Donald George Bloesch (1928–2010) was an American evangelicaltheologian. For more than 40 years, he published scholarly yet accessible works that generally defend traditional Protestant beliefs and practices while seeking to remain in the mainstream of modern Protestant theological thought. His seven-volume Christian Foundations series has brought him recognition as an important American theologian.[8]
He characterized himself a "progressive evangelical" or "ecumenical orthodox" criticizing the excesses of both the theological left and right. He often decried the abandonment of traditional values among liberals, but also the ugly, reactionary habits of some conservatives.[citation needed]
His own denomination, in which he was an ordained minister, was the United Church of Christ (UCC). He was raised in the Evangelical and Reformed Church, now merged with the UCC, in which his father and both his grandfathers were also ordained ministers. The "E and R" was a representative of evangelical pietism, a movement that emphasized personal piety, a discerning, educated laity, a reliance on scripture, and an acceptance of the mystical side of Christianity.
Bloesch's pietistic background and personal spiritual life lay at the heart of understanding his theology and how Christianity is to continue into the future.[citation needed] In his view, much of American Protestantism has entrenched itself into narrow intellectually based definitions of doctrine which omit, exclude and even prohibit the mystical element as the governing element of the faith (i.e., the action of the Holy Spirit).[improper synthesis?] Much of his critique is in fact directed at his own denomination, the United Church of Christ; he worked with a conservative lobbying group, the Biblical Witness Fellowship, to protest against its more liberal theological and ethical streams.[citation needed]
From 1957 until his retirement in 1992, he was a professor of theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, where he continued as a professor emeritus.[9] The seminary's library serves as the repository of his papers.
Daniel J. Adams, editor, From East to West: Essays in Honor of Donald G. Bloesch, 1997 ISBN0-7618-0801-9
References
^Emerick, Christopher C. (2011). "Bloesch, Donald G. (b. 1928)". In Kurian, George Thomas (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization. Malden, Massachusetts: Wiley-Blackwell. doi:10.1002/9780470670606.wbecc0165. ISBN978-0-470-67060-6.
^Coward, David R. (1982). Faith, Reason and Scripture in the Theology of Donald G. Bloesch (MA thesis). Bowling Green, Kentucky: Western Kentucky University. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^ abOlson, Roger E. (May 10, 2019). "A Great Evangelical Theologian to Read: Donald G. Bloesch". Roger E. Olson: My Evangelical Arminian Theologian Musings. Patheos. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^Bloesch, Donald G. (1991). "Law and Gospel in Reformed Perspective". Grace Theological Journal. 12 (2): 179. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^ abJohnson, Thomas K. (2013). "Dialogue with Kierkegaard in Protestant Theology: Donald Bloesch, Francis Schaeffer, and Helmut Thielicke" (PDF). Martin Bucer Seminary. p. 3. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^McWilliams, Warren (2018). "Review of The Mosaic of Christian Belief: Twenty Centuries of Unity and Diversity (2nd ed.), by Roger E. Olson" (PDF). Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry. 15 (1): 138. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
^Husbands, Mark (2003). "Bloesch, Donald". In Larsen, Timothy (ed.). Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals. Leicester (UK); Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity Press. p. 58. ISBN9780830829255. This project has secured for him a reputation as one of the pre-eminent North American evangelical theologians of his generation.
^. 2006-12-30. Archived from the original on 2006-12-30. Retrieved 2019-10-01.
