United Methodist Theologian Thomas Oden Understood the Importance of Intelligent Design

Thomas C. Oden, the distinguished United Methodist theologian and scholar, passed away December 8 at the age of 85. Oden is best known for his numerous theological works focusing on what he called "paleo-orthodoxy." By that he meant a return to the teachings of classic Church thinkers such as Athanasius, Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome, Gregory the Great, and Thomas Aquinas.

Oden saw clearly the cultural impact of naturalism, a philosophy that is, as...