Can We Still Believe in A God of Love in a World of Suffering?

At Hadar we aim to ignite a much-needed Jewish conversation about God.  Towards that end, we proudly present a provocative new series of public lectures and dialogues--about faith and doubt in light of science; about whether and how the idea of a God who loves can still make sense in the modern world; about Israelis and their (often understated) quest for God; and about what it means to believe in God (tentatively, sometimes tenuously) in a broken world. This conversation between Rabbi Shai Held and Professor Thomas Oord, moderated by Rabbi Avi Killip, is the second of four lectures in our Fall 2016 Series, "Faith and Doubt in the Modern World." This discussion was recorded live on November 10, 2016.

Thomas Oord is widely regarded as the leading "theologian of love" at work today.  A prolific author, he has written extensively on the nature of love and its place in theology; on "open theism," an approach to theology that places great emphasis on the capacity of human freedom to shape the world; and on the relationship between theology and science.  A professor at Northwest Nazarene University, he is the author of many books, including Defining Love: A Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement, The Nature of Love: A Theology, and The Uncontrolling Love of God: an Open and Relational Account of Providence.

The series is presented in partnership with the Samuel Bronfman Foundation in memory of Edgar Bronfman, who struggled with questions of faith and doubt for much of his life, and whose love of and commitment to Torah were an inspiration to many.