Reclaiming the transcendent : God in process

by Tom Gates

Other authorsChel Avery (Editor), Mary Helgesen Gabel (Designer)
Pamphlet, June2013

Status

Available

Call number

CP 422 c2

Publication

Wallingford, PA : Pendle Hill Publications, 2013.

ISBN

9780875744216

Description

God is commonly imagined as a supreme Being, acting from afar to influence events in the world. For many people today, this image of God has become unbelievable. Tom Gates presents process theology as another way of understanding God that is more congruent with a scientific worldview, as well as with the biblical witness and with the understanding of early Friends. He invites readers to "reclaim the Transcendent" through a vision of God that is less like a King and more like an energy field, constantly but imperceptibly nudging us toward True North, less like a puppeteer and more like an inner yearning toward future possibilities of beauty and harmony.

User reviews

LibraryThing member QuakerReviews
This pamphlet will be important for some or many Friends. Gates argues that our concept of God matters, since we need a concept that does not blind us to, but rather directs our careful attention to our own spiritual experience. For many Friends, this will be a panentheistic concept of God (rather
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than a supernatural theist concept), that balances both transcendence and immanence. Once we have a foundation of spiritual experience, we don't need to pay much more attention to the concepts, which come to seem like "notions" to us. We then focus on our spiritual life and community and the Way that we discover.
Gates seems to be saying that since many of us will only be able to "give over our own knowing," our concepts of God, as we develop our own experience, it is important to start with a concept that frees and helps us to open to the experience. He finds that these concepts for him come from process theology, which he goes on to briefly explain. He finds this all fits well with the early Quaker concept of God, of the Inward Teacher.
Gates's experience of searching for a concept of God that works for him in the modern world and in the Quaker Way must be shared by many Friends. This pamphlet is helpful and very interesting, with good information and clear reflection, written in a sweet and personal style.
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LibraryThing member kaulsu
Wonderful pamphlet. In very easy to understand language, Gates spells out process theology. The notion that God (by whatever name one is comfortable using) was a "watch maker" who wound the watch and now watches time run down has itself run out of time.

More in keeping with how some progressive
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Friends think of God today, may be best described by the term "panentheism": "God in everything, and everything in God."

Process theology helps to explain in fuller detail panentheism. This pamphlet does a good job of explaining process theology!
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Call number

CP 422 c2

Barcode

6540
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