Key Theological Thinkers

Ashgate at month's end is set to release a big new collection made all the more impressive by the wonderfully high number of Orthodox figures covered: Staale Johannes Kristiansen and Svein Rise, eds., Key Theological Thinkers: From Modern to Postmodern (Ashgate, 2013), 690pp.

About this impressive tome we are told:

The 20th and 21st Centuries have been characterized by theologians and philosophers rethinking theology and revitalizing the tradition. This unique anthology presents contributions from leading contemporary theologians - including Rowan Williams, Fergus Kerr, Aidan Nichols, G.R. Evans and Tracey Rowland - who offer portraits of over fifty key theological thinkers in the modern and postmodern era. Distinguished by its broad ecumenical perspective, this anthology spans arguably one of the most creative periods in the history of Christian theology and includes thinkers from all three Christian traditions: Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox.

Each individual portrait in this anthology includes a biographical introduction, an overview of theological or philosophical writing, presentation of key thoughts, and contextual placing of the thinker within 20th Century religious discourse. Overview articles explore postmodern theology, radical orthodoxy, ecumenical theology, feminist theology, and liberation theology. A final section includes portraits of important thinkers who have influenced Christian thought from other fields, not least from Continental philosophy and literature.

The publisher provides a lengthy list of contents, and I have highlighted the Orthodox contributions:

Preface; Part I Introductions: A century of theological creativity: perspective on the renewal and development of the Christian tradition, Staale Johannes Kristiansen and Svein Rise; Protestant theology in the 20th century, Niels Henrik Gregersen; Catholic theology in the 20th century, Tracey Rowland; Orthodox theology in the 20th century, Aristotle Papanikolaou. 

Part II Protestant Theologians (Continental and Scandinavian): Karl Barth, Harald Hegstad; Rudolf Bultmann, Svein Aage Christoffersen; Werner Elert, Bernt T. Oftestad; Paul Tillich, Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Trygve Wyller; Knud Eljer Løgstrup, Svein Aage Christoffersen; Regin Prenter, Ådne Njå; Gustav Wingren, Jonny Karlsson; Jürgen Moltmann, Idar Kjølsvik; Wolfhart Pannenberg, Svein Rise; Eberhard Jüngel, Kjetil Hafstad.

Part III Catholic Theologians: Henri de Lubac, Fergus Kerr; Yves Congar, Gabriel Flynn; Karl Rahner, Svein Rise; Bernard Lonergan, Kirsten Busch Nielsen; Hans Urs von Balthasar, Staale Johannes Kristiansen; Jean Daniélou, Aidan Nichols; Edward Schillebeeckx, Olav Hovdelien; John Paul II/Karol Wojtyla, Michael Waldstein; Benedict XVI /Joseph Ratzinger, Gösta Hallonsten; Hans Küng, Hermann Häring; Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, Annelies Moeser.

Part IV Orthodox Theologians: Sergei Bulgakov, Andrew Louth; Georges Florovsky, Brandon Gallaher; Nicolas Afanasiev, Michael Plekon; Vladimir Lossky, Maii Kotiranta; Dumitru Staniloae, Calinic Berger; Alexander Schmemann, Sigurd Hareide; Matta El-Meskeen, Samuel Rubenson; Emilianos Timiadis, Gunnar af Hällström; Johannes Zizioulas, Lars Erk Rikheim.

Part V British and American Theologians: Austin Farrer, Margaret Yee; Michael Ramsay, Rowan Williams; Henry Chadwick, G.R. Evans; Jaroslav Pelikan, Jan Schumacher; George Lindbeck, Roland Spjuth; Robert W. Jenson, Olli-Pekka Vainio; Sallie McFague, Ellen T. Armour; David Tracy, Jan-Olav Henriksen; Stanley Hauerwas, Arne Rasmusson; Sarah Coakley, Linn Marie Tonstad; Alister E. McGrath, Olli-Pekka Vainio.

Part VI Theological Movements and Developments: Postmodern theology, Jayne Svenungsson; Radical orthodoxy, Ola Sigurdson; Feminist theology, Astri Hauge; Ecumenical theology, Peter Lodberg; Liberation theology, Sturla J. Stålsett; Pentecostal theology, Frank D. Macchia. Part VII Theology, Philosophy and Literature: G.K. Chesterton, Torbjørn Holt; Jacques Maritain, Gregory M. Reichberg; Edith Stein, Tor Martin Møller; C.S. Lewis, Oskar Skarsaune; Northrop Frye, Jan Schumacher; Paul Ricoeur, René Rosfort; Thomas Merton, Henning Sandström; Christos Yannaras, Norman Russell; John D. Caputo, Neal DeRoo; Jean-Luc Marion, Jan-Olav Henriksen; Index.