Jaroslav Jan Pelikan Jr. (1923–2006) was an American historian of Christianity, theologian, and medieval intellectual scholar known for his extensive writings on Christian doctrine and tradition. His work shaped historical theology, bridging Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant perspectives.
Born in Akron, Ohio, Pelikan earned a PhD from the University of Chicago (1946) and became a Yale University professor (1962–96,) holding the Sterling Professorship of History. He served as president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1994–97) and received the John W. Kluge Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Human Sciences (2004.)
Pelikan authored over 30 books, including the five-volume The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine (1971–89, The Christian Tradition,) Jesus Through the Centuries (1985,) Mary Through the Centuries (1996,) Credo: Historical and Theological Guide to Creeds and Confessions of Faith (2003,) and Whose Bible Is It? (2005.) His works examined the evolution of Christian thought, biblical interpretation, and theological history.
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Tradition is the living faith of the dead.
—Jan Pelikan
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