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'''Paleo-orthodoxy''' (from [[Ancient Greek]] ''palaio-'' "ancient" and [[Koine Greek]] ''orthodoxia'' "correct belief") is a broad [[Christian theology|Christian theological movement]] of the late 20th and early 21st centuries which focuses on the consensual understanding of the faith among the [[Ecumenical Councils]] and [[Church Fathers]]. While it understands this consensus of the church fathers as [[orthodoxy]] proper, it calls itself ''paleo-orthodoxy'' to distinguish itself from [[neo-orthodoxy]], a movement that was influential among Protestant churches in the mid-20th century. <ref>"The term ''paleo-orthodoxy'' is employed to make clear that we are not talking about [[neo-orthodoxy]]. Paleo becomes a necessary prefix only because the term [[orthodoxy]] has been preempted and to some degree tarnished by the modern tradition of neo-orthodoxy" (Thomas Oden, ''Requiem'', p. 130)</ref>
'''Paleo-orthodoxy''' (from [[Ancient Greek]] ''[[:wikt:paleo-|{{lang|el|nocat=true|paleo-}}]]'' "ancient" and [[Koine Greek]] ''[[:wikt:orthodoxy|{{lang|el|nocat=true|orthodoxy}}]]'' "correct belief") is a broad [[Christian theology|Christian theological movement]] of the late 20th and early 21st centuries which focuses on the consensual understanding of the faith among the [[Ecumenical Councils]] and [[Church Fathers]]. While it understands this consensus of the church fathers as [[orthodoxy]] proper, it calls itself ''paleo-orthodoxy'' to distinguish itself from [[neo-orthodoxy]], a movement that was influential among Protestant churches in the mid-20th century. <ref>"The term ''paleo-orthodoxy'' is employed to make clear that we are not talking about [[neo-orthodoxy]]. Paleo becomes a necessary prefix only because the term [[orthodoxy]] has been preempted and to some degree tarnished by the modern tradition of neo-orthodoxy" (Thomas Oden, ''Requiem'', p. 130)</ref>


==Description==
==Description==

Revision as of 09:09, 17 June 2012

Paleo-orthodoxy (from Ancient Greek paleo- "ancient" and Koine Greek orthodoxy "correct belief") is a broad Christian theological movement of the late 20th and early 21st centuries which focuses on the consensual understanding of the faith among the Ecumenical Councils and Church Fathers. While it understands this consensus of the church fathers as orthodoxy proper, it calls itself paleo-orthodoxy to distinguish itself from neo-orthodoxy, a movement that was influential among Protestant churches in the mid-20th century. [1]

Description

Paleo-orthodoxy sees the essentials of Christian theology in the consensus of the old church before the schism between the Orthodox Church and the Roman-Catholic Church (the East-West Schism of 1054) and before the separation between the Roman-Catholic Church and Protestant Churches (the Protestant Reformation of 1517), described in the canon of Vincent of Lérins as "Quod ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus" ("What [is believed] everywhere, always and by everyone").

Paleo-orthodox theologians

The dominant figure of the movement is United Methodist theologian Thomas C. Oden of Drew University, who has published a series of books not only calling for a return to "classical Christianity" but also providing the tools to do so. The recent collection of essays in honor of Oden, Ancient & postmodern Christianity: Paleo-orthodoxy in the 21st Century (Kenneth Tanner, Christopher Alan Hall, eds.) also offers a good glimpse into some of the theologians active in this area: Robert Jenson, Christopher Hall, Amy Oden, Bradely Nassif, David Mills, Robert Webber, Geoffrey Wainwright, Carl Braaten, Stanley Grenz, John Franke, Alan Padget, Wolfhart Pannenberg, Richard John Neuhaus, et al. Similar approaches can be found in the theology of Marva Dawn, a Lutheran; Alister McGrath, a Church of England Reformed evangelical; Andrew Purves, a Presbyterian; Dr. Timothy George (Baptist),and Christopher Hall, an Episcopalian.

Literature

Among Oden's works, either as writer or editor, in support of paleo-orthodoxy are:

  • Thomas Oden: Agenda for Theology, later re-published as After Modernity...What?, ISBN 0-310-75391-0
  • Thomas Oden: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture series, which pieces together Biblical commentary from the Church's first millennium
  • Thomas Oden: John Wesley's Scriptural Christianity: A Plain Exposition of His Teaching on Christian Doctrine, ISBN 0-310-75321-X
  • Thomas Oden: Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry, ISBN 0-06-066353-7
  • Thomas Oden: The Rebirth of Orthodoxy: Signs of New Life in Christianity, ISBN 0-06-009785-X
  • Thomas Oden: Requiem: A Lament in Three Movements, ISBN 0-687-01160-4
  • Thomas Oden: Systematic Theology (three volumes... The Living God, The Word of Life and Life in the Spirit...a trilogy which summarizes classical Christian thinking)

Works by other authors:

  • Christopher Hall and Kenneth Tanner (eds.): Ancient & Postmodern Christianity: Paleo-Orthodoxy in the 21st Century (Essays In Honor of Thomas C. Oden), ISBN 0-8308-2654-8.
  • Christopher A. Hall: Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers
  • Colleen Carroll: The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy (ISBN 0-8294-1645-5)
  • Richard Foster Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith ISBN 0-06-062822-7)

Sources

  1. ^ "The term paleo-orthodoxy is employed to make clear that we are not talking about neo-orthodoxy. Paleo becomes a necessary prefix only because the term orthodoxy has been preempted and to some degree tarnished by the modern tradition of neo-orthodoxy" (Thomas Oden, Requiem, p. 130)