Polanus1561
Puritan Board Senior
isn’t the question just on influential theologians for evangelicalism? Errors don’t matter in such cases. See Karl Barth
21st century theologian “Hall of Fame”?
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RamistThomist
Puritanboard Assessor
That is no impediment to his being influential. Quite the opposite, probably.
History is full of surprises, and important and influential are different metrics than valuable. Furthermore, people sometimes lose reputation precisely as their insights become widespread and generally accepted. Then only people with a historical interest remember who was the first to suggest something that was astonishing in its day even though later it became commonplace.
A recovery of literary analysis is a valuable development that deserves to become widespread. Along those lines Richard Bauckham on Revelation and Robert Alter on Hebrew literary techniques might retain some degree of recognition. But if their approach secures the reception it deserves and is built upon, that might render them relatively unknown by name, even as the little rock they kicked becomes an avalanche.
bookslover
Puritan Board Doctor
Since the 21st century is only 24 years old (76 years to go!), the most influential theologian of this century possibly hasn't even been born yet!
Polanus1561
Puritan Board Senior
He can be considered 21st century so I go again with Bauckham. Appreciated by both conservatives and liberals.
Plus he will have technological resources at his disposal that surpass anything we have now. Of course that might also contribute to paralyse theological inquiry.
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