Thomas Jay Oord (born 1965) is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multidisciplinary studies who teaches Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. He is the author or editor of nearly twenty books. 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]

Early life and education [edit]

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. He then attended Claremont Graduate University, earning an M.A and Ph.D. in Religion in 1999, before completing post-doctoral studies at Harvard Divinity School. He then taught at Eastern Nazarene College before returning to his alma mater, Northwest Nazarene, where he has taught since 2002.^[2][3]

Personal life [edit]

Oord is married to his wife Cheryl and has three daughters. He is an ordained elder within the Church of the Nazarene.^[4]

Selected bibliography [edit]

• 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:

• 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

See also [edit]

• Agape
• American philosophy
• Altruism
• Church of the Nazarene
• Impassibility
• Love
• Open Theism
• Panentheism
• Science and Theology

References [edit]

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://thomasjayoord.com/index.php/biography/

External links [edit]

• Dr Oord's page on NNU's website
• Dr Oord's personal website