Theological Awakening?

This bushy-browed, energetic man of 56 does not look like the popular picture of the dour theologian--much less like a neo-Calvinist theologian. But among top prophets of neo-orthodoxy's contemporary "theology of crisis," Dr. Emil Brunner ranks second only to his fellow Swiss, Karl Earth.

Basic neo-orthodox premises: the Bible is the authoritative--though not necessarily literal--source of divine revelation; fallen man is innately so "other" than God that he can accomplish virtually nothing by good works, prayer or fasting, but must nevertheless keep trying, in hope of rescue by Divine Grace.

Last week, after two months in the U.S., Dr. Brunner flew back to Europe and his Systematic Theology classes at the University of Zurich. He had found the U.S. much changed for the better, theologically speaking, since his last visit in 1938-39. Said he:

"The U.S. is experiencing a theological awakening. American Protestantism is fast acquiring a living theology--a far more 'live' theology than either the antimodernist 'Bible-believing' fundamentalism or the modernist 'liberal rationalism' of the last quarter-century. The revival is most obvious among the seminarians, but I see it also among the intellectuals generally, and I believe it is even happening in the general public."

Theologian Brunner has high hope that the "awakening" in the U.S. will check an overemphasis on social-service Christianity that he opposes and deplores. His warning: "Americans developed the social side of Christianity much further than has the European church; but in the process you have been losing, to a high degree, substantial preaching. It would be the end if this went on. . . ."

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