By: Kevin Norwood on May 13, 2017
Thomas C Oden in his educational book How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind is an advocate for the recognition of Africa as a contributor to the history and future of Christianity. The phrase seedbed of early Christian thought is throughout and Oden makes a strong argument for the foundation of key principles straight from Africa. …
By: Garfield Harvey on May 12, 2017
We are Jews, Gentiles, and Africans. “This is what the book is about: to state the African seedbed hypothesis in a measured way and begin to sort out the facts that support it” (p. 31). Oden’s intent is to challenge each reader to appreciate Africa’s role in shaping Christianity. He believes Africa’s role was significant…
By: Pablo Morales on May 11, 2017
Thomas C. Oden graduated into heaven last year, after a journey of spiritual inquiry and academic career that led him to write several books. Among them was the Ancient Christian Doctrine Series. Through that research Oden realized how much of our Christian theological heritage comes from ancient African theologians. This discovery surprised him, because he…
By: Phil Goldsberry on May 11, 2017
Introduction While living in New York, an Egyptian Coptic Church built (1990) a new temple in Woodbury, New York. I was amazed at their architecture and location to build their gathering place. Of great interest is the name of the church: St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Center/ St. Abraam Church. This double name ties them back…
By: Aaron Peterson on May 11, 2017
African Theology Matters The stated thesis of How Africa Shaped The Christian Mind by Thomas Oden is simple. African theology matters because, “Africa played a decisive role in the formation of Christian culture” (P9). I think the real impetus for this book though is a call to young Africans to rediscover the importance and influence…
By: Claire Appiah on May 11, 2017
Thomas Oden—How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity Introduction The late Thomas Oden was a theologian affiliated with the American United Methodist Church. He was a prolific author of major theological works relating to Christian doctrine, orthodoxy, and spirituality. Oden was formerly the director of the Center for…
By: Rose Anding on May 11, 2017
How Should a Christian Think? “Just as the twinkle of stars was reduced to nuclear explosions, and life itself to biochemical reactions, so the brain may one day be explained by the same forces that run the rest of the universe.”[1] “What’s the matter? Never mind. What is mind?…
By: Jason Kennedy on May 11, 2017
A few years ago I was invited to speak at a pastor’s conference in Rwanda. Hundreds of pastors attended from the Congo, Tanzania, Uganda and of course Rwanda. I had prepared a topic that was theological. I spoke on the role of the Holy Spirit in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. After…
By: Marc Andresen on May 11, 2017
It has become very popular recently to submit personal DNA to ancestry.com in order to explore one’s origins. Should the Church wish to engage in this process the search through our theological DNA must begin with How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity, written by Thomas C. Oden. Oden’s…
By: Pablo Morales on March 24, 2017
Andrew Marin has written an insightful book. Just like an anthropologist can help us increase our cultural intelligence, Marin gives us insights into the GLBT community that can increase our ministry intelligence. In his book Love is an Orientation, the author challenges the evangelical church to engage the hurting lives of the GLBT community with…
By: Jason Kennedy on March 24, 2017
My daughters, Clara and Ellie, sleep in the same room although Ellie does have her own room. Being ten and six, they go through the same routine. They brush their teeth, we pray and tuck them in to bed. I always forget some of the routine, and it happened again last night. As I tucked…
By: Kevin Norwood on March 23, 2017
Life is filled with issues. What if? What if I am? What will people think about me? What will others say about me? What will I worry about the most? Whose opinions really matters? What is love? What is an orientation? Who determines what is right or wrong? Is there such a thing as truth…
By: Phil Goldsberry on March 23, 2017
Introduction The “lens” that we look at life through, are “prescribed” by a myriad of practitioners: family dynamics, socio-economics, religious involvement/affiliation, and a host of other catalytic influences. We embrace the fact that we cannot control to whom and where we are born. We express our DNA through skin, hair and eye color, detached/attached ear…
By: Aaron Cole on March 23, 2017
Summary: Love Is an Orientation, Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community by Andrew Marin is a contemporary approach to the intersection of same-sex attraction and the Church. Marin skillfully lays out the opposition and the tension that lie on both sides of this issue. He does not shrink back from ultimately answering bottom line…
By: Marc Andresen on March 23, 2017
Introduction I am nearly convinced that the Samaritans for conservative Christians today are the GLBT community. I suspect that if honest, conservative Christians would express the same disdain for this community as the Jews of Jesus’ day did for the Samaritans. To move to righteous resolution should we not be challenged by the fact that…
By: Aaron Peterson on March 23, 2017
As we ended our Zoom session last Monday, Dr. Mary Pandiani challenged us with this haunting question, “Can you change your biblical doctrine?” Of course, I also heard in my head the implied follow-up question, “If yes, what would it take for you to change it?” I couldn’t help but notice that her provocation…
By: Claire Appiah on March 23, 2017
Andrew Marin—Love Is An Orientation: Elevating the Conversation With the Gay Community Introduction “Andrew Marin founded the Marin Foundation for the purpose of systematically building a bridge between the broader gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender (GLBT) and conservative Christian communities through scientific research and biblical and social education.” [1] The net result being peaceful, productive, and sustainable…
By: Garfield Harvey on March 22, 2017
In my last semester of full academic work and the last blog posting for the semester, it seems appropriate for another controversial interpretation of sexuality. Frankly, it’s ingenious of Dr. Jason Clark to have the cohort read about the secular age and then back to back readings on how the church interprets human sexuality. Homosexuality…
By: Rose Anding on March 22, 2017
Introduction The book Love Is an Orientation: Elevating the Conversation with the Gay Community by Andrew Marin exhibits the meaning of the Gospel’s real teaching. The book quotes Billy Graham, “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and my job to love,” to highlight its controlling idea that being loving…
By: Pablo Morales on March 17, 2017
Agender, androgynous, cisgender, genderqueer, intersex, transgender, bi-gender, male, female. These are the gender identities included in a recent issue from National Geographic entitled The Gender Revolution. In 2015, Frontline produced a documentary entitled Growing up Trans, which explored the lives of five families with transgender children, revealing the hormonal treatments available for children who desire…