Content and Method in Christian Theology: A Case Study of the Thought of Nels Ferré

An exploration of how methodological approaches can affect theological conclusions, using the Swedish-American theologian Nels Ferré as a case in point.

"For three decades, he flashed like a meteor across the theological horizon, and then vanished." So writes Alan P.F. Sell of Nels F.S. Ferré (1908-1971), a mid-twentieth-century theologian whose work is little remembered, despite his constructive and often provocative contributions to theological debates that endure today. While Professor Sell speculates upon the reasons for this inattention, his primary concern is to show that Ferré's works raise timeless questions about the relations between content and method in theology. How far do the personal convictions of theologians influence their theological method? May methodological decisions yield attenuated accounts of Christian doctrine? This in-depth analysis of Ferré's thought is a cautionary tale concerning the importance of the choice of starting-points for theological reflection that will prove an invaluable resource for theologians and historians of Christian thought, whilst also remaining an approachable text for those with a general interest in theology.

Alan P. F. Sell, of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, is a philosopher-theologian and ecumenist who has held academic posts in England, Canada, and Wales, and ecclesiastical posts in England and Geneva. He is the author of over thirty books.