Thomas Jay Oord (b. 1965) is a philosopher and theologian who specializes in research related to love, relational thought (including relational theism), and science and religion. 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... This page contains religious views on topic oflove. ... This article is about relational theory in physics. ... Theism is the belief in the existence of one or more Gods or deities. ... Religious and scientific modes of knowledge Generally speaking, religion and science use different methods in their effort to ascertain Truth. ...

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Education

Dr. Oord holds a PhD and MA from Claremont Graduate University, an MDiv from the Nazarene Theological Seminary and his BA from Northwest Nazarene University (NNU). He has also been ordained in the Church of the Nazarene. He currently teaches in the School of Theology and Christian Ministries at NNU. He has taught courses at Africa Nazarene University, Azusa Pacific University, Eastern Nazarene College, Harvard Divinity School, and Wesley Theological Seminary. PhD usually refers to the academic title Doctor of Philosophy PhD can also refer to the manga Phantasy Degree This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... {{Infobox_University |name = Claremont Graduate University |image = [[Image:]] |motto = |established = 1925 |type = Private |president = |city = Claremont |state = [[California |country = USA |grad = 2,033 |campus = Urban, 19 acres/ ha |mascot = |website= www. ... In Christian theology, the Master of Divinity (M.Div. ... Nazarene Theological Seminary is a Christian seminary affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. ... Northwest Nazarene University is a private, co-educational Nazarene university in the United States. ... The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant denomination within the tradition of evangelical Methodism. ...

Philosophical and Theological Contributions

Oord's love studies begin with his own personal definition: to love is to act intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well-being. He proposes novel definitions, with the desire that they might be useful for research in science, religion, and philosophy. This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Oord has posited definitions of the classic love archetypes commonly referred to by philosophers and theologians:

• agape: love that promotes overall well-being when confronted by that which generates ill-feeling (i.e., returning good for ill)
• eros: love that promotes overall well-being by affirming the valuable or beautiful
• philia: love that promotes overall well-being when cooperating with others

As a relational theologian, Oord argues that the fundamental nature of all things existing is relational. What it means to exist is decided by the decisions made in relation to the influence of others, including God. Oord says that God is also relational, and God and creatures mutually influence one another. While creatures influence God, God's essence remains constant. But God's influence precedes each moment of creaturely existence. This preceding divine influence is the inspiring and empowering of prevenient grace (See John Wesley). Brotherly love redirects here. ... Eros is the Greek word for (especially) romantic or sexual love. ... A philia is the love or obsession with a particular thing or subject. ... Prevenient grace is a Christian theological concept rooted in Augustinian theology[1] and embraced primarily by Arminian Christians who are influenced by the theology of John Wesley and who are part of the Methodist movement. ... John Wesley (June 17, 1703–March 2, 1791) was an 18th-century Anglican clergyman and Christian theologian who was an early leader in the Methodist movement. ...

Oord has been identified (rightly or wrongly) with a number of contemporary theological movements, including Holiness theology, Wesleyan theology, Open theology, Arminian theology, Process theology, Liberation theology, Evangelical, Postmodern, and Feminist theology. The driving force behind his theological interests, however, seems to be his intent to make sense of God as love and the great love commandments given by Jesus.

Oord's contributions to science and religion research are varied. Oord argues that love and altruism are important spiritual and scientific categories for contemporary research. He adopts a form of theistic evolution, which requires a necessary place for both divine and creaturely action. Oord argues that the traditional doctrine of creation out of absolutely nothing argument does not make scientific, philosophic or rationalist sense in light of the problem of evil and the divine love relations. This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Ex nihilo is a Latin term meaning out of nothing. It is often used in conjunction with the term creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning creation out of nothing. Due to the nature of this, the term is often used in philosophical or creationistic arguments, as a number of... In the philosophy of religion and theology, the problem of evil is the problem of reconciling the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the existence of an omniscient, omnipotent, omnibenevolent god or gods. ...

Thomas Jay Oord is currently theologian and philosopher at Northwest Nazarene University, theological consultant for the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, academic correspondent and contributing editor to Science & Theology News, and officer in a variety of scholarly societies. Oord is also an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, a small holiness movement evangelical denomination. Northwest Nazarene University is a private, co-educational Nazarene university in the United States. ... Vol. ... For other types of minister, see Minister In Christian churches, a minister is a man or woman who serves a congregation or participates in a role in a parachurch ministry; such persons can minister as a Pastor, Preacher, Bishop, Chaplain, Deacon or Elder. ... The Church of the Nazarene is a Protestant denomination within the tradition of evangelical Methodism. ... The Holiness movement is composed of people who believe and propagate the belief that the carnal nature of man can be cleansed through faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit if one has had his sins forgiven through faith in Jesus. ...

Selected Bibliography

The Many Facets of Love: Philosophical Perspectives. (2007)

Relational Holiness: Responding to the Call of Love. (with Michael Lodahl) (2005)

Science of Love: The Wisdom of Well-Being. (2004)

An Open and Relational Theology of Love. (1999)

As editor and contributor:

Philosophy of Religion: Essay Introductions. (2003)

Thy Name and Thy Nature is Love. (with Bryan P. Stone) (2001)

Generation Xers Talk about the Church of the Nazarene. (1999)

External links

• Dr Oord's page on NNU's website.
• John Templeton Foundation
• Wesley Center for Applied Theology
• Theological Consultant: Institute for Research on Unlimited Love
• Academic Correspondent and Contributing Editor: Science and Theology News
• Executive Leader: Wesleyan Philosophical Society
• Founder and Executive Board Member: Open and Relational Theologies (AAR)