Sources
1996 personal and intellectual biography by colleague Elmer M. Colyer
The Boston Collaborative Encyclopedia of Modern Western Theology
DTS library, repository for his papers
Donald G. Bloesch's Obituary in Dubuque's Telegraph Herald[permanent dead link]
DONALD G. BLOESCH (1928-2010)
March 04, 2023
donald, bloesch, donald, george, bloesch, 1928, 2010, american, evangelical, theologian, more, than, years, published, scholarly, accessible, works, that, generally, defend, traditional, protestant, beliefs, practices, while, seeking, remain, mainstream, moder. Donald George Bloesch 1928 2010 was an American evangelical theologian For more than 40 years he published scholarly yet accessible works that generally defend traditional Protestant beliefs and practices while seeking to remain in the mainstream of modern Protestant theological thought His seven volume Christian Foundations series has brought him recognition as an important American theologian 8 The ReverendDonald G BloeschBornDonald George Bloesch 1928 05 03 May 3 1928Bremen Indiana USDiedAugust 24 2010 2010 08 24 aged 82 Dubuque Iowa USSpouseBrenda Jackson m 1962 wbr Ecclesiastical careerChurchEvangelical and Reformed ChurchUnited Church of ChristOrdained1953 1 Academic backgroundAlma materElmhurst CollegeChicago Theological SeminaryUniversity of ChicagoInfluencesKarl Barth 2 3 Christoph Blumhardt 4 John Calvin 5 Jacques Ellul 6 Reinhold Niebuhr 6 Academic workDisciplineTheologySub disciplineSystematic theologySchool or traditionEvangelicalismReformed ChristianityInstitutionsUniversity of DubuqueNotable worksChristian Foundations 1992 2006 InfluencedRoger E Olson 4 7 He characterized himself a progressive evangelical or ecumenical orthodox criticizing the excesses of both the theological left and right He often decried the abandonment of traditional values among liberals but also the ugly reactionary habits of some conservatives citation needed His own denomination in which he was an ordained minister was the United Church of Christ UCC He was raised in the Evangelical and Reformed Church now merged with the UCC in which his father and both his grandfathers were also ordained ministers The E and R was a representative of evangelical pietism a movement that emphasized personal piety a discerning educated laity a reliance on scripture and an acceptance of the mystical side of Christianity Bloesch s pietistic background and personal spiritual life lay at the heart of understanding his theology and how Christianity is to continue into the future citation needed In his view much of American Protestantism has entrenched itself into narrow intellectually based definitions of doctrine which omit exclude and even prohibit the mystical element as the governing element of the faith i e the action of the Holy Spirit improper synthesis Much of his critique is in fact directed at his own denomination the United Church of Christ he worked with a conservative lobbying group the Biblical Witness Fellowship to protest against its more liberal theological and ethical streams citation needed From 1957 until his retirement in 1992 he was a professor of theology at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque Iowa where he continued as a professor emeritus 9 The seminary s library serves as the repository of his papers Born on May 3 1928 in Bremen Indiana he received his undergraduate degree from Elmhurst College in Elmhurst Illinois He earned his Bachelor of Divinity BD at Chicago Theological Seminary and his PhD at the University of Chicago He did postdoctoral work in Europe at Oxford Basel and Tubingen He served as president of the Midwest Division of the American Theological Society In 1997 a Festschrift was published in his honor called From East to West Essays in Honor of Donald G Bloesch He died on August 24 2010 Contents 1 Published works 2 Festschriften 3 References 4 SourcesPublished works EditSystematic Theology Essentials of Evangelical Theology Volume 1 God Authority and Salvation 1978 ISBN 0 06 060798 X Essentials of Evangelical Theology Volume 2 Life Ministry amp Hope 1984 ISBN 0 06 060799 8Christian Foundations series A Theology of Word amp Spirit Authority amp Method in Theology 1992 ISBN 0 8308 1411 6 God the Almighty Power Wisdom Holiness Love 1995 ISBN 0 8308 1413 2 Jesus Christ Savior amp Lord 1997 ISBN 0 8308 1414 0 The Holy Spirit Works amp Gifts 2000 ISBN 0 8308 1415 9 The Church Sacraments Worship Ministry Mission 2002 