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This episode features a conversation with Thomas Oord, a leading Christian theologian in “Open and Relational Theology.” He is the Director of the Center for Open and Relational Theology and also on the doctoral faculty at Northwind Seminary.

In his theology, Oord proposes that God is not aloof or impassible, but deeply relational—able to influence and be influenced by Creation. Further, he argues for an open future that is not predetermined. God knows possibilities but not certainties, allowing for real human freedom and creativity.

In this theological perspective, love is central, and genuine relationships matter. Oord conceives of God’s love as “Uncontrolling,” meaning that God’s power is expressed through persuasive, non-coercive love. Divine action never overrides free will. At the intersection of science and religion, Open and Relational Theology strongly aligns with and incorporates insights from science.

Also joining us for this episode is Rev. Marshall Johnson, Senior Pastor at St. Luke United Methodist Church in Omaha. Johnson discusses how he uses Open and Relational Theology to inform his pastoral ministry. He will also describe a conference that he has organized, along with collaboration from several other Omaha congregations. The conference, “A Weekend with Thomas Oord,” will be October 3-5.

For more information:

• For more information about the conference, and to register, go to https://stlukeumc.com/events/thomas-oord-weekend/2025-10-03.

• For more information about the Open and Relational Theology Center, go to https://c4ort.com/.

For Further Reading about Open and Relational Theology, see the following books by Thomas Oord:

• God After Deconstruction. With Tripp Fuller (Grasmere, Id.: SacraSage, 2024).

• The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence (Grasmere, Id.: SacraSage, 2023).

• Pluriform Love: An Open and Relational Theology of Well-Being. (Grasmere, Id.: SacraSage, 2022).

• Open and Relational Theology: An Introduction to Life-Changing Ideas. (Grasmere, Id.: SacraSage, 2021).

• God Can’t! How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils. (Grasmere, Id.: SacraSage, 2019).