Thomas Jay Oord, Ph.D., is Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho.  He serves as theologian for the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love and serves on the executive council of several scholarly groups, including the Wesleyan Theological Society and the Wesleyan Philosophical Society.

 Dr. Oord has written or edited more than a dozen books, including the recently published books, Defining Love: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement (Brazos Press) and The Nature of Love: A Theology (Chalice Press). He has written several books related to Wesleyan theology, including Relational Holiness: Responding to the Call of Love (with Michael Lodahl). Oord blogs frequently on his website: http://thomasjayoord.com

 As well as being a professor, writer, and researcher, Dr. Oord also serves as an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene.  He and his wife, Cheryl, have three teenage daughters.