Replies

Bill,
When I was a pastor I learned that everyone in some way creates their own version of God that they can relate to. The God who can change or not depends on which God one is comfortable with. I don’t think it’s much more complicated than that.
I don’t find myself attracted to the God of classical theism so I found Whitehead’s version one that I was not repelled by. This was the basic reason I began to be interested in process thought to begin with.

Larry,
As I listen to many discussions about process philosophy I keep returning to the fact that it has had so little impact in the world of everyday people. It has given me an opportunity to think in a wonderful and different way that I find very interesting and exciting but most of what I keep having explained to me and reading is the arcane and dense abstract explanations of what Whitehead is trying to communicate. What should be so very energizing becomes so boring!

Montgomery,
Twenty years ago I attended a training on Bowen’s family systems theory as they applied to religeous communities. The class was designed to help pastors deal with diffficulties arising in their congregations from conflict with a heavy emphasis on individuals with toxic personalities who constantly are the source for tension and anger within the group. At the time I simply viewed it as another class on how to effectively navigate working in a church without losing my mind. I now see looking back on how this was a practical application of organic philosophy in a life setting not at all unique but rather just one type of many prisms that we all look through at one time or another.

One of the most interesting and humanizing aspects about Whitehead and his life I have learned is that as brilliant as he was he lived his life in a state of financial chaos. He constantly struggled with finances like so many in spite of his brilliance and seemingly succesful career. In his intellectual persuits he was brilliant but in the most common area of life with which we all have to deal with it seems not very proficient.

Jay,
I am really a novice when it comes to the roots but your analogy of process thought and a tree has really helped. even though I had to miss the live class I have found the lecture reaaly helpful.
Thanks,
Chris

Nelson,
When Johnny Cash covered the song “Your Own Personal Jesus” and I think altered it’s original meaning he proclaimed a truth that is universal:we all want a god that we like and can accept. I can’t accept the god represented and proclaimed in traditional Christian theism which is the dominant view of god in the west. I find much a great deal of satisfaction in invisioning god as the Whiteheadian god of process. The only problem is it’s not the god represented in the Jewish or Christian scriptures. Process theologians twist themselves in theological word salad trying to make it work. For me I either have to embrace much of this god of process or go back into atheism. I have chosen to stay in theism.
Chris

Dennis,
It seems to me that all political systems are unilateral power systems. The only issue is which system we are invested in and support. I question the reality of expecting any system which is based on hiarchy, which political systems are, to be a relational one. Any movement which begins with a relational power foundation as one of it’s core values eventually adapts to become a participant and practitioner in the unilateral power model if it want to survive a accomplish it’s stated goals.
Not trying to be a cynic or a pessimist just a realist.
Chris

Bob,
Thank you for helping to clarify the difference between seeing causation and feeling causation. I think this gets back to the difficulty in changing my mental point of reference from object to experience.

Chris

Robert,
I think so many of our conceptions of “God” are linked to our almost subconscious understanding that God is defined as everything classical theism teaches. The unmovable mover that never changes. Add to that the image of a “personal” God, one in whose image we are made. I am of course referring to the God of the Bible which is the dominant view in the west. A God who is creative in a changing natural universe and part of that universe hence changing would be to my mind antithetical to the classical view that many of us imbibed from our earliest memories. It is deeply ingrained and in many ways almost impossible to completely let go off. Hence the need for us to be natural but for God to be outside of the natural order. That is why I don’t think the Process view of God will ever find much acceptance in any form of the Christian church. Maybe in other religions but not Christianity.

I’m interested in asking Bob to explain why Whitehead felt it was necessary to have a category for God. I learned in a book reading group I was in which read his book that he thought Whitehead overeached in his conclusions about the necessity of God. I’m looking foreward to his reasoning. It’s great to have the author as the teacher.