Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed (Guides For The Perplexed) [Paperback]

Bruce Epperly (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 26, 2011 | Series: Guides For The Perplexed

An introductory guide to Process Theology for undergraduates.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

'Process theology comes in many forms. Some technical philosophical forms confuse more than enlighten. Bruce Epperly offers his own form of process theology in accessible narrative and confessional prose. The anecdotes, case studies, and stories bring alive process perspectives on crucial issues of our time. This book should further establish and expand process theology's standing as a persuasive alternative for making sense of God and the many dimensions and questions of our existence.' -Thomas Jay Oord, Ph.D. Author of 'The Nature of Love: A Theology' (Chalice) and 'Defining Love: Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement' (Brazos) (Thomas J. Oord )

'Unbelievable: Bruce Epperly really succeeds at communicating process theology in its full breadth and depth, in ways that will satisfy newcomers and advanced students alike. Yet he does it almost wholly without the use of technical terms! Epperly's writing flows beautifully. It's laced with personal examples and replete with its own Whiteheadian moments, such as "Reality is profoundly ecological" or "In each moment, we are artists of our experience" .... Perhaps the best in-depth introduction to process theology available for non-specialists.' - Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor, Claremont School of Theology, USA (Philip Clayton )

'Given that process theology (PT) has earned a reputation for being one of the least accessible theological movements, Bruce Epperly does a good job in helping to clarify the main arguments and translating the vocabulary into something akin to everyday usage.' (The Church Times )

'Process theology comes in many forms. Some technical philosophical forms confuse more than enlighten. Bruce Epperly offers his own form of process theology in accessible narrative and confessional prose. The anecdotes, case studies, and stories bring alive process perspectives on crucial issues of our time. This book should further establish and expand process theology’s standing as a persuasive alternative for making sense of God and the many dimensions and questions of our existence.' -Thomas Jay Oord, Ph.D. Author of 'The Nature of Love: A Theology’ (Chalice) and 'Defining Love: Philosophical, Scientific, and Theological Engagement’ (Brazos) (, )

'Unbelievable: Bruce Epperly really succeeds at communicating process theology in its full breadth and depth, in ways that will satisfy newcomers and advanced students alike. Yet he does it almost wholly without the use of technical terms! Epperly’s writing flows beautifully. It’s laced with personal examples and replete with its own Whiteheadian moments, such as “Reality is profoundly ecological” or “In each moment, we are artists of our experience” .… Perhaps the best in-depth introduction to process theology available for non-specialists.’ - Philip Clayton, Ingraham Professor, Claremont School of Theology, USA (, )

'Given that process theology (PT) has earned a reputation for being one of the least accessible theological movements, Bruce Epperly does a good job in helping to clarify the main arguments and translating the vocabulary into something akin to everyday usage.’ (, )

About the Author

Bruce Epperly is Professor of Practical Theology and Director ofContinuing Education at Lancaster Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania, USA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: T&T Clark Int'l (May 26, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0567596699
• ISBN-13: 978-0567596697
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro to Process Theology, June 26, 2011

By 

A. J. Roberts (CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed (Guides For The Perplexed) (Paperback)

Of the seven or eight other introductory texts I have read on process theology, this one by Bruce Epperly is perhaps the best overall, even though it does not replace the others. This is a strong claim to make for someone who appreciates the works of John Cobb and Marjorie Suchocki, both of whom have written many classic books on process theology. But one of the great strengths of Epperly's introductory level book is in his synthesis of many of the most important ideas of other leading Christian process-relational thinkers from the last few decades, including Cobb and Suchocki, but also David Ray Griffin, Charles Hartshorne, Catherine Keller, Bernard Loomer, Thomas Jay Oord, Robert Mesle, Lewis Ford, Jay McDaniel, Monica Coleman, and last but definitely not least, Bruce Epperly himself. Additionally, he quotes widely from the complex works of Alfred North Whitehead throughout the book, highlighting some of his most memorable passages and explaining them in a way that makes them more accessible. A second strength of this book is due to Epperly's emphasis in practical theology. He is concerned, first and foremost, with the way in which process theology works within the lives of individuals and communities, impacting churches and preaching. This adds up to a real gift in clear communication, but also great sensitivity to the actual lives of people outside the academy, leading him to concentrate less on complicated academic debates and more on issues like prayer, life after death, ethics, and holistic healing practices.

