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A Systematic Theology of Love: Volume 1: God and Creation
468 pages, Hardcover
Published February 26, 2026
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April 1, 2026
I don't like systematic theologies in general. They attempt to take the diverse stories and experiences of the Christian faith and jam them through a logic machine that aligns them with the first principles and philosophical commitments that the author and his culture prioritize. The product that they are left with prioritizes logical and philosophical coherence but generally loses the beauty, depth, and complexity that should be the hallmark of any metaphysical exploration. The resulting system and worldview tend to remain ungrounded and abstract. Terrible social and ethical implications are ignored or defended. And a great deal of human intuition and experience is gaslit. If you like the sausage that's left at the end of the process, go ahead and eat it. But don't pretend it's God's food, or the meal that everyone else should eat.
The first volume of Tom Oord's systematic theology isn't entirely immune to these problems. I think to some degree they are endemic to the genre. But A Systematic Theology of Love is helpful and wholesome in ways that delight and surprise. Granted, there is my bias. Dr. Oord works with first principles that I prefer and also find more central to the biblical witness. He argues that love is the most central, necessary quality of God. And he wants a faith that coheres logically and aligns with our experience of the world, core human intuitions and hard science included. And he values a faith that aligns with the most compelling experience of both mystics and skeptics. These first principles aren't only my preferences, though. They are central to the life and teaching of Jesus and the stories and faith that shaped him and his first followers. They are also beautiful and constructive and wholesome.
A Systematic Theology of Love is a compelling project in mapping a comprehensive landscape of the God and the universe with which God is entangled. For those of us already steeped in the open and relational/process thought, Tom is a compelling scholar who synthesizes and innovates helpfully and faithfully in that tradition. For those unfamiliar with that philosophy, Tom is a down to earth and dependable guide, walking us through important, illuminating ideas in down-to-earth, approachable language.
The first volume of Tom Oord's systematic theology isn't entirely immune to these problems. I think to some degree they are endemic to the genre. But A Systematic Theology of Love is helpful and wholesome in ways that delight and surprise. Granted, there is my bias. Dr. Oord works with first principles that I prefer and also find more central to the biblical witness. He argues that love is the most central, necessary quality of God. And he wants a faith that coheres logically and aligns with our experience of the world, core human intuitions and hard science included. And he values a faith that aligns with the most compelling experience of both mystics and skeptics. These first principles aren't only my preferences, though. They are central to the life and teaching of Jesus and the stories and faith that shaped him and his first followers. They are also beautiful and constructive and wholesome.
A Systematic Theology of Love is a compelling project in mapping a comprehensive landscape of the God and the universe with which God is entangled. For those of us already steeped in the open and relational/process thought, Tom is a compelling scholar who synthesizes and innovates helpfully and faithfully in that tradition. For those unfamiliar with that philosophy, Tom is a down to earth and dependable guide, walking us through important, illuminating ideas in down-to-earth, approachable language.
Displaying 1 of 1 review