Roger A. Badham

Background

Roger Badham was born in London, United Kingdom, into the family of Arthur and Mercia Pauline (Handcock) Badham.

Education

Roger attended University of Liverpool in 1975. After that he received Master of Divinity degree at Harvard University in 1983. Finally, he earned Doctor of Philosophy at the Drew University in 1997.

Career

Roger A. Badham told that in the angelic vision of the New Jerusalem in the Book of Revelation is an image of the tree of life: ‘On either side of the river, is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it.’ He read these words on the day he discovered that he had brain cancer.

In facing a suddenly uncertain future, he read the words in a new way. As a theologian. Roger had been and would be producing many leaves of theological writings. What stood out with the utmost clarity is that no theology is worth writing unless it be for the healing of the nations. On that day he dedicated his future work to that task. To God alone be the glory — a glory not linked with the corrupted pride of national arrogance, of militarism and gun violence, which have compromised and perverted the gospel of Christ and exchanged it for every conceivable lie to permit and encourage violence in the name of Christ, from Constantine to Charlton Heston, via the child killers of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

The vision is curious. Two trees of life are present, when there had only ever been a single tree in the Genesis story, and that, by the end of the story, was defended by the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every way against the fallen couple who had been cast out of Eden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil had a place in Eden, but has no place in the final state, for all those envisioned in the celestial city already have knowledge of good and evil.

They are not innocents but cognoscenti — those who have found understanding through faith. What they need is continuing life, continuing monthly healing, provided by the leaves of the trees. Cancer survivors understand what it is like to discover that something accursed has entered. They long to live with the faith that nothing accursed will be found there any more.

Roger is also a contributor of articles and reviews to periodicals, including Journal of Religion, Soundings, Personalist Forum, Cross Currents, Ecojustice Quarterly, Restoration Quarterly, and Journal of Ecumenical Studies. Moreover, he worked as a lecturer at colleges and universities, including Oriel College, Oxford, Drew University, and Salem College.

Achievements

• Roger A. Badham is highly notable for his book "Introduction to Christian Theology: Comtemporary North American Perspectives" created in 1998.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Introduction to Christian Theology: Comtemporary North American Perspectives 1998

Politics

Rodert defines himself as a Liberal Democrat.

Membership

• International Schleiermacher Society

• American Academy of Religion

• Society for Christian Ethics

Interests

• writing fiction

• Sport & Clubs

  chess, cycling

Connections

Roger married Beth Hall on March 12, 1994. The couple has a common child Layston Madison.

Father:

Arthur Badham

Mother:

Mercia Pauline (Handcock) Badham

Spouse:

Beth Hall

Daughter:

Layston Madison Badham