Here are a few things that stood out to me about the book:
1) Epperly goes through every important area of Christian theology and explains the various ways that process theologians understand them - christology, soteriology, sin, anthropology, eschatology, ecclesiology, pneumatology, and the trinity. This is pretty much standard for process theology intro books, but Epperly is particularly clear and thorough in his explanations of the various process interpretations of systematic theology. Beyond the basic areas of systematic theology, Epperly also explains process views of miracles, scripture, revelation, and mystical experiences.

2) A very helpful overview of process ethics is included on issues like abortion, euthanasia, ecology/animal rights, and economics/justice (which draws heavily on Cobb's work). Such a wide variety of important issues are not always a part of other introductory level process texts, so this was a great addition to the book.

3) As previously mentioned, Epperly synthesizes other key process thinkers in this book and summarizes many of their most important contributions to the process theology conversation: Cobb's logos/Wisdom Christology and work in ethics; Suchocki's theologies of original sin, eschatology, and prayer; Epperly's own work in holistic healing practices and eschatology; Griffin's work in the area of theodicy; Oord's work on a theology of love; Coleman's Womanist theology; McDaniel's work in ecology; etc.

4) Lastly, in the final chapter of the book, Epperly considers the possibility of the "amorphous, yet dynamic" emergent church movement adopting a process theology framework. He argues that process theology provides the flexibility that the emergent church is committed to while avoiding relativism, purely apophatic spirituality, and deconstructive postmodernism (most forms of process theology are contrasted as 'constructive postmodernism'). It encourages as much openness to other religions as possible while remaining rooted in a (constantly evolving) tradition - a kind of 'confessional religious pluralism.' Indeed, citing Brian McLaren, Epperly believes process theology can provide a truly inspiring philosophical and theological grounding for a "New Kind of Christianity." Although only a few self-identified emergent Christian writers/leaders/pastors are explicitly aligned with some form of process theology at this point, there are certainly overlapping emphases with process in many emergent/emerging books and blogs. As such, Epperly's invitation to emergent Christians (who are largely post-evangelicals) to consider process theology as a viable option in their search for new forms of faith makes a great deal of sense for anyone familiar with McLaren or Doug Pagitt.

While process theology is anything but easy to understand for many beginners, Bruce Epperly has done a fantastic job of making it accessible without oversimplifying the incredible depth of process thinking.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Adventure in Process Theology, May 31, 2011

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Patricia A. Farmer "Patricia Adams Farmer, au... (Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed (Guides For The Perplexed) (Paperback)

In Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed, Bruce Epperly has accomplished the near impossible: making process theology accessible, clear, and fully alive to people of faith and spiritual sensitivity. Comprehensive in scope and vividly fresh in presentation, this book brings the transforming power of process theology to life.

Near the beginning of the book he asks the reader some telling questions: "Do our images of God encourage creativity or destruction? Do they inspire love or hatred? Are they defined primarily by loving partnership or by coercive power?" With these big questions, Epperly challenges the reader to think and feel and re-imagine God in the Whiteheadian image of "the poet of the world."

While all of Epperly's books are written from a process-relational viewpoint, this one is special in that it unveils the full-blown philosophical world view that underlies the hope he has always inspired in his readers. He begins by offering the reader a concise history of process theology, tracing its origin in Whitehead's philosophy and its later development by Hartshorne, Cobb, Griffin, Suchocki, Loomer, and others. Then, using his gift of expressing big ideas in the language of simple elegance and metaphor, Epperly explains the basic tenets of process theology, with special emphasis on the problem of evil and suffering, the power of prayer, the teleology of beauty, the human condition--or what he calls "The Adventurous Self'--as well as a full range of theological issues such as Christology, Trinity, and the Bible. The reader's journey continues through the application of process theology to such areas as ethics, science, the church, and the afterlife. Finally, an extensive bibliography guides the reader toward further adventures in the study of process theology.

Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed is a ground-breaking book, for it not only offers a broad, intriguing, and accurate account of process theology, but also hews out a clear and vivid path for embracing the beauty of process theology in our time.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entry level introduction to process theology that blossoms into more, February 7, 2012

By 

David Wheeler (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Process Theology: A Guide for the Perplexed (Guides For The Perplexed) (Kindle Edition)

In many ways, Epperly uses other theologians' work to a large extent. But, he adds nuggets of his own simple language, avoiding some of thr large "Whiteheadian" jargon, whilemstill being successful in educating readers about this beautiful framework. I particularly enjoyed his pastoral concern throughout the book.