Thomas Jay Oord – Opening the Love of God
In a time of skepticism concerning religious belief, let’s talk about God and Love. Is it true that there really is a loving God, but that God does not know the future in advance? Is it true that God cannot control what happens in the world, but that God can indeed lure or guide the world into well-being if the world responds? Is it true that God shares in the experiences of each and all, as a fellow sufferer who understands? Is it true that God is Love: not human love, but rather a cosmic love within us and beyond us, everywhere at once, flowing from a personal being, beyond specific location, who listens to us, hears our prayers, and cares for us and all creatures, all of the time? Thomas Oord answers “yes” to all of these questions. The author of many books on God and love, and a talented photographer as well, he is a key leader in the “open and relational theology” movement. We spend an hour with him talking about his life, his work, his ideas, and his hopes for the future.