released 6/27/2025

In this April 2025 lecture, Ken Myers gives an introduction to political theologian Oliver O’Donovan, whose work has been instrumental in teaching many how to think about social and political life in light of the gospel of Christ. O’Donovan argues winsomely, Myers says, for a wider and more generous notion of the public and the political, insisting that the modern view of politics is hostile to the question What is good? Because that question is decidedly out of bounds, political forms have become unintelligible and incoherent. Myers highlights common themes in O’Donovan’s work by looking at two of his titles, Resurrection and Moral Order (Eerdmans, 1994) and The Desire of the Nations (Cambridge University Press, 1999). The former locates the distinction of Christian ethics in the fact of the Resurrection and the reality (and goodness) of the created order. The latter book examines the concept of political authority, showing it to be an analog of God’s kingdom. 

This lecture is provided courtesy of Augustine College in Ottawa. Mars Hill Audio has shared many Oliver O’Donovan lectures, interviews, and readings with our members, the full list of which is available for browsing here.

A video of this lecture, which includes the question and answer session following the talk, is available here.

57 minutes

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