Scholars Crossing SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations 1998 Process Theology W. David Beck Liberty University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/sor_fac_pubs Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, Epistemology Commons, Esthetics Commons, Ethics in Religion Commons, History of Philosophy Commons, History of Religions of Eastern Origins Commons, History of Religions of Western Origin Commons, Other Philosophy Commons, Other Religion Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Beck, W. David, "Process Theology" (1998). SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations. 100. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/sor_fac_pubs/100 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Crossing. It has been accepted for inclusion in SOR Faculty Publications and Presentations by an authorized administrator of Scholars Crossing. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Process Theology Process Theology ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and doctrines of the Priscillianists smacked of developed a complete process philosophical Norman Pittenger and Lewis Ford, generally As a result, the redemptive activity of God Manichaeism" and sorcery. Matters came to a theology, detailing especially a full concept of attempt to show that Christ's life was God's consists in his willingness to accept past evil, head when these charges were brought against God. in the sense that it was lived in complete transform it into good and continue to lure Priscillian and some associates before the These views have seen extensive elaboration obedience, that is, that Christ most perfectly each individual toward a self-authenticating Emperor Maximus at Trier in 385. This led in succeeding decades by theologians and phil­ followed the 'lure' of God. Others have done acceptance of true value. A person's salvation to their execution - the first and almost only osophers such as John Cobb (b. 1925), David so to a high degree, but in Christ obedience consists in his recognition of disloyalty to occasion in antiquity when a heretic suffered R. Griffin (b. 1939), Schubert Ogden (b. was so complete that a whole new subjec­ communality (Ford, Cobb and Griffin) and this fate at the hand of a civil ruler. At the 1928), Daniel Day Williams (1910-73) and tivity, a way of human living, is inaugurated. his willing acceptance of God's lure to be a time the greatest indignation was reserved for Lewis Ford (b. 1933) in the United States and The result of the life and death of Christ is member of the body of Christ. those bishops who had pressed capital Norman Pittenger (b. 1905) in England, to the emergence of a new kind of community, The process-God's ability to preserve each charges. name just a few. the church." This is the meaning of resurrec­ event as an 'eternal object' adds an eschato­ After these executions there was a Most process theology is rooted in process tion:" the body of Christ is born. For Ford logical" dimension to the theological system. temporary reaction in favour of Priscillian, theism." God, according to Whitehead, is the this is seen as a major step in human evol­ Not only does God's continuing knowledge who in some quarters was regarded as a primary example of metaphysical truths as ution. Man is now radically different. preserve the reality (in a subjective sense) of martyr.". A schism"· was threatened within the well as the one who supplies initial direction Add to this the view that the Holy Spirit" each occasion, but his use of the past in Spanish church, but this was avoided by to every event. Hence neither the general is to be understood as God's contribution of presenting new possibilities to the future also vigorous action from the Council of Toledo nature of reality nor the free actions of initial aims, and we see that process theology gives meaning to former events. Ogden and in 400. At a popular level Priscillianism history"· are comprehensible apart from him. is unitarian," not Trinitarian. others have used this concept in Whitehead as continued to exercise some influence right up The process view of God has been described The twofold character of all events as both a way of spelling out the biblical idea of to the 6th century. as panentheism." It differs from theism in incarnational and autonomous also defines eternal life and heaven. Nothing is forgotten identifying God and the universe, but it differs the process theologian's view of revelation." to the love of God, all is preserved and Bibliography also from pantheism" in seeing God as more Because all events, including human actions, continues to affect the future meaningfully. It H. Chadwick, Priscillian of Avila (Oxford, than, or existing beyond, the universe. Harts­ are given their initial design by God, they are should be noted, however, that this is not 1976). horne and Ogden use the analogy of a each a revelation of his character. As a result conscious personal continuance, and also that G.A.K. person's relation to his body. I am my body, the traditional distinction between general it is universal in application. but I am more than it. and special revelation breaks down. There is Ford, Cobb and others have done much to ROCESS THEOLOGY is the theo­ In Whitehead and Hartshorne, God's exist­ only special revelation; direct, intentional and develop a general eschatology as well. It Plogical system that has been developed on ence is necessitated by two different factors conscious acts of God. But every event has follows from their view of the church as the the basis of the philosophy of Alfred North which produced a dipolar concept. God in his this quality. emergence of a higher state of human evol­ Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne. The 'primordial', eternal, absolute nature as mind On the other hand, because every event is ution (see Creation"). This understanding name itself derives from the central tenet of contributes the novel aims or possibilities to self-determined in its actuality, God cannot permits us to look forward to a time when both of these philosophers that reality is a each succeeding event. God in his 'consequent' ensure that any revelation truly represents God's aims will finally overcome the indi­ process of becoming, not a static universe of changing and growing nature physically him. The future is never known, always free vidual evil events, and bring about a true objects. From this, a unique concept of both experiences the process, knowing and loving and open. Until it decides itself, it has no community of love and peace. Hartshorne God and man is derived, and from that in it. But experiencing involves a real relation or reality and cannot be predicted, even by God. roots this in the biblical view of love as true turn a complete theology. union, hence the cosmic process is God. Consequently, revelation could never be union. Whitehead (1861-1947) began, in 1925, a For Whitehead God is conceived of as inerrant. Some expressions will be more There is among process theologians wide series of publications which culminated in himself a single event who in one act is characteristic than others, but none can be diversity of concern to preserve a biblical Process and Reality (1929). Here he comprehending the whole process. More guaranteed true. Christianity. Some, like Lewis Ford and many developed an original metaphysical" system recently, John Cobb and others have Hermeneutics"· is seen as an attempt to Roman Catholics, indicate a strong desire to based on the primacy of events. The notion developed a view of God as being like a retrace the revelational process to discover remain scriptural, but most are concerned of events combines into one the previously human person, that is, a series of compre­ God's original 'lure'. Thus, it has both objec­ only to remain within a broadly understood separated notions of space, time and matter, hending events, identified by common charac­ tive and subjective components, and is poss­ Christian tradition. Some, like Hartshorne, as indicated by Einstein's physics. These teristics which continue in the transition. ible only in the interaction of the reader. are impressed with many process-like insights events (Whitehead called them actual The doctrine of Christ (see Christology"l The general features of process philosophy in Buddhism" and other religions and will occasions) are the atoms of the cosmos. Each has presented process theologians with a imply a view of man that is very close, if explicitly reject some Christian ideas in their atom is a point in the process, which takes difficult problem. Every event in history is not identical, to that of Heidegger, Bultmann"· favour. Hence an evangelical response to from the past and incorporates new possi­ God's activity and being inserting itself. In and other existentialists." Ogden has been the process theology is bound to be varied. bilities into a new event which, in turn, this sense every occasion is incarnation," and principal figure in developing this point. A In general, however, several major flaws can contributes to the future. The highest principle hence no single event can be so exclusively. person is a series of separate events. Each be indicated. First, its general metaphysics in this process is that of creativity. It continu­ Yet it remains true that God cannot determine point is autonomous not only in relation to negates the biblical view of creation" and ously brings about novelty in a creative events. As a result, no event is only God's all others in the series but also to God. It is providence" with its radical distinction advance that maximizes good. action, and therefore the deity of Christ is self-determinative.