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Remembering Bibfeldt
Abstract: Is a fictional theologian responsible for current events in the church?
The elusive 20th century Protestant theologian Franz Bibfeldt is most often remembered in academic circles for his doctoral thesis The Problem of the Year Zero presented in 1927 at the University of Worms. Yet Biblfeldt's influence extends far beyond matters of chronology. The New York Times hinted at the source of Bibfeldt's appeal:
Bibfeldt devoted his life to this overarching theme: the search for the missing middle. In his seminal 1951 work, ''The Relieved Paradox,'' he sought to reconcile all to all, to insure that theology fulfills its mission to ''make things come out right.'' He responded sharply to Soren Kierkegaard's ''Either/Or'' with his own treatise, ''Both/And,'' but later, in a conciliatory gesture, published ''Either/Or and/or Both/And.''
Current events indicate that Bibfeldt's influence on contemporary church issues has been vastly underestimated. Though Bibfeldt's own denominational affiliation remains shrouded in mystery, his influence on American theologians has come chiefly through the efforts of Lutherans associated with the University of Chicago.
