The Faculty of Theology and Religion is proud to announce that Dr. John Olson, Departmental Lecturer in Modern Theology and Lecturer at Oriel College, has been awarded the esteemed Gunton-Webster Memorial Essay Prize. This accolade is presented annually by the Society for the Study of Theology (SST) in collaboration with the International Journal of Systematic Theology (IJST), recognizing exceptional contributions in the field of Christian systematic theology.
Dr. Olson's winning essay, 'Loving and Letting: A Constructive Reading of Genesis 1' evaluates possible meanings of God’s creative “let” in Genesis 1 in order to evaluate how God’s generative love of creation forms a paradigm for human love. He uses the philosopher John Haugeland’s interpretation of Heidegger to delve into the concept of letting-be. Dr. Olson's analysis presents creation as an act of enabling, where God’s role is seen as providing the conditions for possibility, rather than dictating specific outcomes. This interpretation not only sheds new light on the nature of divine creativity but also proposes a model for human love that is characterized by its generative and enabling qualities, rather than merely the absence of conflict.
Dr Olson will be invited attend the annual conference of the SST in 2024, where a presentation of the prize of £200 will be made as a part of the conference reception. His essay will also be featured in an upcoming issue of the International Journal of Systematic Theology, contributing to the broader theological discourse on the relationship between divine creativity and human relationality.
