Gavin Ortlund

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Gavin Ortlund
Born (1983-06-30) June 30, 1983 (age 42)
Scotland
EducationUniversity of Georgia (BA)
Covenant Theological Seminary (MDiv)
Fuller Theological Seminary (PhD)
Occupations
SpouseEsther Ortlund
Children5
FatherRaymond C. Ortlund Jr.
RelativesRay and Anne Ortlund
Theological work
Tradition or movementReformed Baptist
Notable ideasTheological triage[1]
Websitetruthunites.org

Gavin Rutherford Ortlund (born June 30, 1983) is an American theologian,[2] professor, author, and Christian apologist.[3] Operating through his public ministry Truth Unites, Ortlund is known for defending theologically conservative evangelical Protestantism[4] from an irenic perspective, engaging with proponents of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, atheism, and liberal Protestantism.

Ortlund is Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville[5][a] and Visiting Professor of Historical Theology at Phoenix Seminary.[6] He won Christianity Today's 2024 Book of the Year award for his work What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church.[7][4]

Early life and education

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Ortlund was born on June 30, 1983 in Scotland to parents[8] Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.,[9] and Jani Ortlund.[10] He is the youngest of 4 children.

In 2006, Ortlund earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from the University of Georgia. In 2009, he earned a Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary. He went on to earn a Doctor of Philosophy from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2016, concentrating in historical theology.[11] From 2017 to 2018, Ortlund performed post-doctoral research at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School through the Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding, where he conducted research on Augustine's doctrine of creation.[12]

Career

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Preparation for ministry

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Ortlund discloses in his writings that he came from and appreciated his Presbyterian background, writing

I was baptized as an infant in the Church of Scotland. After my family moved back to the United States, I was raised in various Presbyterian churches, eventually working at two Presbyterian churches during college and then attending a Presbyterian seminary. As I look back, I have nothing but gratitude for my time among Presbyterians; in fact, I often miss that world![13]

He goes on to write that he was "propelled... out of Presbyterianism" because of the doctrine of infant baptism (paedobaptism), and that after a period of intensive study, his "convictions had solidified against [it], and I (somewhat reluctantly) changed my church affiliation and was baptized [again] (dunked in a river, to be precise)."[13] He went on to receive his ordination from the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.[14]

Pastoral ministry

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In 2010, Ortlund began serving as the youth pastor for Sierra Madre Congregational Church (CCCC).[15] He also served there on the church board of elders beginning in 2015.[16] In 2018, he became Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Ojai (ABCUSA), in Ojai, California.[17][18] In 2023, he announced his departure from the church and move to Nashville to focus on his Truth Unites ministry and become Theologian in Residence at Immanuel Nashville,[19][20] an Acts 29 Network affiliated church.[21]

Membership

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Ortlund has also been a fellow or member at various Christian institutions:

Public engagement

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Ortlund has debated Trent Horn (a member of Catholic Answers) on several issues, including purgatory and baptismal regeneration.[28][29] He has criticized John MacArthur and others for oversimplifying matters in deciding how churches in California ought to respond to governmental COVID restrictions. Gavin suggested that MacArthur had prioritiz[ed] worship over loving your neighbor, obedience to government, and maintaining a good witness.[30][31][32]

Views

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  • Ortlund has defended the doctrine of divine simplicity and the Thomistic view of the beatific vision.[33][34]
  • Ortlund has defended the view that Noah's flood was a regional event and not a global event, arguing that such a position is consistent with "an effort to take seriously the meaning of the text, which involves what the original author meant the original readers to take from it in its original context."[35] This claim has caused controversy within Evangelicalism and ignited accusations of theological liberalism, which he has denied.[36][37]
  • Ortlund also holds to the position of biblical inerrancy. He identifies as a theologically conservative Christian in accordance with traditional historic Protestant positions. "I'm an evangelical Christian. I believe in biblical inerrancy. I think the Scripture is fully trustworthy. I think if people were to go down the line on...the average sort of testing issues of our times, they'd find me pretty conservative, pretty classically Christian in my instincts."[37]

Bibliography

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Ortlund has written a variety of books surrounding various biblical, theological, and ecclesiastical studies:

