The Process Perspective: Frequently Asked Questions About Process Theology

by John B. Cobb Jr.

In a reader-friendly, question-and-answer format, John B. Cobb, Jr., the foremost process theologian, addresses many questions and misunderstandings about process theology. He writes for everyday people of faith, seeking to put process ideas into plain language with clear implications for faithful living. Through thirty-six questions relating to God, Christ, the church, the Bible, humankind, and ethics and society, Cobb explores the thought and application of process theology to all aspects of a faithful life. How are we to understand God? What does it mean to be a faithful Christian? Do traditional doctrines such as incarnation and atonement really make sense? Must people choose between faith and fact? In answering these and other questions, Cobb opens our minds to new understandings and gives us new ways to relate to our world and the God at work within it.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Church

140 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

About the author

John Boswell Cobb Jr. was an American theologian, philosopher, and environmentalist. Cobb was regarded as a preeminent scholar in the field of process philosophy and process theology, the school of thought associated with the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. He was the author of more than fifty books. In 2014, Cobb was elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Reviews

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A TOPICAL SELECTION OF ANSWERS COBB HAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED TO QUESTIONS

John B. Cobb, Jr. (born 1925) is an American theologian, philosopher, and environmentalist, best known for his work in Process Theology. He has written many books, such as A Christian Natural Theology; Jesus' Abba: The God Who Has Not Failed; Process Theology: An Introductory Exposition; Process Theology As Political Theology, etc.

Editor Jeanyne Slettom explained in her Introduction to this 2003 book, “In addition to his many books, Cobb has responded to questions posed to him over the Internet, and that is the source of most of what follows in the book… it is clear that these are not technically ‘frequently asked questions.’ They are onetime questions posed by individuals. However, behind the wording of a specific question, themes emerge, and these themes ARE frequently expressed by those who seek a clearer understanding of process thought… In this either-or climate of scientific fact, are the choices really limited to the premodern ‘faith of our fathers’ or no faith at all?... Cobb suggests a gentle no.”

The first question posed is, Is God almighty?’ and Cobb replies, “The question of God’s omnipotence arises for individuals whenever they encounter personal injustice and meaningless suffering… The September 11 destruction of the World Trade Towers was an event of that sort. People ask why God caused this or allowed it to happen. The answer of process theology is, of course, that God’s power is not the sort that prevents people from doing evil things. God calls and seeks to persuade. But this does not keep us from committing crimes… God’s call is not without effect, but it is not decisive. Most of what happens in the world is shaped by idolatry… by devotion to lesser goods of ‘gods.’” (Pg. 5-6)

Later, he explains, “So does process theology affirm the justice of God? Yes, but very carefully. The idea od justice continues to be bound up in too many minds with the notion that life will deal us what we deserve and that suffering must be brought about by sin. The expectation of justice in this sense leads repeatedly to disappointment… It is far better to emphasize God’s love and God’s desire that we love one another. The justice we do want to emphasize is that which seeks to lift up those who are downtrodden and to support the oppressed.” (Pg. 11)

He says of healing miracles, “The concern underlying the question is intensified to whatever extent one thinks of God as the unilateral agent of the healing. Why would God help more in one case than another? Does this mean that God favors one person over the other? Process theology holds that God is already present in the healing forces of the body and is working also in the experience of the person involved. God is calling the person to that state of mind that is most conducive to healing. God’s healing work in the body is more effective when that state of mind is present.” (Pg. 17)

In response to a question about the devil and demons, he replies, “social structures develop that promote evil and inhibit good beyond the will and control of individual human beings; these may well be regarded a demonic. Their emergence, however, can be explained without recourse to demons. Only if sociology and psychology turn out to be clearly insufficient will we turn to another account. I leave the door open here. Process theology offers no metaphysical grounds for the denial of evil forces of a personal or quasi-personal sort… Process theology treats this question, like so many questions, that many try to resolve metaphysically, as an empirical issue.” (Pg. 24-25)

