor of Thomas C. Oden
- Ancient & Postmodern Christianity: Paleo-Orthodoxy in the 21st Century, Essays In Honor of Thomas C. Oden, Christopher Hall and Kenneth Tanner, eds, 2002 (ISBN 0-8308-2654-8)