  • 1–2 Kings: A 12-Week Study (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017)[38]
  • Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2019)[39]
  • Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020)[40][b]
  • Anselm's Pursuit of Joy: A Commentary on the Proslogion (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2020)[41]
  • Retrieving Augustine's Doctrine of Creation: Ancient Wisdom for Current Controversy (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2020)[42]
  • Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021)[43]
  • Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness (Wheaton, IL: Crossway 2023)[44][c]
  • What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2024)[4]
  • The Art of Disagreeing: How to Keep Calm and Stay Friends in Hard Conversations (Epsom, England: The Good Book Company, 2025)[45]

Personal life

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Ortlund is married to his wife, Esther, and they have five children.[5] He has two brothers: Dane Ortlund, author of Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers,[46] and Eric Ortlund, who serves as a Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew at Oak Hill College in London.[47]

Further reading

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  • Christian News Now Staff (August 4, 2020). "John MacArthur Appears on Fox News at Night; "We Are the Most Essential Reality in the World"". Christian News Now. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  • Robinson, Jeff (April 16, 2021). "Written to Christians or Almost Christians? Mohler and Schreiner Debate Warning Passages at TGC21". Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  • Dash, Darryl (August 3, 2021). 8 Habits for Growth: A Simple Guide to Becoming More Like Christ. Moody Publishers. ISBN 9780802499745.[page needed]
  • Lee, Justin (May 20, 2022). "Takeaways from the Debate over Tim Keller's "Third Way"". First Things. Retrieved August 14, 2022. In addressing the James R. Wood-David A. French debate, Ortlund tweeted, "[A]voiding tribalism and seeking winsomeness is NOT a strategy that can be discarded once we arrive in a ‘negative world,’ It is a biblical commandment" (as quoted here by Lee).
  • Vincent, Benjamin (July 20, 2022). "Why We Shouldn't Practice Liturgy 'A La Carte'". Christianity Today. Retrieved August 9, 2022. Article discusses the Ortlund book, Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future.

Notes

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  1. ^ Immanuel Nashville is a church in Nashville, TN.
  2. ^ Co-published with The Gospel Coalition.
  3. ^ Co-published with Union School of Theology.

