Phillip O'Reilly

Phillip O’Reilly is the youngest of eight children. His mother was blessed with unusual intellect and his father with uncommon commonsense. Dinner time often ended with raucous debate over some “hot” topic. Boyfriends, girlfriends and, later, fiancés and spouses marveled that siblings could argue so heatedly at table and remain good friends. This upbringing developed an appreciation for civil debate and a capacity for learning and critical thinking. Phillip attended a church pastored by a modern-day Amos, a down-to-earth farmer turned pastor, named Vern Maharry. Pastor Maharry, through deed and instruction, demonstrated common folk should study and can understand the Scriptures.

An injury in college diverted Phillip from a pursuing police work to graduate school. He enjoyed a short stint at Denver Seminary – as he jokingly says, “We mutually agreed six classes were enough” – and went on to earn a Masters in Political Science and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Phillip and his wife, Laura, have five daughters and five sons. He has taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Colorado, Liberty University, Eastern Oregon University and, most recently, at the Universidad De Piura in Piura, Peru. His goal in teaching his children and his students is to develop the capacity to reason, to assess arguments and to accept truth.

Phillip and Laura currently reside in Cove, Oregon with their youngest four children. He pastors of a small congregation and is the director of a private Christian school. Phillip coaches track and cross country and enjoys hunting as well as an occasional wrestling match with his youngest son.