Theology & Philosophy

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About the Degree

Engaging with a core of dynamic, experienced professors, theology & philosophy students are challenged to critically engage with theological, philosophical and ethical issues and questions.

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Female student smiling in the Quad
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Group of honors students

Departmental Honors

Independent research is an integral part of degree programs, especially for students who plan to enter graduate school. Under the guidance of two faculty mentors, students design a year-long research project to present to the faculty. Those who pass will receive departmental honors and 4 hours of master-level credit.

Department Alumni

Calum Samuelson completed a B.A. in Intercultural Studies and Biblical Literature before pursuing a Master of Arts in Christian Thought with the ONU Theology Department. After completion of his studies at Olivet in 2015, Calum was accepted at Cambridge University, where he earned a Master of Philosophy in Medieval History. Calum works as an Associate Campus Pastor at Timberlake Church in Renton, Washington, and as an associate staff member at the Jubilee Centre in Cambridge, UK.

Chair, Theology & Philosophy Department

Dr. Kevin Twain Lowery

Dr. Kevin Twain Lowery is a scholar and author specializing in moral philosophy, Enlightenment thought (esp. Kant), and the interaction of ethics with science and religion. His two books, The Maturity of Belief: Critically Assessing Religious Faith and Salvaging Wesley’s Agenda: A new Paradigm for Wesleyan Virtue Ethics, have been critically acclaimed. He has a reputation for helping students think through difficult questions and critical issues.

Theology & Philosophy Faculty

Headshot of Calum Samuelson

The Theology Department at ONU helped me develop an ecumenical mindset while remaining firmly rooted in the Wesleyan Holiness Tradition. My many and sincere interactions with professors enabled me to process theological issues with both personal conviction and intellectual integrity.