Roger E. Olson's Blog, page 61

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 8

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 8 *If you have not been reading this series, this installment may not make much sense to you.* My writing and publishing career really began in earnest with a phone call in 1990. I knew Stanley J. Grenz because he had also studied with Wolfhart Pannenberg and taught at my […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 7

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 7 *If you have not been reading previous installments of this series, you may not understand some of what I write here* After two challenging years on the faculty of Oral Roberts University, in 1984 my dream came true. God opened the door for me to join the faculty of […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 6

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 6 *If you have not been following this series, this installment may not make very much sense* My two years on the faculty of Oral Roberts University—my first fulltime teaching position—was a surreal time. Every day that I went to campus to teach, I had to steel myself for what […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 5

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 5 *If you have not been reading this series, you may not understand much of what I tell here* In my previous installment of this series, I talked about my journey from seminary to Rice University, where I earned a Ph.D. in Religious Studies (which a “major” in Christian theology) […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 4

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 4 *If you have not read the first three parts of this series, you may not understand some of what I write here.* One of the common experiences I have not had is doubt about God. I can honestly say that I have never doubted God’s existence or God’s goodness. […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 3

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 3 *If you have not read the first two parts of this semi-autobiography, this one may not make very much sense. It is a continuation of the first two parts. I was relatively contented with my Christian form of life, intensely evangelical, Pentecostal, until about midway of my first year […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theology 2

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 2   Note: If you have not read the first installment of this series (Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 1) you may have trouble understanding this and later installments. I have often been asked how and why I became a theologian. It’s not exactly an “expected” profession. That is, hardly […]

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 1

Experiences of an Evangelical Theologian 1 This blog essay is Part 1 of a projected series about my experiences as an American evangelical theologian. Some of you will already know much about me from reading my blog. Others may know nothing about me. Some may only know of me from my Wikipedia article which says […]

There Is No Such Thing as “The Church”

There Is No Such Thing as “The Church” Here I set aside for purposes of this essay the concept of “invisible, universal Body of Christ”—the ideal collective of all true Christians (and any other saved persons) throughout time. Here I write only about churches visible (and usually institutional) on earth in particular times and places. […]

Evangelicalism as Ethos (versus Evangelicalism as Movement)

Evangelicalism as Ethos (versus Evangelicalism as Movement) This is a follow up essay to my most recent one entitled Evangelicalism: A Guide for the Perplexed. One this is obvious to me from many of the comments: Many people do not understand the difference between a spiritual-theological ethos and the spiritual-theological movement centered around that ethos, […]