The Nature of Love: A Theology

This monograph presents a systematic theology of love that positions divine love as the organizing principle for understanding God's nature and action in the world. Oord develops what he terms "essential kenosis theology," arguing that God's self-giving love is not merely voluntary but constitutes the divine essence itself. This perspective challenges both classical theism's emphasis on divine power and process theology's limitations on divine action.

The work engages critically with traditional theological frameworks that prioritize divine sovereignty and omnipotence. Oord contends that such emphases create insurmountable problems for theodicy and render incoherent the biblical assertion that God is love. Instead, he proposes that God necessarily gives freedom, agency, and self-organization to creation because self-giving love defines God's very nature. This necessity is not an external constraint but flows from who God essentially is.

Central to Oord's argument is his reconceptualization of divine power. Rather than viewing God's power as coercive control, he argues that divine power operates through persuasion, empowerment, and inspiration. This understanding addresses the problem of evil by explaining why God cannot unilaterally prevent suffering—not due to divine weakness but because genuine love requires genuine freedom in creatures. The work thus offers a response to atheistic arguments that use the existence of evil to deny God's existence.

The monograph engages extensively with contemporary science, particularly evolutionary biology and physics, demonstrating how essential kenosis theology coheres with scientific understandings of emergence, complexity, and indeterminacy. Oord argues that God works through natural processes rather than in opposition to them, providing purposive influence without violating creaturely autonomy or natural regularities.

Methodologically, the work combines biblical exegesis, philosophical analysis, and theological construction with attention to practical implications for ethics and spirituality. Oord draws on diverse sources including process thought, open theism, and Eastern Orthodox theology while developing his distinctive position. His approach challenges both conservative evangelical theology that emphasizes divine control and liberal theology that minimizes divine action.

The monograph's significance lies in its comprehensive rethinking of divine attributes through the lens of love, offering a constructive theological proposal that addresses perennial challenges in philosophical theology while maintaining dialogue with contemporary science and philosophy. This work represents a major contribution to relational theology and the ongoing debate about divine action in the world.