Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
RIP Juergen Moltmann: The Last World Class Theologian

RIP Juergen Moltmann: The Last World Class Theologian

Last updated on: June 6, 2024 at 8:09 am by Roger E. Olson

0 Comments

RIP Juergen Moltmann: The Last World Class Theologian 2024-06-06T08:09:21-05:00 Roger E. Olson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Juergen Moltmann

Juergen Moltmann died this month (June, 2024) at age 98. He was my most important theological “conversation partner” even though I did not agree with everything he said or wrote. I read almost every book he wrote, including some in German, and spent quality time with him. I considered him a friend.

Why do I say he was the late “world-class theologian?” Because, when he was alive and active in writing and speaking, all over the world, he was one of a small handful of Christian theologians who was known about, read, studied, heard, followed by people all over the world. When he died, this month, he was the last of those. I am not aware of anyone alive now who comes close to the worldwide influence Moltmann exercised.

I was on the cusp of going to Tuebingen to study with him when plans changed and I ended up in Munich studying with Wolfhart Pannenberg instead. But some years later I had the privilege of meeting him, dining with him, having personal conversations with him, corresponding with him, and even chairing “sessions” where he was the lead speaker at gatherings of theologians and theology students.

Once I was moderator of a Q&A with Moltmann when a theology student asked him a question. For whatever reason, he looked at me and said “You answer it.” I did and he was pleased with my answer for him.

Once, when I was having dinner with him, I asked him about “open theism.” He expressed that he did not know what that is. I explained it to him. His response was “Yes, of course. That is part of the kenosis of God!” I admit I was puzzled and would have liked to pursue that further, but he was off on another subject. (There were several around the table and all wanted to ask him questions.)

Moltmann was no dogmatician or systematic theologian. He did not eschew doctrines, but he viewed his theological work as a series of experiments or projects in thought. He did not strive for total consistency across his books. His theology was free to change and develop.

I have always said that Moltmann’s goal in theology was to carry forward, if not complete, Karl Barth’s theological project. He thought Barth did not really take eschatology seriously enough. But he found inspiration in Barth’s thoughts about revelation and Jesus Christ and eschatology, however the latter was undeveloped.

The one “big theme” of Moltmann’s theology was Jesus Christ as God with us and all that (he believed) that implied, even about God. God suffered in the suffering of Jesus. He denied the immutability of God and embraced a Christ-centered concept of God. He rejected much of so-called “classical theism.” Yet, he was orthodox in that he believed in the incarnation, resurrection, Trinity, salvation by grace alone, return of Christ.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Moltmann was extremely popular among American Christian theologians and he came to America to speak numerous times. Even evangelical theologians found in him a congenial thinker.

I wrote two chapters about Moltmann’s theology, one in 20th Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age (co-authored with Stanley Grenz, although I wrote that chapter) and in The Journey of Modern Theology: From Reconstruction to Deconstruction (both published by InterVarsity Press).

Someone will ask me to recommend a book by Moltmann. I think his most mature and signature book is The Coming of God (Fortress Press). However, his most “talked about” book was probably The Crucified God (also Fortress Press).

*Note: If you choose to comment, make sure your comment is relatively brief (no more than 100 words), on topic, addressed to me, civil and respectful (not hostile or argumentative), and devoid of pictures or links.*

Uncategorized

Previous Post

June 3, 2024

Us for Them: Book Discussion: Chapter 1

Next Post

June 8, 2024 The Enneagram: A Christian Tool?

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"“Secular” means non-religious. No religion is embraced by American society anymore. Christianity remains the leading ..."

Roger Olson

Billy Graham’s Successor?

"I will look him up. Never heard of him."

Roger Olson

Billy Graham’s Successor?

"Where and when and how did I “support” a leader or church…? I said I ..."

Roger Olson

I’m Proud of Adam Hamilton (and ..."

"4-5% of the population is atheist or literally 'secular' not the entire country.Thats a really ..."

davidt

Billy Graham’s Successor?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2026 October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which letter encourages believers to "rejoice in the Lord always"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

2 Thessalonians Philippians 1 Peter Colossians