Process Theology

Most theologies suck. They’re too technical or present a God nobody understands. Sometimes, the God they portray sounds like a controlling boyfriend or an absentee parent. Rather than woo or persuade, many theology books clobber people into submission. This book is different.

In Against Calvinism, listeners will find scholarly arguments disputing some points of Calvinist theology and how it affects God’s reputation. Olson draws on a variety of sources, including Scripture, reason, tradition, and experience, to support his critique of Calvinism and the more historically rich, biblically faithful alternative theologies he proposes.

Meaning is not simply discovered but created. Two exceptional thinkers who can help us with this creative meaning-making process are the French academic René Girard and the British philosopher Alfred North Whitehead. Dr. Rabe demonstrates that deep, broad, and significant harmonies exist between process philosophy and mimetic theory. Girard enriches Whitehead through exemplification, and Whitehead enriches Girard through an expansion of the overall narrative and deeper ontological insights into the processes that made us human. The result is an illuminating unveiling of the biases we ...

For 50 years, John B. Cobb, Jr. has been teaching listeners that theology is not confined to biblical and doctrinal exegesis but rightly includes economics, politics, education, and science. His prophetic warnings about climate change date back to the early 1970s; his critiques of higher education and American foreign policy are incisive. But for all the pertinence of his views, Cobb has refrained from giving them full expression until now. In the preface to this book, which he aptly names his confession, Cobb writes:

Blending Christian doctrines with Pagan experiences, this book provides a systematic approach to theology for ChristoPagans. This book explores major doctrines, how they are understood, and ways they can be interpreted to provide meaning and life to those people who need both earth-based spirituality and Christianity to feel spiritually complete.

The conflict between Palestine and Israel is one of the most highly publicized and bitter struggles in history. In this accessible and stimulating Very Short Introduction, Martin Bunton clearly explains the history of the problem, reducing it to its very essence - a modern territorial contest between two nations and one geographical territory.Providing a clear and fair exploration of the main issues, Bunton explores not only the historical basis of the conflict, but also looks at how and why partition has been so difficult and how efforts to restore peace continue today.

A Pocket History of Human Evolution brings us up-to-date on the exploits of all our ancient relatives. Paleoanthropologist Silvana Condemi and science journalist François Savatier consider what accelerated our evolution: Was it tools, our "large" brains, language, empathy, or something else entirely? And why are we the sole survivors among many early bipedal humans? Their conclusions reveal the various ways ancient humans live on today - from gossip as modern "grooming" to our gendered division of labor - and what the future might hold for our strange and unique species.

Work with data like a pro using this guide that breaks down how to organize, apply, and most importantly, understand what you are analyzing in order to become a true data ninja.

Ask and It Is Given, by Esther and Jerry Hicks, which presents the teachings of the nonphysical entity Abraham, will help you learn how to manifest your desires so that you're living the joyous and fulfilling life you deserve.

Omnipotence is dead. At least it should be. It has no biblical support. And it dies a death of a thousand qualifications in philosophy.

Chaos may seem an unlikely source of creativity, but below its senseless surface lies a swirling depth of possibilities. Every person enters a world that is already filled with symbols, meanings, and stories. No-one starts with a blank canvas, rather, we find ourselves thrust into a matrix of narratives. Yet, something truly new is possible amid this chaos. Time is a space in which these stories can be reassembled, reinterpreted, and ordered in a way that gives particular meaning to my life.

With its emphasis on relation over substance and possibility over predetermined endings, open and relational theology provides a way forward for both Muslims and Christians. This way, as “Open and Relational Theology and its Social and Political Implications: Muslim and Christian Perspectives” posits, aligns beautifully with important and ancient thinking from both traditions. Our world desperately needs “people of the book” to pursue cooperation over competition. Open and relational theology affords us that possibility. These essays were presented in their original forms at a ...

God is neither omnipotent nor impotent but amipotent. At least that’s what Thomas Jay Oord argues. In The Death of Omnipotence and Birth of Amipotence and other books, Oord makes biblical, philosophical, theological, and experiential cases against omnipotence. Oord does more than deconstruct omnipotence. He offers amipotence to replace it. This new word and idea points to the power of God’s uncontrolling love. Because an uncontrolling God loves everyone and everything, an amipotent God can’t control anyone or anything. This is good news! And yet an amipotent God is stronger than any ...

Over the past few years, Brianna Wiest has gained renown for her deeply moving, philosophical writing. This new compilation of her published work features pieces on why you should pursue purpose over passion, embrace negative thinking, see the wisdom in daily routine, and become aware of the cognitive biases that are creating the way you see your life. Some of these pieces have never been seen; others have been read by millions of people around the world. Regardless, each will leave you thinking: This idea changed my life.

What if God was not in control? And what if, instead, God always expresses uncontrolling love? Eighty leading thinkers explore the implications of a new way to think about God, the world, and our everyday lives. Their conclusions are radical, whether their writing is in story form or more academic. Essayists take ideas in Thomas Jay Oord's award-winning book, The Uncontrolling Love of God: An Open and Relational Account of Providence (IVP Academic). Each contributor explores how we might think and live in light of uncontrolling love.

God Speaks begins by exploring and asserting a number of problematic issues facing popular notions of inspiration today. Gordon then begins to offer an interdisciplinary solution utilizing Thomas Jay Oord's theology of essential kenosis and revealing how it provides a better theological basis for developing a doctrine of biblical inspiration. If God cannot control the biblical authors, then what they produce as the biblical text is not revelation in and of itself, but a contextualized human response to that revelation.

The idea that we can partner with God strikes some people as audacious. Others consider it pretentious. Some may think it’s downright blasphemous! Can creatures actually can partner with God? This book answers that question... in the affirmative. The responses vary and the proposals provoke new insights. Along the way, the ideas break new ground. It turns out “partnering with God” has various meanings and dimensions. The seventy-seven contributors explore this rich diversity in accessible language, deep insight, and multiple stories. Their explorations inspire, elucidate, and motivate...

That love does not control seems obvious to many people. And yet the temptation to control—often with good motives — is strong. The long-term results of yielding to this temptation damage everyone. Contributors to Love Does Not Control explore uncontrolling love and a vision of God as uncontrolling. They do so from their perspectives as therapists, psychologists, and counselors. Writers ponder what uncontrolling love might mean for human healing. Open and relational theology operates as the underlying framework for most contributors. That theology fits nicely with the belief that love ...

Evolution—or the broader topic of origins—has enormous relevance to how we understand the Christian faith and how we interpret Scripture. Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design presents the current "state of the conversation" about origins among evangelicals representing four key positions.

Fr. Sertillanges's teachings are as timeless as any truths which describe the genuine nature of things. . . . This book is highly recommended not only for intellectuals, but also for students and those discerning their vocation in life. —New Oxford Review