Harvey Cox
Encyclopedia
Harvey Gallagher Cox, Jr. (born May 19, 1929 in Malvern
, Pennsylvania
) is one of the preeminent theologians in the United States
and served as Hollis Research Professor of Divinity at the Harvard Divinity School
, until his retirement in October 2009. Cox's research and teaching focus on theological developments in world Christianity
, including liberation theology
and the role of Christianity in Latin America
.
, Cox attended the University of Pennsylvania
and graduated in 1951 with a B.A.
degree with honors in history
. He went on to earn a B.D.
degree from the Yale University
Divinity School in 1955, and a Ph.D.
degree in the history and philosophy of religion from Harvard University
in 1963.
Cox was ordained as an American Baptist
minister in 1957, and started teaching as an assistant professor
at the Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts
. He then began teaching at the Harvard Divinity School in 1965 and in 1969 became a full professor.
Cox became widely known with the publication of The Secular City in 1965. It became immensely popular and influential for a book on theology, selling over one million copies. Cox developed the thesis that the church is primarily a people of faith and action, rather than an institution. He argued that "God is just as present in the secular as the religious realms of life". Far from being a protective religious community, the church should be in the forefront of change in society, celebrating the new ways religiosity is finding expression in the world. Phrases such as "intrinsic conservatism prevents the denominational churches from leaving their palaces behind and stepping into God's permanent revolution in history" (p. 206) can be viewed as threatening to the status quo
, and for some an embrace of the social revolution of the 1960s.
In Taylor Branch
's history, Parting the Waters, Branch notes that Cox hosted a dinner at which Martin Luther King, Jr.
was introduced to people who would become some of his closest colleagues and advisors as a civil rights activist.
Cox retired in September 2009 in a well publicised ceremony and celebration. His new book, "The Future of Faith" was released to coincide with his retirement. “The Future of Faith’’ explores three important trends in Christianity’s 2,000 years. He views the religion’s first three centuries as the Age of Faith, when followers simply embraced the teachings of Jesus. Then came the Age of Belief, in which church leaders increasingly took control and set acceptable limits on doctrine
and orthodoxy
. But the last 50 years, Cox contends, welcome in the Age of the Spirit, in which Christians have begun to ignore dogma
and embrace spirituality
, while finding common threads with other religions.
Malvern, Pennsylvania
Malvern is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census. The main road through the borough is King Street, although the borough is also bordered by Paoli Pike on the south, and is near US 30 on the north. The primary cross street is Warren...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) is one of the preeminent theologians in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and served as Hollis Research Professor of Divinity at the Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
, until his retirement in October 2009. Cox's research and teaching focus on theological developments in world Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, including liberation theology
Liberation theology
Liberation theology is a Christian movement in political theology which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions...
and the role of Christianity in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Biography
After a stint in the U.S. Merchant MarineUnited States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
, Cox attended the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and graduated in 1951 with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree with honors in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. He went on to earn a B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
Divinity School in 1955, and a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degree in the history and philosophy of religion from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1963.
Cox was ordained as an American Baptist
American Baptist Churches USA
The American Baptist Churches USA is a Baptist Christian denomination within the United States. The denomination maintains headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The organization is usually considered mainline, although varying theological and mission emphases may be found among its...
minister in 1957, and started teaching as an assistant professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He then began teaching at the Harvard Divinity School in 1965 and in 1969 became a full professor.
Cox became widely known with the publication of The Secular City in 1965. It became immensely popular and influential for a book on theology, selling over one million copies. Cox developed the thesis that the church is primarily a people of faith and action, rather than an institution. He argued that "God is just as present in the secular as the religious realms of life". Far from being a protective religious community, the church should be in the forefront of change in society, celebrating the new ways religiosity is finding expression in the world. Phrases such as "intrinsic conservatism prevents the denominational churches from leaving their palaces behind and stepping into God's permanent revolution in history" (p. 206) can be viewed as threatening to the status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
, and for some an embrace of the social revolution of the 1960s.
In Taylor Branch
Taylor Branch
Taylor Branch is an American author and historian best known for his award-winning trilogy of books chronicling the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and some of the history of the American civil rights movement...
's history, Parting the Waters, Branch notes that Cox hosted a dinner at which Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
was introduced to people who would become some of his closest colleagues and advisors as a civil rights activist.
Cox retired in September 2009 in a well publicised ceremony and celebration. His new book, "The Future of Faith" was released to coincide with his retirement. “The Future of Faith’’ explores three important trends in Christianity’s 2,000 years. He views the religion’s first three centuries as the Age of Faith, when followers simply embraced the teachings of Jesus. Then came the Age of Belief, in which church leaders increasingly took control and set acceptable limits on doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
and orthodoxy
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
. But the last 50 years, Cox contends, welcome in the Age of the Spirit, in which Christians have begun to ignore dogma
Dogma
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization. It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers...
and embrace spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
, while finding common threads with other religions.
Books
- The Secular City: Secularization and Urbanization in Theological Perspective (1965), Collier Books, 25th anniversary edition 1990: ISBN 0-02-031155-9
- God's Revolution and Man's Responsibilities (1966) no ISBN issued
- The Feast of Fools: A Theological Essay on Festivity and Fantasy (1969), Harvard University Press, ISBN 0-674-29525-0, Harper & Row 1970 paperback: ISBN 0-06-080272-3, HarperCollins 2000 paperback: ISBN 0-06-090212-4
- The Seduction of the Spirit: The Use and Misuse of People's Religion (1973), Touchstone edition 1985: ISBN 0-671-21728-3
- Turning East: Why Americans Look to the Orient for Spirituallity-And What That Search Can Mean to the West (1978), Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0-671-24405-1
- Religion in the Secular City: Toward a Postmodern Theology, (1985), Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0-671-52805-X
- Many Mansions: A Christian's Encounter with Other Faiths (1988), Beacon Press reprint 1992: ISBN 0-8070-1213-0
- The Silencing of Leonardo BoffLeonardo BoffLeonardo Boff was born 14 December 1938 in Concórdia, Santa Catarina state, Brazil. He is a theologian, philosopher and writer, known for his active support for the rights of the poor and excluded....
: The Vatican and the Future of World Christianity, (1988) ISBN 0-940989-35-2 - Fire from Heaven: The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Re-shaping of Religion in the 21st Century, (1994), Decapo Press reprint 2001: ISBN 0-306-81049-2
- Religion in a Secular City: Essays in Honor of Harvey Cox, Harvey Cox, Arvind Sharma editors, (2001), Trinity Press, ISBN 1-56338-337-3
- Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christian's Journey Through the Jewish Year, (2002), Mariner Books, ISBN 0-618-25733-0 (paperback)
- When Jesus Came to Harvard: Making Moral Choices Today, (2004), Houghton Mifflin, ISBN 0-618-06744-2 (hardcover)
- The Future of Faith, (2009), HarperOne, ISBN 0-0617-5552-4 (hardcover)
External links
- Official page at Harvard Divinity School
- Time magazine profile of April, 1965
- The Secular City 25 Years Later, by Harvey Cox
- An Outside Look at Secular Judaism, by Harvey Cox
- Interview with Harvey Cox on "The Future of Faith" by ReadTheSpirit.com
- Elijah Interfaith Institute: Audio Lectures by Harvey Cox
- Keynote address by Harvey Cox on: Judaism in the Interfaith Household, 2004