Paleo-orthodoxy

Paleo-orthodoxy (from Greek "paleo" "ancient" and "orthodoxy" "correct belief") is a Christian theological movement of the late 20th and early 21st centuries which sees the consensual understanding of the faith among the Church Fathers as the basis of Biblical interpretation and the foundation of the Church in the 20th century. While it understands this consensus of the church fathers as orthodoxy proper, it calls itself paleo-orthodoxy to distinguish itself from neo-orthodoxy. ["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)]

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 (was believed) everywhere, always and by everyone").

It does not stress specific teachings or Bible interpretations of specific church fathers, but those teachings and Bible interpretation on which the church fathers in East and West agreed.

Besides the doctrinal teachings of the church fathers, paleo-orthodoxy is also characterized by a renewed interest in (orthodox) liturgy and pastoral care.

Paleo-orthodoxy is not interested in denominational differences. Most paleo-orthodox theologians belong to the conservative wing of mainstream Protestant churches or to evangelical churches. Some associate paleo-orthodoxy with contemporary American evangelicalism.

The giant of the movement is United Methodist 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. Oden, who coined the term "paleo-orthodoxy", believes strongly 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. Oden says his desire 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" [Thomas Oden: "After Modernity...What?", p. 34] . Oden hopes "to make no new contribution to theology" [Thomas Oden: "Life in the Spirit", p. vii] .

Other theologians who could be said to work within the bounds of paleo-orthodoxy, deliberately or otherwise, include Marva Dawn, Richard Foster, Alister McGrath, Andrew Purves, and Christopher Hall.

Some critics disagree with Oden, saying that his "paleo-orthodoxy" is actually an updated form of "neo-"orthodoxy influenced by ecumenical neoconservatism, typified by the journal "First Things." This charge is made because most paleo-orthodox thinkers do not employ the historical-critical method of Biblical exegesis, favor a greater authority role in church and personal life on the part of clergy, and assume a hostile posture toward what may generally be termed "liberal culture." This means that their political views generally favor the state's right and obligation to wage war and to restrict what they believe to be aberrant forms of sexuality (e.g., adultery, divorce, homosexuality, abortion), and that Christians are to renounce private judgment in favor of obeying revealed doctrine.

Defenders rebut that paleo-orthodoxy rejects a dependence upon post-Enlightenment modernity's notions of "truth" and "knowledge" that the neo-orthodoxy of the 20th Century was still dependent upon. Paleo-orthodoxy then is "post-modern" in the sense being a critique of modernity.

Another variant of paleo-orthodoxy, led by Presbyterian David W. Hall in the 1990s, stresses Abraham Kuyper's Neo-Calvinism, social conservativism, and Reformed theology. It often involves criticisms of social democracy. Supporters endorse the verbal inerrancy and inspiration of the Christian Bible -- and tend to criticize thinkers like Oden, Hauerwas or McGrath as neo-orthodox and dismiss Foster as an Anabaptist pietist. They also reflect the influence of J. I. Packer, especially his studies on English Puritanism. Basically, this wing of the paleo-orthodox movement is a form of fundamentalism, with a more explicitly authoritarian cast than the main portion of the movement.

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)
* Marva Dawn: "Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time", ISBN 0-8028-4102-3
* Richard Foster "Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth" by (ISBN 0-06-062839-1)
* Richard Foster "Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith" by (ISBN 0-06-062822-7)
* Stanley Hauerwas & William Willimon: "Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony" (ISBN 0-687-36159-1)
* Andrew Purves"Pastoral Theology in the Classical Tradition" by (ISBN 0-664-22241-2)

Calvinist paleo-orthodoxy:
* David W. Hall: "Savior or Servant?", 1996, ISBN 0-9650367-1-5
* David W. Hall, "The Arrogance of the Modern", 1997, ISBN 0-9650367-4-X

Sources

External links

* [http://www.ovrlnd.com/GeneralInformation/Oden_Method.html Thomas Oden's Paleo-Orthodoxy] by Eric Landstrom