References

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  1. ^ Greggsen, Caleb (May 21, 2020). "Book Review: Finding the Right Hills to Die On, by Gavin Ortlund". 9Marks. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  2. ^ Akin, Jimmy (February 24, 2025). "Gavin Ortlund & the Papacy". Catholic Answers. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  3. ^ Cline, Timon (October 14, 2024). "Gavin Ortlund's Apology". American Reformer. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Ortlund, Gavin (August 20, 2024). What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. ISBN 978-0-310-15632-1. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Shepherd, Josh (October 31, 2023). "Gavin Ortlund Leaving California Church To Be Full-Time Theology YouTuber in Nashville". The Roys Report. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  6. ^ "Phoenix Seminary Appoints Dr. Gavin Ortlund as Visiting Professor of Historical Theology". Phoenix Seminary. March 25, 2025. Archived from the original on March 25, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  7. ^ "Christianity Today's Book of the Year". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  8. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (April 21, 2020). Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-4335-6742-1. Archived from the original on April 18, 2025.
  9. ^ Belz, Emily (December 12, 2022). "State Finds 'Substantial Evidence' for Retaliation Charge at Illinois Church". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  10. ^ Chamberlain, Dale (November 3, 2023). "Author Gavin Ortlund Leaving Pastorate To Become Full-Time Theology YouTuber". ChurchLeaders. Archived from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  11. ^ Doverspike, William F. (April 15, 2025). "Religion Resource List" (PDF). Dr. William F. Doverspike. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  12. ^ "What Does Augustine Have to Do with Evolution & the Historical Adam?". Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding. May 15, 2017. Archived from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Ortlund, Gavin (March 8, 2013). "Why I Changed My Mind About Baptism". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  14. ^ "Conservative Congregational Christian Conference 2015-2016 Yearbook" (PDF). Lake Elmo, MN: Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. September 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  15. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (September 29, 2010). "California Bound". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
  16. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (June 23, 2015). "Mid-Year Update". Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  17. ^ "What a wonderful service... - First Baptist Church of Ojai (FBCO) | Facebook". Facebook. August 7, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "Leadership — fbco". n.d. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
  19. ^ Ortlund, Gavin and Truth Unites Staff (December 30, 2024). Mega-Huge Update for Truth Unites. YouTube.com. Event occurs at 0:05. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  20. ^ Immanuel Church Staff (December 30, 2024). "Meet Our Leaders / Leaders in Residence". ImmanuelNashville.com. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  21. ^ "Immanuel Church - Acts 29". n.d. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  22. ^ Keller Center Staff (December 30, 2024). "The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics / Who We re / The Keller Center Fellows". Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  23. ^ "Fellows — Center For Baptist Renewal". n.d. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  24. ^ Credo Staff (December 30, 2024). "Credo Fellows". Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  25. ^ "Announcing the Newest Credo Fellow: Gavin Ortlund - Credo Magazine". June 1, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  26. ^ "Fellowship Directory". n.d. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  27. ^ "About". n.d. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  28. ^ Horn, Trent (December 19, 2021). "Did the Church Fathers Believe in Purgatory? (Response to Gavin Ortlund)". Catholic Answers. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  29. ^ Horn, Trent (March 29, 2022). "Rebutting Gavin Ortlund on Baptismal Regeneration". Catholic Answers. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  30. ^ Klett, Leah MarieAnn (August 4, 2020). "John MacArthur Addresses Critics, Says Church is Not 'Spreading Anything But the Gospel'". The Christian Post. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  31. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (August 2, 2020). "Should Churches in California Defy Government Restrictions? A Response to John MacArthur". TruthUnites.org. Retrieved December 31, 2024. Ortlund argued that "four biblical values that should inform our decision-making in this situation: / the importance of worship (Hebrews 10:25) / love for neighbor (Mark 12:31) / obedience to government (Romans 13:1-7) / maintaining a good witness (Colossians 4:5-6)".
  32. ^ Parke, Caleb (August 4, 2020). "California Pastor Defies Coronavirus Orders Despite Threat of Arrest: Newsom 'Not the Head of the Church'". Fox News. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  33. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (October 2014). "Divine Simplicity in Historical Perspective: Resourcing a Contemporary Discussion: Divine Simplicity in Historical Perspective". International Journal of Systematic Theology. 16 (4): 436–453. doi:10.1111/ijst.12068. See also this link for a possible additional web source.
  34. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (November 2021). "Will we see God's essence? A defence of a Thomistic account of the beatific vision". Scottish Journal of Theology. 74 (4): 323–332. doi:10.1017/S0036930621000739. ISSN 0036-9306. S2CID 246017433.
  35. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (January 3, 2015). "Why A Local Flood?". Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  36. ^ Quintanilla, Milton (February 27, 2024). "Theologian Claims Noah's Flood Was Regional, Not Global". ChristianHeadlines.com. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  37. ^ a b Hallowell, Billy (February 26, 2024). "Noah's Ark Controversy: Theologian's Genesis Flood Claim Ignites Social Media Reaction". Faithwire. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  38. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (March 31, 2017). 1–2 Kings: A 12-Week Study. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 978-1-4335-5370-7.
  39. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (October 29, 2019). Theological Retrieval for Evangelicals: Why We Need Our Past to Have a Future. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 978-1-4335-6526-7.
  40. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (April 21, 2020). Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 978-1-4335-6742-1.
  41. ^ Ortlund, Gavin R. (May 1, 2020). Anselm's Pursuit of Joy: A Commentary on the Proslogion. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press. ISBN 978-0-8132-3275-1.
  42. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (July 14, 2020). Retrieving Augustine's Doctrine of Creation: Ancient Wisdom for Current Controversy. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic. ISBN 978-0-8308-5324-3.
  43. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (October 26, 2021). Why God Makes Sense in a World That Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. ISBN 978-1-5409-6457-1.
  44. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (January 10, 2023). Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 978-1-4335-8230-1.
  45. ^ Ortlund, Gavin (February 20, 2025). The Art of Disagreeing: How to Keep Calm and Stay Friends in Hard Conversations. Epsom, England: The Good Book Company. ISBN 978-1-80254-140-3.
  46. ^ Ortlund, Dane (April 7, 2020). Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers. Wheaton, IL: Crossway. ISBN 978-1-4335-6613-4.
  47. ^ Shields, Brittany (February 19, 2022). "Suffering Wisely and Well". Shelf Reflection. Archived from the original on April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
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