Bøker av Thomas Jay Oord

Deconstruction is hard!Bad views of God and harmful experiences lead many of us to deconstruct. But we're right to run from the nonsense we've been taught and from those who hurt us.God After Deconstruction will not be welcomed by traditionalists. It's not a book for people who think conventional theology works. It isn't for people who just want to tweak a bit what they've been taught.Thomas Jay Oord and Tripp Fuller offer an open and relational vision of God. This vision makes sense; it fits our experience; it's livable. The open and relational view aligns with our deep intuitions about love and freedom.God After Deconstruction is for those deconstructing and those wanting help after deconstruction. It's for people in the fire and those with scars.God After Deconstruction is an adventure for lovers in tumultuous times!Buy this book.Six-Word Endorsements for God After Deconstruction"When everything goes, only God remains." -- Simon Cross, chair of the Progressive Christianity Network (Britain)"Helpful companion on your deconstruction journey."-- EDJ, author of Deconstructing Religious Sexual Trauma: A Memoir"A faith beyond deconstruction is possible." -- Kathy Escobar, author of Faith Shift and Practicing "A relational way to think about purpose." -- Jonathan J. Foster, author of indigo: the color of grief"This is a really great book." -- Keith Giles, author of the 7-part "Jesus Un" book series"A God-centric approach to deconstruction." -- David Hayward, aka NakedPastor"A compassionate primer on our deconstruction."-- Angela Herrington, author of Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself"A thoughtful third way - highly recommended."-- Olivia Jackson, author of (Un)Certain"Life-giving for doubters, deconstructors, wonderers."-- Mark Karris, author of The Diabolical Trinity"Powerful, essential, required reading for everyone." -- Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Madang Podcast and author of Invisible"Adventure guide to life after deconstruction."-- Brian D. McLaren, author of Do I Stay Christian?"I've always believed in this God!" -- Mason Mennenga, A People's Theology podcast"A deconstruction journey worth taking!"-- Sherri Pallas, author of We Have Ruined God"An exvangelical deconstruction guide to God." -- Jim Palmer, author of Inner Anarchy "A haven for the hard questions."-- Elizabeth Petters, the Deconstructing Mamas podcast"Faces the hard questions without blinking."-- Janet Kellogg Ray, The God of Monkey Science"The God you need right now!"-- Gary Alan Taylor, the Sophia Society"Everyone deconstructing should read this book."-- Tim Whitaker, creator of The New Evangelicals"The God of Love always triumphs!" -- John Williamson, The Deconstructionists Podcast

Omnipotence is dead. At least it should be. It has no biblical support. And it dies a death of a thousand qualifications in philosophy. Those harmed and hurting wonder why an omnipotent and loving God doesn't prevent pointless pain. Evil buries omnipotence six feet under. But the death of omnipotence is not the death of God. In this ground-breaking book, best-selling and award-winning author Thomas Jay Oord explains why omnipotence should be rejected. But Oord offers a replacement: amipotence, the power of love. If we think love shapes and guides God's power, we make better sense of life. We make better sense of the Bible. Amipotence explains why God doesn't prevent genuine evil and it overcomes other obstacles to belief. An amipotent Spirit empowers all that is loving, true, beautiful, and good. No book makes a bolder but more needed argument for why God is not all-powerful. Those who care about God, love, scripture, and logic will find what they've long been looking for. Get a copy of The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence! Endorsements: "Omnipotence has long been considered a basic, non-negotiable, characteristic of God. But is it biblical? And does it push us toward theological landmines that blow up faith? In this book, Oord, with his typical gentle candor, lays out the complex issues in clear and readable chunks. In the end, Oord points to the beauty and comfort of a God who is uncontrolling love." - Peter Enns, professor of biblical studies at Eastern University, author of Curveball "Thomas Jay Oord challenges one of the most fundamental attributes of God-omnipotence. He discloses that a narrow view of God as 'Almighty' is neither biblical nor adequately describes the God of Jesus Christ. Oord offers a new view of God as 'amipotent.' The power of God is the power of love, and the power of unconditional love is our strength. Oord has made an important contribution to restoring the biblical God, a God who is ever faithful in love, not a power over us but the power beneath our wings." - Ilia Delio, OSF, Josephine C. Connelly Endowed Chair in Theology, Villanova University "Omnipotence is widely believed to be one of the most important attributes of God. In this book, Thomas Jay Oord proposes a highly original and thought-provoking thesis: instead of omnipotent, God should be considered 'amipotent.' This is an important book which can radically change the way we approach central problems in philosophy of religion and philosophical theology." - Yujin Nagasawa, H. G. Wood Professor of the Philosophy of Religion, University of Birmingham "Finally God's love has been saved from God's control-faithfully, definitively, attractively! In this vibrantly accessible work, Thomas Jay Oord puts to rest the demoralizing, incoherent, and by the way nonbiblical notion of controlling omnipotence, used to justify endless injustice. In its stead, he unleashes 'amipotence'- code for the power of love. Its time has come: preach it, teach it, live it!" - Catherine Keller, Drew Theological School, and Author of Political Theology of Love "This book provides a provocative argument that cannot be easily dismissed. This is the kind of nuance that contemporary debates over models of God need to consider." - R.T. Mullins, Professor of Philosophical Theology, University of Lucerne

God is love. Consequently, shouldn't love exist at the center of Christian theology? When love is at the center, theology is understood differently than it has typically been understood. Some theologians have placed faith at the center, others God's sovereignty, still others-the Church, but Dr. Oord places the emphasis on love. God's love for us, revealed in Christ, in the Church, and in creation, and our love for God and others as ourselves-must be afforded its rightful place. Beginning with the foundation of "e;love"e; is what differentiates the Christian faith from others...a loving God. Dr. Oord defines love as: "e;To love is to act intentionally, in sympathetic/empathetic response to God and others, to promote overall well-being."e; Is this not what has defined Christians throughout history?

Rarely does a new theological position emerge to account well for life in the world, including not only goodness and beauty but also tragedy and randomness. Drawing from Scripture, science, philosophy and various theological traditions, Thomas Jay Oord offers a novel theology of providence-essential kenosis-that emphasizes God's inherently noncoercive love in relation to creation.

Some scientific studies suggest that human beings are innately selfish and that Christian virtues like self-sacrifice are a delusion. In this intriguing volume, esteemed theologian Thomas Jay Oord interprets the scientific research and responds from a theological and philosophical standpoint, providing a state-of-the-art overview of love and altruism studies. He offers a definition of love that is scientifically, theologically, and philosophically adequate. As Oord helps readers arrive at a clearer understanding of the definition, recipients, and forms of love, he mounts a case for Christian agape and ultimately for a loving God.