Customer Reviews

The Making of American Liberal Theology: Crisis, Irony, and Postmodernity: 1950-2005

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Gary Dorrien has written an extraordinary work of scholarship, more felicitiously written than one ordinarily expects of so much involved historical material. He gives full and detailed discussions of various schools of liberal theology: Personalism, the Chicago school, the Vanderbilt theologians, Romans Catholic, feminist, and a wide range of many individual theologians. The work is made even more interesting by pertinent biographical information, giving personal location to their work. The evaluations include diligent research into reviews and reactions by colleagues and their responses. The work is also enlivened by reports of many persoanl conversations and responses.
The book seemed to be even-handed in its approach to different points of view. I could not sense Dorrien's personal stance, except that he was in the liberal camp as post-neoorthodox. I felt he did give a very generous amount of space to tracing the fortunes of the Chicago school. I was also impressed with the positive treatment he gave to Nels Ferre, of whom little has been heard in recent years. Dorrien's mastery of massive, difficult material makes one hope he will one day give us his own systematic take on matters theological.
As an M.Div. of Union Seminary, N.Y., in 1949, I have lived through the period covered by the book, and am impressed by its coverage. A few impressions: (1) the courageous endeavor of liberal theology to deal with the world of our time; (2) its extreme pluralistic character; (3) its orientation to the academy, rather than the church; (4) as a pastoral minister for 51 years, it gives me some idea of why the church has had such a struggle, and why it has been so stressful to try to be a "believer" in this period.

(The Rev.) C. Eugene Stollings

Gary Dorrien is a highly informed writer on American theological history. His is a needed correction to the widespread view that religious history is a history of reactionary thought and ultra-conservative views. Such ideas are present in the history of American Christianity, to be sure, but Dorrien selects those whose ideas were more creative and progressive.

Much of American thelogy in the 1950s and after had a "neo-orthodox" cast to it, meaning it took a somewhat pessimistic view of human nature, emphasized human sin and called for a return to more orthodox beliefs, though in a sophistocated framework. Dorrien deals with this movement, but shows how many of its spokesmen, such as Reinhold Niebuhr, were actually liberals at heart. The stress is on a modern, intellectual, contemporary theology that is compatible with science and the thinking of some of our best minds.

Not everyone will agree with the thought of this book, but its analysis is very well done and deserves careful reading.

I have yet to read this volume, but have read 3 previous works, all top notch. His incredible erudition is matched by his fluid writing, making him a joy to read.