ISBN 0 8308 1416 7 The Last Things Resurrection Judgment Glory 2004 ISBN 0 8308 1417 5 Holy Scripture Revelation Inspiration amp Interpretation 2006 ISBN 0 8308 1412 4 cloth ISBN 0 8308 2752 8 pbk Theological Notebooks Theological Notebook 1960 1964 Spiritual Journals of Donald G Bloesch 1989 ISBN 0 939443 12 0 Theological Notebook 1964 1968 Spiritual Journals of Donald G Bloesch 1991 ISBN 0 939443 13 9 Theological Notebook Volume 3 1969 1983 The Spiritual Journals of Donald G Bloesch 2005 ISBN 1 59752 311 9Centers of Christian Renewal 1964 ISBN 0 06 060799 8 The Christian Life and Salvation 1967 1991 ISBN 0 939443 24 4 The Christian Witness in a Secular Age An Evaluation of Nine Contemporary Theologians 1968 2002 ISBN 1 57910 854 7 Christian Spirituality East amp West 1968 with co author Jordan Aumann The Crisis of Piety Essays Towards a Theology of the Christian Life 1968 2nd ed 1988 ISBN 0 939443 05 8 The Reform of the Church 1970 1998 ISBN 978 1 57910 174 9 The Ground of Certainty Toward an Evangelical Theology of Revelation 1971 2002 ISBN 1 57910 877 6 The Evangelical Renaissance 1973 ISBN 0 8028 1527 8 Wellsprings of Renewal Promise in Christian Communal Life 1974 ISBN 0 8028 1500 6 Light a Fire Gospel Songs for Today 1975 Jesus is Victor Karl Barth s Doctrine of Salvation 1976 ISBN 0 687 20225 6 The Invaded Church 1977 The Orthodox Evangelicals Who They Are and What They Are Saying 1978 co editor ISBN 0 8407 5654 2 Life Ministry and Hope 1979 ISBN 0 06 060799 8 Faith amp Its Counterfeits 1981 ISBN 0 87784 822 X Is the Bible Sexist Beyond Feminism and Patriarchalism 1982 ISBN 0 89107 243 8 Crumbling Foundations Death and Rebirth in an Age of Upheaval 1984 ISBN 0 310 29821 0 The Battle for the Trinity The Debate over Inclusive God language 1985 ISBN 0 89283 230 4 Reprint 2001 ISBN 9781579106928 Freedom for Obedience Evangelical Ethics in Contemporary Times 1987 ISBN 0 06 060804 8 The Future of Evangelical Christianity A Call for Unity Amid Diversity 1988 ISBN 0 939443 10 4 The Struggle of Prayer 1988 ISBN 0 939443 04 X Reinhold Niebuhr s Re evaluation of the Apologetic Task unknown date Spirituality Old amp New 2007 ISBN 978 0 8308 2838 8Festschriften EditDaniel J Adams editor From East to West Essays in Honor of Donald G Bloesch 1997 ISBN 0 7618 0801 9References Edit Emerick Christopher C 2011 Bloesch Donald G b 1928 In Kurian George Thomas ed The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization Malden Massachusetts Wiley Blackwell doi 10 1002 9780470670606 wbecc0165 ISBN 978 0 470 67060 6 Coward David R 1982 Faith Reason and Scripture in the Theology of Donald G Bloesch MA thesis Bowling Green Kentucky Western Kentucky University Retrieved December 4 2019 Olson Roger E 2005 The SCM Press A Z of Evangelical Theology London SCM Press p 95 ISBN 978 0 334 04011 8 a b Olson Roger E May 10 2019 A Great Evangelical Theologian to Read Donald G Bloesch Roger E Olson My Evangelical Arminian Theologian Musings Patheos Retrieved December 4 2019 Bloesch Donald G 1991 Law and Gospel in Reformed Perspective Grace Theological Journal 12 2 179 Retrieved December 4 2019 a b Johnson Thomas K 2013 Dialogue with Kierkegaard in Protestant Theology Donald Bloesch Francis Schaeffer and Helmut Thielicke PDF Martin Bucer Seminary p 3 Retrieved December 4 2019 McWilliams Warren 2018 Review of The Mosaic of Christian Belief Twenty Centuries of Unity and Diversity 2nd ed by Roger E Olson PDF Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry 15 1 138 Retrieved December 4 2019 Husbands Mark 2003 Bloesch Donald In Larsen Timothy ed Biographical Dictionary of Evangelicals Leicester UK Downers Grove Ill Inter Varsity Press p 58 ISBN 9780830829255 This project has secured for him a reputation as one of the pre eminent North American evangelical theologians of his generation University of Dubuque Theological Seminary 800 369 UDTS 2006 12 30 Archived from the original on 2006 12 30 Retrieved 2019 10 01 Sources Edit1996 personal and intellectual biography by colleague Elmer M Colyer Theopedia article which Inter Varsity Press bio The Boston Collaborative Encyclopedia of Modern Western Theology Elmhurst College distinguished alumni DTS library repository for his papers Donald G Bloesch s Obituary in Dubuque s Telegraph Herald permanent dead link DONALD G BLOESCH 1928 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Donald G Bloesch amp oldid 1132894057, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
