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
Education and Religion
Why I Wrote “Against Liberal Theology”

Why I Wrote “Against Liberal Theology”

Last updated on: February 4, 2025 at 7:00 pm by Roger E. Olson

0 Comments

Why I Wrote “Against Liberal Theology” 2025-02-04T19:00:07-05:00 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.

This coming Monday (give or take a day) I will open discussion of my book “Against Liberal Theology: Putting the Brakes on Progressive Christianity” (Zondervan). If you want to participate, read the Introduction. You may comment if you read it but only ask questions if not.

Before diving into the book, though, I want to say why I wrote it and why I think I am qualified to write such a book.

I wrote it because: 1) Too few people who use the term “liberal theology” (or “liberal Christianity”) actually know what it is. In the book I argue that it is a tradition of theology and not a vague, amorphous “anything to the left of me” kind of theology. “Progressive Christianity” is not a tradition; it is an ethos, a mindset, which, if followed to its logical conclusion, leads to liberal theology.

2) Liberal theology as I mean it is inimical to robust Christianity and may not even be Christian at all. It may be a different religion. I demonstrate that possibility in the book with many quotes from well-known liberal theologians. (I quote only from theologians who acknowledged being liberal or who are generally acknowledged by scholars to be liberal in their theology.)

I believe that liberal theology is a major reason why the so-called “mainline Protestant churches” are dying. It is, as one of my students said, “weak sauce.” There is really no life in it. It is dull, overly-intellectual, and, of course, unbiblical. Taken to its extreme, it is disconnected entirely from historic, classical, orthodox Christianity.

There is genuine diversity within the liberal theological tradition, but there is also much commonality. The main common feature is what theologian Paul Welch called “maximal acknowledgement of the claims of modernity” in theology. I would rephrase that as “maximal accommodation to modernity” in theology.

In the book I focus almost exclusively on American liberal theologians. Yet, I cannot avoid mentioning German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher who is widely acknowledged as the “father” of liberal and modern theology.

I wrote the book because of what I call the “trickle down theory of theology.” By that I mean that pastors and lay people and students are influenced by theologians they have never heard of or studied. The influence of liberal Protestant theology is pervasive in the so-called “mainline churches” of America (and Europe). Church historian Martin Marty prefers “old line” to “mainline” and I agree with him. “Old” in the sense of “tired.”

So, what are my credentials for writing about liberal theology and critiquing it? I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian form of life that had very little theology. We had doctrines, but not theology in the sense of critical or constructive reflection on revelation and doctrines. My college experience was pure indoctrination; critical reflection was frowned on. My seminary experience was a mixture of critical and constructive reflection and gentle indoctrination.

During my seminary years I stepped out of the seminary and took courses at a Lutheran (ELCA) seminary (be extension) about process theology and liberation theology. Process theology is, of course, a major form of liberal theology. During seminary I read a lot of liberal theology. Then I earned my Ph.D at a secular university but studied under several Christian theologians there. At least one of them, probably two, was/were liberal theologically. I was exposed to liberal theology there. I really began to study liberal theology there. Then I studied theology at the University of Munich in Germany and was exposed to more liberal theology.

Later, I joined a theological professional society and rubbed shoulders with liberal theologians. I became president of that society. I organized liberal-evangelical dialogues. I read more deeply in liberal theology, spoke at liberal churches, responded to liberal theologians in theological meetings. I read both primary and secondary sources about liberal theology—as you will see if you read Against Liberal Theology. I was a member of at least two, maybe three, liberal Protestant churches—two Baptist and one Presbyterians. I invited self-identified liberal pastors and theologians to speak to my classes in the universities where I taught.

Anyway, if you want to know what liberal theology really is and why it is pernicious to Christianity, read the book with me. Start with the Introduction. I will post some comments on the Introduction here on or around Monday, January 20.

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

Education and Religion

Politics and Religion

Against Liberal Theology

Previous Post

January 15, 2025

Who Is A “Good Person?”

Next Post

January 20, 2025 Against Liberal Theology: Introduction

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"No doubt Lewis was inspired by earlier thinkers. Ironically (or perhaps serendipitously) I am now ..."

Roger Olson

The Abolition of Man: Chapter 3: ..."

"I am sure Lewis would agree. After all, as a Christian he believed in original ..."

Roger Olson

The Abolition of Man: Chapter 3: ..."

"If I’m not mistaken, the quote from Lewis is his interpretation of the “Conditioners’” own ..."

Roger Olson

The Abolition of Man: Chapter 3: ..."

"Thank you! It's been a great re-read of a thought provoking, but somewhat dense, little ..."

Øyvind J. Karstad

The Abolition of Man: Chapter 3: ..."

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month 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

In Revelation, what is the correct sequence of events in the End Times?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Dragon cast to earth, beast rises from sea, false prophet rises from earth, mark of the beast given False prophet rises, dragon cast to earth, beast rises from sea, mark of the beast given Mark of the beast given, dragon cast to earth, beast rises, false prophet rises Beast rises from sea, dragon cast to earth, mark of the beast given, false prophet rises