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Reclaiming the Past / Imagining a Future: Revisionary Postmodernism

The final postmodern tradition of the four I identify as most prominent may prove most helpful for Christians in our emerging world.  It revisions reality by drawing from a wide spectrum of resources.

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41 Comments

Emergent and the Church of the Nazarene

The emergent church movement has its fans and critics.  My own denomination has been engaged in discussions about the helpfulness of ideas and theology with the "emergent" label. Recently, denominational leadership released a statement on their own views of the emergent church.

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16 Comments

Beyond Wynkoop’s Love Language

Mildred Bangs Wynkoop’s magnum opus, A Theology of Love, presents a powerful argument for love as the Christian's theological priority.  But her work would have been more powerful had she been consistent in her language of love.

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What does it mean to be Wesleyan?

For some time, Christians in the various arms of the Wesleyan tradition have pondered what they share in common.  The Wesleyan theological tradition is diverse, but it offers a distinctive vision of the gospel. And that vision differs from other Christian visions.

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God Can’t!—and the Bible Says So

I sometimes hear the argument that we should not speculate about the attributes of God’s nature. Overall, I don’t find this argument convincing.

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Open Theology and the Church of the Nazarene

Open theology has gained wide attention since the 1990s. It enjoys growing influence in the Church of the Nazarene. 

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Christian and Scientific Fundamentalism

I spend a great deal of time engaging fundamentalists. And I’ve learned a few lessons over the years.

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Breaking Free: Liberationist Postmodernism

For many on planet earth, life sucks. Liberationist postmodern theology offers hope.

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The Nature of Love - Excerpt

I sent the final proofs for one of my new books, The Nature of Love: A Theology, to Chalice Press. I’m very excited for this to come out in June!

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Characteristics of Evangelical Open and Relational Theology

In a previous blog entry, I noted many of the theological beliefs that open and relational theologians affirm. I now identify three characteristics of Evangelically-oriented open and relational thinkers.

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Perfect Like God

To “be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” means to be like God. Too many Christians have thought God to be an impersonal force field. Believing God is personal and living helps us imagine what we should do to fulfill Jesus’ command to be perfect.

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Inspiration and Perspiration - God and the Creative Process

Thomas Alva Edison once said that invention is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I’ve been thinking about what this quote might mean for theology.

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The Well-Being of Love

We use “love” in our everyday speech to mean many things. I think love is best understood and defined in terms of promoting well-being.

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Creatio ex Creatione a Natura Amoris: A new doctrine of creation

I previously identified some problems inherent in creatio ex nihilo. I believe a new doctrine of creation, God’s creating out of creation with a nature of love (creatio ex creation a natura amoris), is more adequate for Christians.

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Creatio Ex Nihilo: The Problem

I believe God created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing. But I think Christians should reject the idea that God created the universe from absolutely nothing.

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Is Love an Irrational Mystery?

The typical Christian seeks to honor God with his or her mind. Unfortunately, some consider love and reason hostile or at least incompatible. Such Christians think love is a mystery.

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A Theologian Evaluates Intelligent Design: Part 3 of 3

In my past two installments, I noted five things I like about Intelligent Design and five things I don’t. I conclude with my final (and apparently unique) criticism of ID.

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A Theologian Evaluates Intelligent Design: Part 2 of 3

Having pointed out five things I like about Intelligent Design, I turn now to five things I don’t like. 

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12 Comments

A Theologian Evaluates Intelligent Design: Part 1 of 3

I’ve been thinking and reading about the Intelligent Design (ID) movement and its ideas for some time.  I’m ready to put my evaluation in writing.

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Praise for Defining Love

I ventured to the Brazos Press website to see how promotion of my forthcoming book, Defining Love, was developing. I was tickled pink (a phrase my Father liked) to find kind words from the book's reviewers.

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About this website

You’ve reached the online home of Thomas Jay Oord, a professor, author, and theologian from the Pacific Northwest. Read more