20th-Century Theology: God and the World in a Transitional Age Book

Olson and Grenz undertake the ambitious task (especially for 1992) of weaving together a narrative-dialogical presentation of twentieth century theology, encompassing mainline and evangelical Protestantism together with progressive Roman Catholicism. On the whole, they have produced a fascinating account and a helpful review of relevant theologians and their most significant publications. But man, this book is a slog to read through. The authors could have accomplished their task in about 80% of the pages actually published.

Using the twin concepts of divine transcendence and divine immanence as an interpretive/organizational rubric, the authors propose the unbalanced focus on immanence throughout the twentieth century, with flashes of transcendence (e.g., Barth, Pannenberg, Moltmann, Henry, Ramm) interspersed at points, has both dominated the century and largely spoiled theology. On pages 266-267 they summarize the theme of twentieth century theology: "That God suffers is almost a truism in contemporary theology. In a single theological generation the traditional doctrine of God's impassability has been overturned, so that it is now almost heresy to reassert it." They end on a note of optimism that the rise of postmodernism will inspire a new vitality in evangelical theology. I'm not sure that ensuing history has borne out that prediction/hope. On the contrary, the best of worldwide Christianity has engaged in retrieval and development of a classical theological tradition once thought lost.