Patrick Oden | Fuller Theological Seminary (original) (raw)

Courses by Patrick Oden

This course introduces the topic of Christian eschatology. More precisely defined as the study of... more This course introduces the topic of Christian eschatology. More precisely defined as the study of the "end times," eschatology is that and more.

It begins by introducing basic themes and discusses how eschatology is covered in Scripture. It then briefly covers core issues and spends some time on the most dominant interpretation of the last century. Next, lessons will assess how eschatology has developed in healthy and unhealthy ways, while suggesting priorities for a better eschatology that is more coherent and has more integrity with broader Christian teaching. This course will conclude by pointing toward a more holistic approach that helps orient Christian faith within its key expressed priorities of love and hope oriented by the promise of eternal life.

With all this, the goal is to provide a introduction to the topic of eschatology, develop a critical perspective on popular emphases, and offer constructive ways to better understand eschatology's role and impact in contemporary society. "A Quick Trip into Eschatology" is intended for those within Christian belief who want to know more about their faith and for those outside Christianity to better understand what Christianity believes and the impact this has on its influence in this world.

7 video lessons488 views

This course provides a quick history of the Fundamentalist and Evangelical movements in the Unite... more This course provides a quick history of the Fundamentalist and Evangelical movements in the United States. By showing the broader context of Christian renewal movements and the more immediate church and academic context of the early 20th century, this course hopes to provide critical perspective on the rise of these movements and the directions they have taken over the last century. Taught from the perspective of an insider, the goal is to provide substantive insight into why these movements developed, why they responded the way they did, and the reasons for the shifts they made going from reforming movements to cultural and political activism. Agree with them or not, understanding their history and sense of identity can help learners better understand their motivations and can provide stronger critical engagement with their participants.

11 video lessons163 views

Christianity believes in one God. But God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How does that work? We... more Christianity believes in one God. But God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. How does that work? We call it the trinity. It's core to every part of Christian theology and practice but even many Christians don't really understand what this means let alone are able to explain it to others. In this course, Patrick Oden provides a basic introduction to the doctrine of the trinity, looking at relevant issues in Scripture and the early church, exploring misunderstandings, and pointing to implications this doctrine has for Christian thought and practice.

8 video lessons274 views

Videos by Patrick Oden

A lecture for my TH559 course on theologies of the Holy Spirit that covers how the Holy Spirit or... more A lecture for my TH559 course on theologies of the Holy Spirit that covers how the Holy Spirit orients our desires, emotions, and passions

624 views

Books by Patrick Oden

Fortress Academic, 2019

The liberating work of God calls the oppressed out of oppression and the oppressor out of oppress... more The liberating work of God calls the oppressed out of oppression and the oppressor out of oppressing. The challenge in seeking a thorough liberation of oppressors is to help them understand their need for freedom and how to seek this freedom in their own contexts. Patrick Oden provides a holistic biblical, historical, and theological analysis that diagnoses the underlying motivations and inclinations that lead to oppression. Part one addresses the context of oppression, in which most participants in oppression do not actively seek to harm others but are caught up in systems that tend toward the diminishment of others. Part two examines the biblical and early Christian response to oppression, discovering a thread that avoids condemning participation in society generally while also cautioning the people of God about being co-opted by society. Part three discusses how oppressors can withdraw from oppression, through a constructive analysis of four contemporary theologians—Wolfhart Pannenberg, Jürgen Moltmann, Sarah Coakley, and Jean Vanier—each of whom contributes to a widening vision of liberated and liberating life in which the once-oppressed and former oppressor can find peace together in community.

Foreword written by Jürgen Moltmann

Moltmann has been interested in the ecclesial and societal consequences of systematic theology. F... more Moltmann has been interested in the ecclesial and societal consequences of systematic theology. From his first major work, Theology of Hope, to his book Experiences in Theology, he has devoted substantive space to what each particular doctrine means for our life in this world, as individuals and as a community. The Transformative Church explores these concerns more deeply, looking at each of his major texts and highlighting themes relevant for a transformative ecclesiology. These themes are augmented by adding the perspectives of a contemporary church movement that reflects, in its practices, many of the same concerns. With these conversation partners, Patrick Oden constructs a more substantive transformative ecclesiology, one that is embedded in this world: we are to become in the church who we are to be in this world, becoming whole in Christ to be a messianic people in any context.

The wilderness in the biblical book of Exodus was not just a geographic place. It was also an exp... more The wilderness in the biblical book of Exodus was not just a geographic place. It was also an experience that involved both the human and the divine. The wilderness was an experience of confusion, doubt, and even rebellion. When a 21st-century Christian community faces its own wilderness, it wrestles with the same issues and joins the children of Israel in crying "How long?"

Papers by Patrick Oden

Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World, 2013

Wesleyan Theological Journal, 2015

Over the last half-century, there has been a shift in how we think about Gods eternal nature and ... more Over the last half-century, there has been a shift in how we think about Gods eternal nature and work in this world. This relational turn in theology emphasizes a social model of the Trinity and with this a sociality of God’s kingdom rather than a political or hierarchical models. This is not, to be sure, a new conception. The terminology of perichoresis—God’s eternal dance—has, for instance, been a key model especially in the Christian East for many centuries, dating back to the early church. I propose a model of the atonement that derives from this emphasis on God’s relationality. This is a preliminary exploration for what is a much larger project certainly in need of further refining and development. I begin with a description of my initial proposal. I then point to Scripture passages that seem to lend support to this model. Third, I show how this model reflects views of salvation as indicated by Wolfhart Pannenberg and Jürgen Moltmann. Finally, I show how this model may be more adequate in light of contemporary psychological models of human development.

Interdisciplinary and Religio-Cultural Discourses on a Spirit-Filled World: Loosing the Spirits, 2013

Wesleyan Theological Journal, 2013

In this paper, I consider John Wesley's mother, Susanna Wesley. As a mother she has been often us... more In this paper, I consider John Wesley's mother, Susanna Wesley. As a mother she has been often used to explain Wesley’s later development, yet has generally been misused and misunderstood, leading to sometimes wrong conceptions of John Wesley as a man and as a Methodist. I provide a brief introduction to her life, followed by an overview of some of the psychological interpretations that have developed from earlier studies.

I suggest that these earlier studies are inadequate because they do not include the scope of Susanna’s interactions with her children. The bulk of this essay, then, will be to help remedy future interpretations by providing examples from her letters to her three sons: Samuel, Charles, and John. This was a predominantly positive influence
that helped give them both a creative genius and intrepid spirit that
led to the founding and thriving of the Methodist movement.

A Future For Holiness: Pentecostal Explorations, 2013

Journal of Pentecostal Theology, Jan 1, 2009

Abstract: The emerging church has recently gained attention in regards to its liturgical innovati... more Abstract: The emerging church has recently gained attention in regards to its liturgical innovation and postmodern methodology. Viewed through the lens of Jürgen Moltmann's theology, however, the emerging church is not merely another church growth movement but is expressing an implicit pneumatology that transforms and reshapes both the church and the context.