J.P. Moreland stands as one of today’s leading Christian philosophers, blending elite academic scholarship with a compelling ability to engage popular audiences. Over his 34 years at Talbot School of Theology, Moreland has made significant contributions to philosophy of mind, metaphysics and theology. His acclaimed books, including Scaling the Secular City, Love Your God with All Your Mind, and most recently, The Substance of Consciousness, are essential reading for both scholars and laypeople seeking a deeper understanding of the Christian faith. Recognized among the top 50 most influential living philosophers by The Best Schools, Moreland continues to champion a rational, accessible defense of Christianity.

Q: Can you please share your faith journey to Christ and tell us how you came to Talbot?

I was born and raised in a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and went to a liberal Methodist church, but I didn’t know it. In my junior year in college, Cru — or Campus Crusade as it was known — had a meeting at my fraternity house, and they shared the “Jesus is a liar, Lord or lunatic” talk. I had never heard anyone give factual considerations for faith. So, I met with a staff member for about a month. He gave me one of Paul Little’s books, and I read it and became convinced that Jesus was the Son of God. I told Christ I wanted to be his follower and for him to be my Savior, and I accepted the gospel and gave myself to him in November of 1968.

I joined the staff with Crusade from 1970 to 1975, then went to Dallas Seminary, and then I joined their International School of Theology from 1979 to 1984. But it dawned on me, as I was working with college students, that the Christian faith was being undermined by professors. And I realized that I needed to go to seminary and get extra training. I eventually felt led to go into philosophy so I could help defend orthodox teachings on important issues in a winsome way. I ended up deciding that what I really needed to do was to be a seminary professor. And the school that I wanted to go to more than any other was Talbot.

Q: What classes do you teach and are you working on any research or writing projects?

I’ve taught distinctively philosophical topics like metaphysics, philosophy of science, and ethics. But now I am kind of focusing on the thing I really love: philosophy of mind. What is a human being? Is there a soul? How do we know? Are we just our brain or something of that sort? I like to dive into that. In a fair way, try to defend a biblical view as I understand it. We are souls, but we’re deeply and intimately dependent on our bodies. It’s a very deep unity, but they’re not the same thing. When we die, we can leave our bodies in the intermediate state, but that’s not the natural way we are to be. And then we’ll get our resurrected body and that will be a natural way to live.

Q: How can Talbot equip the next generation of Christian leaders to make a difference in the world for Christ?

I think the first thing we need to do is to model that we really are disciples. Jesus Christ is the most important thing to us. He calls the shots. I belong to him and I love him dearly. I want to love him more each year as I get older. And Christ really is in his kingdom and that whatever we do, we’re trying to subserve that and him. That kind of role-modeling and weaving those things into our instruction is absolutely key.

Q: As a distinguished professor of philosophy, do you have any words of wisdom for the Talbot community?

If you talk to Christians that are older, you realize that from their experience that Christ promised us an abundant life, which comes from living according to his teachings. (By the way, if you want to know what a hard life is, live contrary to his teachings and see how that goes for you. People say it’s hard to follow Jesus. What’s really hard is not following him.)

That doesn’t mean there aren’t some difficult parts of it. He didn’t promise us a life that would be suffering-free. I’ve had 20 surgeries in the last 10 years. I have a disease that makes me vulnerable to getting a whole range of cancers. I have cancer all throughout my cheek and my cheekbones, and that could take my life if it gets up into my brain area. And I have cancer in my bladder. I just found out this week that I have a tumor and I have to go in for my 21st surgery to remove it and see if it’s aggressive.

Don’t be surprised if you suffer and God doesn’t answer your prayers to get you out of it. Sometimes he does. Ask him, of course. But don’t let it get you downhearted if he doesn’t respond, because he has something more important in sight. It’s a bigger picture. He has certain things he wants to develop in you. And I have to tell you, it’s really true. When good things happen in your life, it encourages your faith. But when you suffer, it develops your faith. So make your request known. Continue to pray. But also learn to give thanks for some of these things.

- Interview by Ashish J. Naidu