Convinced, Concise, and Christian

Synopsis:This is the first comprehensive study of the thought of the Welsh theologian-philosopher Huw Parri Owen (1926-1996). Indebted to the heritage of Christian thought, and not bewitched by Barth, bothered by Flew, or bewildered by Bultmann, Owen brought considerable biblical, philosophical, and theological acumen to the articulation of a reasonable, experientially grounded faith. A sharp-minded Christian thinker--a number of whose discussions of philosophico-theological themes remain pertinent to current scholarly debate--is here rescued from unjustified neglect.Endorsements:Some theologians trumpet their arguments; others, with much less fanfare, simply get on with the dogmatic task. Huw Parri Owen was of the latter breed. His work continues to repay careful study as a model of clear, reasoned, careful theology informed by the Christian tradition and the biblical witness. So it is a delight to commend this study of Owen's thought by Professor Alan Sell. It offers a fair, balanced, yet critical account of some of the central themes in Owen's work, with an eye to the interlocutors and movements to which Owen addressed himself. I hope it will commend Owen to a new generation of readers as a twentieth-century theologian worthy of serious intellectual engagement.-Oliver D. CrispProfessor of Systematic TheologyFuller Theological SeminarySell here retrieves the thought of an under-known, undervalued Welsh theologian-philosopher who made some significant contributions toward 'a reasonable, experientially grounded Christian faith.' Sell's treatment is, as ever, evenhanded. He recognizes Owen's desire to be 'reasonable' without being a rationalist in faith while also insisting on the prime reality of experience, which tempers all else in his overall theology. Owen's thought is instructive; and this fine work makes it accessible to a new generation.-Donald K. McKimExecutive Editor for Theology and ReferenceWestminster John Knox PressAuthor Biography:Alan P. F. Sell, a philosopher-theologian and ecumenist, is employed in research, writing, and lecturing in the United Kingdom and abroad. He has held academic positions in England, Canada, and Wales, and ecclesiastical posts in England and Geneva. He is the author or editor of over thirty books, including Confessing and Commending the Faith (Wipf & Stock, 2006) and Hinterland Theology (Wipf & Stock, 2008).