Schubert Ogden and John Deschner team taught my systematic theology courses at Perkins. On the day JFK was shot I was in their class from noon until 1. The class dismissed, Ogden stepped out in the hallway and immediately returned to announce, “Ladies and gentlemen, the president has just been shot in downtown Dallas.” So it was he from whom I received that fateful news. After graduation I participated in some small group seminars that he had with clergy in the area. As I’m sure most everyone knows, Bultmann was his mentor and he was a great apologist for Bultmann’s attempt to demythologize scripture, for which Ogden received more than a little grief from some of the more conservative clergy. His arguments for his positions were extremely rational and he was perhaps the most detailed theologian I have encountered. I always had great admiration and appreciation for him.

Theologian Ogden pushed himself and his students | United Methodist News...