Job Title
-
Adjunct
Master of Divinity, Bethel Seminary
Highlight
Loren lives in Utah and is the planting pastor of The Bridge Community, a church in the Rocky Mountain District of Converge Worldwide. Loren is a lifelong learner and has a passion to immerse students in theology and equip them to engage in ministry.
Started at Bethel
2022
Education
- Chapman University - BA in Religion and Philosophy, 2001
- Princeton Theological Seminary - M. Div., 2004
- Talbot School of Theology (Biola University) - D. Min., 2012
- South Africa Theological Seminary - Ph.D, 2020
Biography
Loren grew up in Fresno, CA. He moved to Southern CA to attend Chapman University. During his time at Chapmant Loren served as a youth leader at a local church, where he met his future wife Carrie. After graduating from Chapman (2001), Loren moved to Princeton, NJ to attend seminary. Loren and Carrie married in 2003, and Loren graduated with an M. Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2004. Following seminary, he and his wife moved to Fresno, CA, to serve as the college pastor at New Covenant Community Church. While in Fresno, Loren and Carrie were blessed with two amazing children. In 2010, the Pankratz family moved to Centerville, Utah, to plant The Bridge Community. Loren continues to pastor this church.
Loren graduated with his D. Min. from the Talbot School of theology in 2012, and in 2020, he earned a Ph. D. in theology from the South African Theological Seminary.
Courses Taught
Organizational Leadership 620- Followership, the other side of leadership (2014)
Undersanding Mormonism (2022)
Awards
Awarded a Seminary Fellowship from Princeton Theological Seminary. 2001-2004
Graduated Magna Cum Laud from Chapman University (2001)
Religious Studies Student of the Year (2000)
Publications
Was Joseph Smith a Monarchotheist? Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 55(2): 37-55. (2022)
“Can Something Valuable Really Be Free,” in Sharing The Good News With Mormons, ed. by Eric Johnson and Sean McDowell (Harvest House, 2018).
Review: “Moral Responsibility and Desert of Praise and Blame," Philosophia Christi, 18(2), 512-518. (2016)
“Mormonism’s Great Secret, Freedom and Evil,” Philosophia Christi, 16(2):339-352. (2014)
Presentations
“The Ontological Argument Against Mormon Theism.” Talk accepted for presentation at the Far West regional meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS) and Evangelical Philosophical Society (EPS). (2020)
“Mormonism’s Euthyphro,” presented at the Far West meeting of the ETS and EPS. (2017)
“What Has Natural Theology to do with Revelation,” at the Biola on the Road: Reasonable Faith in an Uncertain World Conference, Centerville, UT. (2017)
“LDS Grace,” at “Compassionate Boldness” conference (SLC, UT, 2011).
“Does God Exist?” a debate at Fresno Pacific University between myself and the President ofthe Central Valley Alliance of Atheists and Skeptics, Mark Boyd (Fresno, CA). (2007)
Certificates and Licenses
Ordained Minister
Professional Organizations, Committees, and Boards
Converge Rocky Mountain Overseers Board
Evangelism In Depth: Evangelism training organization targeting Asia and Africa.
Hobbies and Interests
Reading
Doing things with my family
Pickle Ball
Jui Jitsu
Areas of expertise
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Research interests
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Natural Theology Philosophy of Religion
Teaching specialty
Theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints