Thomas Jay Oord

Thomas Jay Oord (born November 10, 1965) is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multidisciplinary studies who teaches at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books and hundreds of articles. Oord is known for his contributions to research on love, open theism, postmodernism, the relationship between religion and science, Wesleyan, Holiness, Nazarene, and Evangelical theology.^[1] He is regarded by many as the leading theologian of love at work today.

Early life and education

Raised in Othello, Washington, Oord went from high school to attend Northwest Nazarene College, graduating in 1988. After serving as a pastor for several years in a church in Walla Walla, Washington, he enrolled at Nazarene Theological Seminary, graduating with a Master of Divinity. While in seminary, he was a pastor in Lenexa, Kansas. Oord then attended Claremont Graduate University, earning an M.A and Ph.D. in Religion in 1999. While at Claremont, Oord was a pastor at the Bridgepoint Church of the Nazarene in Bloomington, California. He then taught at Eastern Nazarene College before returning to his alma mater, Northwest Nazarene.^[2][3]

NNU Employment

Oord is a professor at NNU, where he has taught since 2002.^[3] Despite his status as a tenured professor, Dr. Oord learned that he would be laid-off at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The reason cited by the administration was declining enrollments in the theology program,^[4] but it is surmised that he is being dismissed because of theological positions that are not in the mainstream of the Nazarene tradition.^[5] Oord was not charged for having false beliefs but university Trustees upheld the President's decision to lay him off nevertheless.

This decision was later overturned when the President responsible for the decision left the position, and Dr. Oord remains at NNU.

Personal life

Oord is married to his wife Cheryl and has three daughters. He is an ordained elder within the Church of the Nazarene.^[3]

Oord is an avid blogger. His writing addresses issues in popular culture, the academy, and the church. His blog is titled, "For the Love of Wisdom and the Wisdom of Love." Click to enter...

Selected bibliography

• The Uncontrolling Love of God: An Open and Relational Account of Providence (2015) 978-0830840847
• Defining Love: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement (2010) ISBN 1-58743-257-9
• The Nature of Love: A Theology (2010) ISBN 978-0-8272-0828-5
• The Best News You Will Ever Hear (with Robert Luhn) (2011) ISBN 978-0-9829300-5-2
• The Many Facets of Love: Philosophical Perspectives (2007) ISBN 978-1-84718-123-7
• Relational Holiness: Responding to the Call of Love (with Michael Lodahl) (2005) ISBN 978-0-8341-2182-9
• Science of Love: The Wisdom of Well-Being (2004) ISBN 978-1-932031-70-6
• Matching Theology and Piety (1999)

As editor and contributor:

• Theologies of Creation: Creatio ex Nihilo and Its New Rivals (2015) 978-0415712156
• Renovating Holiness (with Joshua Broward) (2015) B00TKNDUKK
• Nazarenes Exploring Evolution (with Sherri Walker) (2014)
• Relational Theology: A Contemporary Introduction (2012)
• God in an Open Universe: Science, Metaphysics, and Open Theism (2011)
• The Bible Tells Me So (with Richard Thompson) (2011)
• The Polkinghorne Reader (2010)
• Creation Made Free: Open Theology Engaging Science (2009)
• Love Among Us (with Darrin Grinder) (2009)
• Divine Grace and Emerging Creation: Wesleyan Forays in Science and Theology of Creation (2009)
• Postmodern and Wesleyan? Exploring the Boundaries and Possibilities (with Jay Akkerman and Brent Peterson) (2009) ISBN 978-0-8341-2458-5
• The Altruism Reader: Selections from Writings on Love, Religion, and Science (2007) ISBN 978-1-59947-127-3
• Philosophy of Religion: Essay Introductions (2003) ISBN 978-0-8341-1995-6
• Thy Name and Thy Nature is Love (with Bryan P. Stone) (2001) ISBN 978-0-687-05220-2
• Generation Xers Talk about the Church of the Nazarene (1999) ISBN 978-0-8341-1815-7

Photography

• Through Both Creations Shine (2015) ISBN 978-1320890663

See also

• Agape
• American philosophy
• Altruism
• Church of the Nazarene
• Creatio Ex Nihilo
• Evolutionary Creationism
• Impassibility
• Love
• Open Theism
• Panentheism
• Problem of Evil
• Theodicy
• Science and Theology
• Theistic evolution
• Wesleyan Theology

References

1. Faculty page at Northwest Nazarene University's website
2. http://www.enc.edu/history/ot/oordcv.pdf
3. http://thomasjayoord.com/index.php/biography/
4. http://www.idahopress.com/members/nnu-to-shift-m-in---budget/article_4a2fa33e-dda9-11e4-84c0-ffc32a9f79c2.html
5. <https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/04/09/theologian-whose-views-evolution-differed-his-church-loses-tenured-job>

External links

• Dr Oord's page on NNU's website[no longer exists]
• Dr Oord's personal website