At Boston College, where former-BYU professor Jeffrey Nielsen earned his master's degree, there's a saying that all good theologians get condemned at least twice.

"Most philosophers who play that gadfly role get in trouble," he says. "If you are going to be good and provocative, then you are going to raise some questions that make people uncomfortable. Hopefully in the long term, people realize that's a good thing."

For Nielsen, whose contract at Brigham Young University was not renewed after he published an editorial opposing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints's stance on gay marriage, he is already seeing positives.

Nielsen said he has been "blown away" by the support he has received from family, friends and strangers -- support he said has strengthened his belief and position on gay marriage.

Now Nielsen has moved on to a new job, splitting teaching duties between critical thinking and introductory philosophy courses at Westminster College and two sections of an ethics course at Utah Valley State College.

At UVSC, Nielsen has been welcomed with open arms. Faculty members said they are excited to have a well-respected educator on staff and student editorials have lauded the hire, saying "BYU's loss has been UVSC's gain."

"I'm elated to have someone like Jeffrey around," David R. Keller, director of the UVSC Center for the Study of Ethics said. "He's a top-flight scholar. No doubt about it."

UVSC spokesperson Megan Laurie said the controversy surrounding Nielsen's dismissal from BYU played no role in his hiring at the college.

Nielsen's June 4 editorial in The Salt Lake Tribune opposed church leaders' calls for a constitutional ban on gay marriage, which Nielsen said he felt overstepped boundaries. For contradicting church policy, BYU officials told Nielsen the school would not renew his contract.

At the time, Nielsen said the editorial was strictly political -- "an abstract issue." He didn't know any gay people. Since then, he said he has met many and hopes that someday there will be a place for them in the LDS religion.

"I've seen their goodness, their spiritual wisdom and insight," he said. "The fact that some people see them as perverts or deviants, I can't tolerate that. These are good and decent people and the church is losing out on a wonderful source of strength by denying gays and lesbians full active faith and fellowship."

As a philosopher, Nielsen said it is his responsibility to stimulate discussion and thought by asking difficult questions. That propensity has earned philosophers the nickname "gadfly," after the pesky insect.

"Socrates was put to death for it," Keller said. "Fortunately, these days the worst that can happen to us is we get fired. We love to ask questions and sometimes it's not appreciated, but for an open society, it's critical."

Keller, a part of the same Boston College philosophy department as Nielsen, said the Jesuit school promoted discussion and questioning of authority, religious or otherwise, which might explain Nielsen's willingness to speak out.

"The Jesuits generally have a much different attitude," Keller said. "They are very comfortable discussing ideas that are inconsistent with Catholic leadership." But Nielsen said he did have fears of disciplinary action from the school and even the church. Even more, he worried about the ramifications of his actions on his family. So far, he said he hasn't experienced any fallout from the church he still attends every Sunday, and said the ordeal has strengthened his marriage. "I put (my wife) through hell," he said. "I lost my job. I challenged the very people she considers prophets and apostles. And she still lets me come home at night. I have to pay tribute to her."

The transition to his new schools has also been rewarding, Nielsen said.

"Professionally, I think this could be a better turn of events because of the freedom to publish and research and talk," he said. "I'm not saying BYU would censor its professors, but there is a tendency to censor yourself. I don't feel that same restraint now."

Nielsen said he would consider a return to the university if he was ever offered a job, but said, "It's not in my plans right now and it's not in their plans." So for now, he said, he is happy at his new schools and is content to just "stay out of trouble."

Aaron Falk can be reached at 344-2559 or afalk@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.