Who was the greatest Christian thinker of the 20th Century?

[Grymir]

* If you mean an academic theologian, 'He who we will not name' took on the liberal establishment and had a greater impact on the world of theology and generations of ministerial training (not an altogether good thing, in my opinion).

Amen brother, preach on!!! I've seen first hand the problems in church's and in my local church. Hence my dis-like of Neo-Orthodoxy.

* Schaeffer, Sproul, Packer, and some of the others were primarily communicators and popularizers, not seminal thinkers. But, then, considering that I have taken classes or attended lectures from some of the so-called top Christian writers in the later 20th century, give me popularizers like Schaeffer, Sproul, or Packer any day!

Mega Ditto's! Schaeffer, although most don't consider him a 'giant', was a giant to me because he condensed the philosophical trends and was able to explain them and the impact that has on society and theology. His theological analysis was perhaps his best stuff. The ability to explain clearly and draw proper conclusions isn't easy, and yet he does it like a master. As much as I like to delve deeply into theology/philosophy, sometimes a good overview can just make ones day!

 

[DMcFadden]

Tim,

My profs at Westmont loved to dis Schaeffer as "nothing more" than a somewhat ignorant evangelist with a big vocabularly. But, in a time when I was captive to the nostrums of dispensationalism, growing up on the "wrong side of the tracks" with parents who never got beyond 8th grade (hey, my mom only went to school for 5 years before leaving home!), and attending a mainline church that did not teach much, discovering Schaeffer during my later high school years opened my eyes to the possibility of a Christian worldview.

While it was disappointing to see my profs pooh-pooh my hero, his impact on me and on the general Christian world will always be cherished by me. That is why people like Sproul, Piper, Packer, and Schaeffer matter to me much more than some of the "giants" of the last century. Greatest thinkers? You've got to be kidding. More important to me than the greatest thinkers? Priceless!

 

[TimV]

Something else inherent in a question like this is the limitations of those answering the question. When I read Barth, I generally like what I can understand, but the problem is that I can't understand much, so I have to leave the interpretation of some things that he wrote to those I trust who can understand him.

It's true he could have been purposely sneaky, and writing in ways that give him a back door when cornered, kind of like NT Wright. But I must admit I just don't have the wherewithal to understand Barth fully.

Interesting info from Timmo, like always. I do think there are things intrinsic in African and Asian cultures that had a bigger impact on the "conservative" positions of especially African churches. There is a deep seated revulsion of homosexuality, easy punishment for crime, women leading etc... that does coincide with conservative Western Christianity, but when it comes to weak points, they are really, really, weak. For instance I would not recommend anyone getting their hopes up that "conservative" African church leaders typically are faithful to their wives, don't practice nepotism with donations etc....

 

[Theogenes]

Gordon Clark

I wholeheartily agree!

 

[Craig]

I think my reading is a bit too narrow to say definitively...

Van Til's thinking has influenced me greatly...but indirectly. I still can't understand him particularly well.

I do think Bahnsen belongs on the list, and Rushdoony. I would also consider Ravi Zacharias simply because he is thought-provoking and makes connections at times in ways I wouldn't have imagined.

As much as I hate to say it, C.S. Lewis probably does belong on the list if Schaeffer does...but I really think he is overly hyped up by people.

As far as thinkers that have influenced me...David Bayly, Tim Bayly, Dr. Forney, Bahnsen, Rushdoony, R.C. Sproul, James White, and Ravi Zacharias.

 

[kalawine]

I would say it is Joel Osteen for helping us understand that Christ came so we can get rid of the bad habits that make our lives unhappy.



Okay, put the rocks down, I admit it was a bad joke.

me very sorry

Ewwww... terrible! OK, I'll put my rocks down.

-----Added 2/8/2009 at 10:01:12 EST-----

I'm itching to say Cornelius Van Til. However, I cannot say that he fulfills the criteria of being easy to read. I'm seminary trained and I find him hard slogging. The honor would then undoubtedly have to go to C.S. Lewis, much as I appreciate Gordon Clark (my father was his best friend), Van Til, and others that have been mentioned. The theonomist authors, unfortunately for those who claim them to be the greatest thinkers, have not had the influence outside their own relatively small circles necessary to be considered as the greatest thinker of the 20th century (with the possible exception of Rushdoony).

Wow! Your Dad was Clark's best friend? I'd like to hear more about that! PM me a little about it sometime if you don't mind.

-----Added 2/8/2009 at 10:07:49 EST-----

Gordon Clark

I wholeheartily agree!

I know that loving Clark goes against the popular grain but I love to read Clark and I have learned an awful lot from him though I wouldn't agree with him on everything (as I wouldn't agree with anyone else on everything).

I'm amazed at how much I love Clark and yet, right now I'm reading Bahnsen and I love him. A dichotomy which would no doubt puzzle the late Dr. John Robbins.

Anyway, I meant to say that (even though I'm not as educated and well read as some of you here in the area of theology) with me, Gordon Clark is hard to beat in logic and originality.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Don't worry Kevin somehow in my messed up brain I have taken to love Clark, Van Til, Bahnsen, and Rushdoony.

 

[kalawine]

Don't worry Kevin somehow in my messed up brain I have taken to love Clark, Van Til, Bahnsen, and Rushdoony.

I haven't read Rushdoony but I have some mp3's and I've heard him quoted by many preachers. Can't we just love 'em all? I can't imagine getting to the "pearly gates" and being asked, "Are you a Van Tillian or a Clarkian?"

"A Clarkian (or whatever)"

"Depart from me you worker of iniquity! I never knew you!"

 

[RamistThomist]

Sergius Bulgakov

Vladimir Lossky

Henri de Lubac

Hans urs von Balthasar

Schaeffer wasn't that profound. As others noted, he simply copied Rushdoony but he got to maintain Reformed respectability. While I learned the Reformed faith under Bahnsen and Rushdoony, most of philosophy and theology has moved on.

Any thoughts on Karl Rahner?

Intellectually he is very smart and did much to get the church re-interested in Trinitarian theology. I am not so sure I would want him as a pastor, though.

 

[py3ak]

No, I wouldn't want him as a pastor either, though he seems to have been rather a good preacher. I was wondering why he didn't make the list when Urs von Balthazar did.

 

[RamistThomist]

No, I wouldn't want him as a pastor either, though he seems to have been rather a good preacher. I was wondering why he didn't make the list when Urs von Balthazar did.

good question. my list was completely aribtrary