I\u2019ve been reading Thomas C. Oden for a few years, and his newest book, Turning around the Mainline<\/em>, continues his theme of renewal within the mainline denominations in the USA and Canada and the return to classical orthodoxy. Some highlights of this book that once again is brimming over with hope: I\u2019ve been reading Thomas C. Oden for a few years, and his newest book, Turning around the Mainline, continues his theme of renewal within the mainline denominations in the USA and Canada and the return to classical orthodoxy. Some highlights of this book that once again is brimming over with hope:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[476],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIn 1993 and 1994 Oden, with some others, began to map out how to renew mainline denominations and how to gather together those within the mainline who are orthodox. Oden has collected information of what he calls the \u201cConfessing Movement.\u201d
\nOden puts on the table many familiar themes \u2014 the theological implosion of the institutional and denominational leaders, the seminaries, and the sponsored publications.
\nHe charts the major renewal theological statements in a series of chapters that collect a variety of confessional statements from a variety of groups from a variety of mainline denominations.
\nOden is all for a classical \u201cmere Christianity\u201d and for orthodox ecumenical interaction, but not for dialogue that refuses to ask questions about theological truth.
\nHe provides hope for the many, many (and some of them former students of mine from the TEDS days) who have said they\u2019d rather stick with their mother church through thick and thin than leave the fold.
\nAn interesting parallel for me: while many in the emerging movement are discovering the breadth of the gospel and its social vision, these Confessing Christians are fighting hard for a theological orthodoxy in the middle of many who have only a social vision.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"