Oliver O'Donovan

Oliver O'Donovan (b. 1945) FBA is a foremost scholar in the field of Christian ethics and is considered one of the most prominent working theologians in the world. He has made large contributions to political theology, both contemporary and historical.

Life

O'Donovan is currently the Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the School of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh, a position which he has held since the summer of 2006 (and which had been vacant since July 2005 when the former holder the Rev'd Professor William Storrar left to head up the Center for Theological Enquiry at Princeton). Previously O'Donovan was Regius Professor of Moral & Pastoral Theology and Canon of Christ Church at the University of Oxford (1982-2006). Before that he taught at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford (1972-77) and at Wycliffe College, Toronto (1977-82). He is a past President of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics.

In 2001 he delivered the Stob Lectures at Calvin Theological Seminary.

O'Donovan is an ordained priest of the Church of England, and has been active in ecumenical dialogue as well as serving on the General Synod. He has been a Fellow of the British Academy since 2000. He has held distinguished visiting lectureships in the Universities of Durham and Cambridge, the Gregorian University in Rome, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, St. Patricks College, Maynooth, the University of Hong Kong, and Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.

In 1978 he married Joan Lockwood O'Donovan. They have jointly authored two books on the history of Christian political thought. He has two sons: Matthew and Paul.

Major works

• The Problem of Self-Love in Saint Augustine (Yale 1979) ISBN 0300024681
• Begotten or Made? (OUP 1984)
• On the Thirty-Nine Articles (Paternoster 1986)
• Resurrection and Moral Order (Eerdmans 1986)
• Peace and Certainty (Eerdmans 1989)
• The Desire of the Nations (CUP 1996) ISBN 0-521-66516-7
• Common Objects of Love (Eerdmans 2002)
• The Just War Revisited (CUP 2003)
• The Ways of Judgment (Eerdmans 2005) ISBN 0-8028-2920-1

Jointly Authored Works

• From Irenaeus to Grotius: a sourcebook in Christian political thought, ed. with Joan Lockwood O'Donovan (Eerdmans 1999) ISBN 0-8028-4209-7
• Bonds of Imperfection: Christian politics past and present, with Joan Lockwood O'Donovan (Eerdmans 2004) ISBN 0-8028-4975-X

Research Interests

• Christian Moral Concepts
• Christian Social & Political Thought
• Contemporary Ethical Questions
• St. Augustine's Moral & Theological Thought

References

External links

• University of Edinburgh, Faculty
• Centre for Theology and Public Issues, Edinburgh University