Within the contemporary landscape of theological scholarship who do you think are the rising young scholars to pay attention to? Who do you think will be among the next generation of great theological minds? I’m thinking of people who as of yet of produced one book or less. Somewhere in that range of relative newness. Here are a few of my choices:
- Kevin W. Hector (Chicago Divinity School)
- Douglas Knight (Kings College, London)
- J. Kameron Carter (Duke Divinity School)
- Chris K. Huebner (Canadian Mennonite University)
Who else would people nominate among those we should keep our eyes on?
I don’t know how he stacks up “objectively” but having gotten to know the guy in person and now read two of his recent essays, I want to put in a plug for Aaron Riches, currently a student with Milbank. He is as genuine and warm a fellow as you would ever want to meet, and I found his recent article in Modern Theology really fresh and provocative. He has truly ecumenical sensibilities when it comes to the East and the West. Here are links to two of his recent articles which you can read if you have access to Blackwell journals online:
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-0025.2007.00442.x
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2400.2008.00352.x
Paul D. Jones–University of Virginia
P.D. Jones and Kevin Hector would be my picks of up-and-comers who hold solid teaching positions.
In Catholic theology, Matthew Levering (Ave Maria U.) has received a lot of high praise.
Good call Kevin. Michael Hanby would be another potential (though I don’t know if he’s Catholic or not).
Ben Meyers!
Another potential I just thought of from the EO sector of the church: Aristotle Papanikolau.
C. C. Pecknold (Catholic Univeristy of America)
he’s 10 british theologians i thought worth keeping on:
http://andygoodliff.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/06/ten_theologians.html
From Duke, New Testament professor Kavin Rowe deserves a mention. Offers a promising contribution to the biblical studies/doctrine impasse.
Does anybody find it strange that there have been no women mentioned?
Suzanne McDonald, now teaching at Calvin. She has done some good work with the later Reformed tradition.
I just finished undergrad at Aberdeen and thought Brian Brock was an excellent thinker in ethics:
http://www.abdn.ac.uk/divinity/staff/details.php?id=b.brock
Webpages for those mentioned above:
Paul D. Jones:
http://www.virginia.edu/religiousstudies/admin/faculty/jones.html
Michael Hanby:
Michael Hanby is Assistant Professor of Theology at the John Paul II Marriage and Family Institute in Washington, D.C. He previously taught theology at Baylor University, and is the author of Augustine and Modernity (London: Routledge, 2003). He has written articles on the doctrine of creation, metaphysics and modern science, in journals such as Communio, and Modern Theology.
http://www.johnpaulii.edu/fulltimelist.html
Aristotle Papanikolaou
http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/theology/faculty/aristotle_papanikola_26156.asp
Chad C. Pecknold
http://religiousstudies.cua.edu/faculty2/Pecknold/index.cfm
Suzanne McDonald
http://www.calvin.edu/academic/religion/faculty.htm
Kavin Rowe
http://www.divinity.duke.edu/portal_memberdata/krowe
Erica Grimm Vance – faculty of Professional Studies and Preforming Arts, Art – Trinity Western University