Introduction to Open and Relational Theology under the supervision of Thomas Jay Oord

Summary in English

In Introduction to Open and Relational Theology, Thomas Jay Oord presents a transformative vision of God that’s deeply loving, dynamically responsive, and fully engaged with the world. Rejecting outdated models of divine control, Oord invites readers into a theological framework where God does not predetermine the future or manipulate creation—but instead works moment by moment in partnership with us to shape what comes next.

This book introduces readers to a God who feels, listens, adapts, and never gives up. It reimagines divine power as persuasive rather than coercive, and divine love as uncontrolling yet always faithful. With clarity and conviction, Oord explores how this theology reshapes our understanding of prayer, suffering, Scripture, salvation, ethics, and eschatology.

Whether you’re a seeker, pastor, student, or theologian, this accessible and compelling introduction opens the door to a living faith for a changing world. Introduction to Open and Relational Theology is a hopeful call to co-create with a God who is truly with us—inviting, empowering, and loving without limits.

Learn more about this book by listening to a discussion about it below.

Theological Essentials

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing everything, including theological scholarship and education. This series, Theological Essentials, is designed to bring the creative potential of AI to the field of theological education.

The creator of each volume has been trained by the DTL staff in the use of AI and the creator has used AI to create, edit, revise and recreate the text that you see. The goals of this series are to produce introductory theological textbooks that are credible, affordable and accessible.