Process Theology Research Paper

A Select Issue in Contemporary Theology: Process Theology
Friday December 14, 2012

Table of Contents
Introduction 1
History of Process Theology 1
The god of Process Theology versus The God of Scripture 2
Conclusion 2
Bibliography 3

Introduction Process theology is a system created to try to find a common basis for science and theology. Process theology continues today but the god defined by process theology is not the God of Scripture and it is important to clarify the differences in order to avoid doctrinal error. This paper will examine the origins and system of process theology and will argue that the god created by process theology based on philosophy, mathematics, science, and theology is not the true God revealed in Scripture.
How did process theology come about?
History of Process Theology The Process theology movement stems from a system of ideas developed by Charles Hartshorne, John Cobb, Nelson Pike, Schubert M. Ogden and Norman Pittenger and others and is based primarily on the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead.
Albert North Whitehead The father of process theology, Albert North Whitehead derived a system to try to find a common basis for science and theology. Whitehead’s system is based on the principle of a dynamic reality including “God who also is composed of changing activities.”1 Whitehead was initially an atheist who, in the process of developing his system, “realized that he needed God to make sense of his system.”2 The god that was derived out of Whitehead’s system is defined from mathematical study and is characterized as “bipolar”, having a primordial nature relating to external objects and a consequent nature relating to the world.3 God is also defined as “dipolar” which is “a combination of eternal and temporal, of infinite and finite, of abstract concepts and of concrete materialization in the real world.”4 Process theology employs philosophical categories primarily constructed in Whitehead 's cosmology and metaphysics and uses Whitehead 's attempt to unify an understanding of the world. He introduces God as a meaningful category to clarify his metaphysics. He contends that he could speak of God meaningfully in the structure of his system.
Education

Priest
In Glarus, Zwingli went about his priestly duties and continued to study eventually becoming proficient in Greek.
Patriot
In April 1512, the
The god of Process Theology versus The God of Scripture
Zwingli,
Conclusion
Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli was a renowned Swiss reformer,

Bibliography
Brown, Delwin.
"Recent process theology." Journal of The American Academy Of Religion 35, no. 1 (March 1, 1967): 28-41.

Burrell, David B. "Does process theology rest on a mistake." Theological Studies 43, no. 1 (March 1, 1982): 125-135.

Cobb, John B. Jr., and David Ray Griffin. Process Theology: an Introductory Exposition. Louisville, London: Westminster Press, John Knox Press, 1976.

Elwell, Walter A., ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed., Theodicy by J.S. Feinberg, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.

Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Rev. ed. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2008.

Fisher, David H. "Process theology and the quest for a contemporary spirituality." Anglican Theological Review 62, no. 4 (October 1, 1980): 382-389.

Gilkey, Langdon. "Theology in process: Schubert Ogden 's developing theology." Interpretation 21, no. 4 (October 1, 1967): 447-459.

Griffin, David Ray. God, Power and Evil: A Process Theodicy Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976.

Haskell, Rob. “Process Theology: A Christian Option or a New Religion?” Evangelical Review of Theology 36, no. 4 (October 2012): 302-315.

O 'Connor, June. "Process theology and liberation theology: theological and ethical reflections." Horizons 7, no. 2 (September 1, 1980):
231-247.

Pittenger, W Norman. "Process theology revisited." Theology Today 27, no. 2 (July 1, 1970): 212-220.

_____. "Whitehead on God." Encounter 45, no. 4 (September 1, 1984): 325-331.