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OBU—Oklahoma Baptist University
Dr. Keith A. Hess
Dr. Keith A. Hess

Dr. Keith A. Hess

Jewell and Joe Huitt Associate Professor in Religious Education
Associate Professor of Philosophy and Apologetics

Biography

Prior to joining the faculty at OBU, Dr. Hess was a tenured professor of philosophy at the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. In his research, he primarily focuses on philosophy of religion and analytic theology. In his teaching, he focuses on life's big questions, and strives to instill in students a desire to develop a coherent, complete, and accurate view of the world. He also seeks to encourage students to love God and neighbor.

He and his wife Lorna are natives of California and have four children: Allie, Sophie, Zoey, and Eli.

Education

  • B.A., Biblical Studies, The Masters University

  • M.A., Philosophy of Religion and Ethics, Biola University

  • Ph.D., Philosophy, University of California, Santa Barbara

Subjects Taught

  • Philosophy

  • Apologetics

Professional Memberships

  • Evangelical Philosophical Society — President (11/2024–Present)

Selected Publications

  • “A Review of Science, Aquinas, and Human Uniqueness by Mary Vandenberg,” Science and Christian Belief 36, no. 2 (October 2024)

  • “Divine Causation,” editor’s introduction to special issue of Philosophia Christi, 25, no. 2 (Winter 2023)

  • “For Love or Glory? A Response to Wessling’s Case for Amorism” Part of a Book Symposium for Love Divine by Jordan Wessling, Philosophia Christi 24, no. 1 (Summer 2022)

  • “A Review of Love Divine by Jordan Wessling.” Philosophia Christi 23, no. 2 (Winter 2021)

  • “Physicalism and the Incarnation: A reply to Mullins.” Philosophia Christi 23, no. 1 (Summer 2021)

Selected Presentations

  • “The Abundant Life as an Apologetic,” presented at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, November 2024

  • “Augustine’s Cosmological Argument,” presented at the Annual Meeting of the Alabama Philosophical Society, September 2024

  • “Comments on Philosophical Essays on Divine Causation,” part of the book panel discussion on Philosophical Essays on Divine Causation, presented at the Evangelical Philosophical Society group session at the Pacific Meeting of the American Philosophical Association, 04/2023

  • “Comments on Love Divine,” part of the book panel discussion on Love Divine, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion, 11/2021

  • “Christ as God’s Spokesperson: Towards a Ramified Moral Argument,” presented at the Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Philosophical Society, 11/2020