J.P. Moreland

James Porter Moreland (born March 9, 1948), better known as J. P. Moreland, is an American philosopher, theologian, and Christian apologist. He is a Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, California.

Biography

Moreland specializes in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and Christian philosophy, having had his work published in journals such as ''Metaphilosophy'' and the ''American Philosophical Quarterly.'' He has also had his work published by presses such as Intervarsity Press, NavPress, Zondervan, Oxford University Press, Routledge, Rutgers University Press, and Prometheus.

Moreland earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Arts in philosophy with highest honors from the University of California, Riverside. He received his Th.M. in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. In 1985, he received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Southern California. His dissertation was ''Universals and the Qualities of Things: A defense of Realism''. His dissertation advisor was Dallas Willard.J. P. Moreland's Talbot School of Theology Faculty Page
/ref> Moreland is married to Hope and together they have two children and four grandchildren. Moreland is a fellow of the Discovery Institute.

In 2018, he edited ''The Blackwell Companion to Substance Dualism''.

Career

Moreland teaches at the Talbot School of Theology at Biola University in La Mirada, California. He is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Center on Culture and Civil Society at the Independent Institute. He served for eight years as a bioethicist for Personal Care Nursing Homes, Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland.

He has debated Clancy Martin over the existence of God as well as Canadian philosopher Kai Nielsen and Eddie Tabash on whether the supernatural exists. He has been a frequent guest on the PBS television series ''Closer to Truth''.

Views

Moreland has defended Thomistic substance dualism, libertarian free will, and life after death. Moreland has defended the existence of angels and demons, arguing that he knows they exist due to both Christian doctrine and personal experience. He is an old earth creationist who is a critic of fideism.

In 1978, Moreland signed the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy. In 2017, he signed the Nashville Statement.

In 2022, Moreland co-authored a paper with theologian Dr. Tim Stratton, entitled "An Explanation and Defense of the Free-Thinking Argument". The paper argued that determinism could not account for "epistemic responsibility, whereby people are held accountable for what they do or not believe, and further argued that God is a "deity of deception", if determinism is true. The paper has come under some scrutiny, but has also found some intellectual support.

Awards and honors

*Awarded fellowship for Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry, University of Colorado (1970).
*Rollin Thomas Chafer Award in Christian Apologetics, Dallas Seminary (1978–79).
*Academic Excellence Award, International School of Theology (1982–83).
*Winner of the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award, Lakin School of Religion, Liberty University, (1988–89).
*Elected as a Member of the executive committee for the Society of Christian Philosophers, (1997–99).
*Fellow of the Center for the Renewal of Science & Culture, Discovery Institute. (2000–present)
*Winner of the Robert Fischer Faculty Member of the Year Award, Biola University,(1998–99).
*Member of the advisory board for Philosophia Christi, (1999 to 2003).
*Member of the executive committee for the Evangelical Philosophical Society (1999-2003, 2006 to present).
*Fellow of the Wilberforce Forum, 2001 to present.

Works

Moreland has authored or edited numerous publications, including:

Books

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Edited by

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Chapters

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See also

*American philosophy
*List of American philosophers

References

External links

;Official Websites

J. P. Moreland's personal website

J. P. Moreland's official Facebook page

Faculty page of J. P. Moreland

J. P. Moreland
(Theopedia)

;Debates
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;Closer to Truth
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;Other Talks
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1948 births
21st-century American philosophers
Biola University faculty
Christian apologists
Dualists
Protestant philosophers
Living people
American Christian theologians
American Christian creationists
Christian Old Earth creationists
University of Southern California alumni
American critics of atheism
Writers about religion and science
American philosophy academics
Discovery Institute fellows and advisors