Michael Lodahl, Ph.D.

Professor of Theology & World Religions
Full-Time

Dr. Michael Lodahl has been a professor at PLNU since 1999. Prior to that, he taught 11 years at his alma mater, Northwest Nazarene University, in Idaho. Born and raised in agricultural settings of Eastern Washington, Lodahl loves the outdoors — especially the beautiful Sunset Cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean very near the campus. He most especially loves to watch for pelicans, his favorite birds by far! Lodahl, who is an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, has written or edited 11 books, including The Story of God: A Narrative Theology and Claiming Abraham: Reading the Bible and the Qur'an Side by Side. He has served as a pastor to congregations in California, Georgia, and Idaho, and continues to enjoy preaching when opportunity arises. He and his spouse, Janice, have been married for over thirty years, and have three wonderful children and two amazing grandchildren. He loves to explore big ideas with students both inside the classroom and out.

Education

  • Ph.D., Theological Studies, Emory University
  • M.Div., Philosophy of Religion and Theology, Nazarene Theological Seminary
  • B.A. in Psychology and Philosophy, Northwest Nazarene College

Courses Taught

  • Christian Tradition – CHU 395
  • Introduction to Christian Theology – THE 250
  • The World's Faith Traditions – THE 320
  • The Ministry and Sermons of John Wesley – THE 410
  • Christ and the Church – THE 330

Experience in Field

  • Point Loma Nazarene University, Professor of Theology and World Religions, 1999 – present
  • Northwest Nazarene College, Professor of Theology, 1988 – 1999
  • Crest Church of the Nazarene, 1986 – 1987
  • La Puente Church of the Nazarene, 1981 – 1984

Professional and Community Involvement

  • Member, Wesleyan Theological Society, 1988 – present
  • President, Wesleyan Theological Society, 2012 (one-year term for presidents)
  • Member, American Academy of Religion, 1986 – present

Awards and Honors

  • Graduate Student Paper First Place Award, American Academy of Religion Southeast Region, 1987
  • Distinguished Lecturer for the Gould Lectures on Holiness, Eastern Nazarene College, 2003
  • Distinguished Lecturer for the Rothwell Lectures in Theology,  Southern Nazarene University, 2005
  • Distinguished Lecturer for the First Annual Edwin Crawford Lecture, Northwest Nazarene University, 2009
  • Distinguished Lecturer and Preacher for the Annual Japan Holiness Association Meetings, 2012
  • Distinguished Lecturer for the annual Sidney Martin Memorial Lecture, Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, England, 2013
  • Shortlist Finalist for the Michael Ramsey Prize in Theological Writing, Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye, Wales, 2013
  • Invited Plenary Speaker for Oxford Centre for Muslim-Christian Studies Conference, 'Biblical Interpretation in Islamic Contexts', Oxford, England, 2015
  • Distinguished Lecturer in the annual Didsbury Lectures, Nazarene Theological College, Manchester, England, 2019

Dissertations, Presentations, and Publications

Books

  • Lodahl, M. Shekhinah/Spirit: Divine Presence in Jewish and Christian Religion (Paulist Press, 1992; re-released by Wipf & Stock, 2012)
  • Lodahl, M. The Story of God: Biblical Narrative and Wesleyan Theology (Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1994; second edition, 2008)
  • Lodahl, M. Embodied Holiness: Toward a Corporate Spirituality, chapter contributor and co-editor with PLNU colleague Samuel Powell (InterVarsity Press, 2001; re-released by Wipf & Stock, 2012)
  • Lodahl, M. God of Nature and of Grace: Reading the World in a Wesleyan Way (Kingswood Books / Abingdon, 2003)
  • Lodahl, M. 'All things Necessary to Our Salvation': The Hermeneutical and Theological Implications of the Article on the Holy Scriptures in the Manual of the Church of the Nazarene (Point Loma Press, 2004)
  • Lodahl, M. Relational Holiness: Responding to the Call of Love, co-author with Thomas Jay Oord (Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2005)
  • Lodahl, M. When Love Bends Down: Portraits of the Christ Who Meets Us Where We Are (Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2006)
  • Lodahl, M. Claiming Abraham: Reading the Bible and the Qur'an Side by Side (Brazos Press, 2010)
  • Lodahl, M. Renewal in Love: Living Holy Lives in God's Good Creation, with April Cordero Masciewicz (Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2014)

  • Lodahl, M. Matthew Matters: The Yoke of Wisdom and the Church of Tomorrow (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, forthcoming 2021)

  • Lodahl, M. Praying with Jesus: Meditations on the Lord’s Prayer (Kansas City, MO: Foundry Publishing, forthcoming 2021)