Tom Oden

Christians on the continent of Africa have a birthright that awaits their full discovery.

-- Tom’s African Christian Vision

Thomas Oden’s Legacy

Thomas Oden was the Henry Anson Buttz Professor of Theology and Ethics Emeritus at The Theological School and the Graduate School of Drew University, a chair he held from 1980 to 2004.

In 2005, after eleven years focused on the editing of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, Thomas turned his focus to African Christianity, in particular, early Libyan Christianity.

After a year he set the book aside, and wrote How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind. In this short volume, he outlined the key thesis of the Center:

Africa played a decisive role in the formation of Christian culture– and invited others to offer their own skills in solving its problems. Soon after, with Thomas as the founding director the Center for Early African Christianity was launched.

-- Oden family members at the 2018 Symposium

2018 ODEN SYMPOSIUM

In November 2018, along with the Institute of Classical Christianity Studies, we hosted a symposium The Rediscovery of the City of God in New York City. The two-day event gathered scholars, pastors, international church leaders to explore themes in relation to Thomas Oden’s legacy: Classical Christianity, Ancient Christianity, spiritual renewal, and building bridges within the historic communities of faith.