Seven essential lessons from Thomas Oden, an evangelical scholar in a secular academy:

1. Contemporary scholarly methods do not always lead one to truth.
2. Many of the questions raised by modern scholars have been addressed (long) before in the history of Christianity.
3. The quest for originality and newness can be a dangerous one.
4. Scholarly views can have serious social consequences.
5. The modern scholarly community is not tolerant like people think.
6. A faithful voice can have a significant impact.
7. Modern Ideologies will eventually collapse under their own weight.