About ‘divine coercion,’ he states, “Neither God nor the past nor any combination of the two determine exactly what any occasion will become…God’s working within the occasion… lures toward the actualization of the fullest possible realization of value in itself and in its contribution to others… human beings experience God as calling them to act more lovingly toward their neighbors… This call is internal to us, drawing us away from our self-centeredness. It feels like persuasion… [But] God strictly determines limits precisely so that value can be realized through persuasion… From a process perspective, it is better to avoid ‘coercion’ as a description of God’s working in the world.” (Pg. 26-27)

Of the idea of ‘incarnation,’ he comments, “[we should consider] the difference between the way God functioned in Jesus and the way God has functioned in others, including other great spiritual leaders such as Buddha of Amos or Paul or Eckhart… in Jesus, at least during significant periods of his ministry, his self was co-constituted by his prehensions of his personal past and of God. The kind of doctrine of incarnation process thinkers cannot accept is that which makes Jesus metaphysically different from all other human beings… We also think that the idea has very little biblical support… God was in Jesus. Even a process thinker who is not a Christian must acknowledge that.” (Pg. 40)

About the inspiration of Bible, he suggests, “Yes, the Bible contains much inspired material. The healthy continuance of our Christian tradition depends on our intense appreciation of that material … It depends equally on our distinguishing inspiration from any notion of inerrancy… The Bible is a thoroughly human document written, edited, and compiled over many centuries by numerous people… to say that it is thoroughly human does not exclude God form involvement in its authorship… there are many inspired passages in the Jewish and Christian scriptures. But inspiration does not by any means entail inerrancy. An inspired author may rely on inaccurate historical information and prescientific notions of the natural world… Hence, to press even the most inspired words in the Bible for accurate information or definitive judgments will often lead to absurdities.” (Pg. 74-75)

Of so-called “openness theology” [e.g., 'The Openness of God: A Biblical Challenge to the Traditional Understanding of God], he states, “Overall the relation is friendly, supportive, and overlapping… I think the difference is primarily that of the context and constituency of the two theologies… Openness theology is the outgrowth of … thoughtful and sensitive members of the conservative evangelical community… Process theology, on the other hand, has attracted some people who react strongly against conservative forms of Christianity… One doctrine on which a fairly clear line of disagreement can be drawn is divine power… the evangelical community … God’s power is such that God could control everything, but God chooses to limit the exercise of that power so as to make room for creaturely freedom. Process theologians reject this solution on three grounds. One is the problem of evil. If God could have stopped the Holocaust and failed to do so in order to honor the freedom of the Nazis, we find God’s judgment highly questionable. The second is… We believe that divine power is not coercive power… The third is… God cold not have created powerless creatures.” (Pg. 81-82)

He says, “Does [petitionary] prayer make sense in process theology? I think it does, but of course, it makes a great deal of difference what we ask for. If we pray for… harm to come to another, for example, that will make a difference… If we pray for something that is in harmony with God’s purposes, such as a purer heart that will open us to allowing God’s grace to act more fully and effectively in our lives, that, too, will make a difference… There is little doubt that praying for our own healing can help if it is done with confidence that God is already at work in our bodies in a healing way… Many of our prayers are for the healing of others. Can these prayers help? Here too, I believe the evidence is positive.” (Pg. 104)

On Immortality, he explains, “I count myself among those who think that belief in life after death can function positively today. I say this despite the extensive harm it has done in the past, especially when salvation and damnation were defined in terms of such postmortem existence… The doctrine of the soul, which once functioned to disparage the body, may now be needed to preserve even the body from trivialization… Strictly speaking, the soul’s survival after death need not amount to immortality. Indeed, for process thought, the notion of any form of creaturely existence enduring forever seems inherently implausible. The only immortality would seem to be in God… God may give us that continuity as long as we need or want it, but it will not be forever.” (Pg. 107-108)

This book is “must reading” for anyone seriously studying Process Theology, or other forms of contemporary/progressive Christianity.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cobb achieved what he set out to do in this intro to process thought. He doesn't aim to be comprehensive. He's basically giving us a gateway drug into process theology, and so a full detailed and persuasive argument isn't necessary in this book. I was surprised that Cobb avoided topics like racism and colonialism for most of the book because I think process theologians have a lot to say about those things.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of what happens in the world is shaped by devotion to a lesser god or gods.

A world where justice and righteousness prevail does not translate into reward and punishment but fair treatment of all people.

Let’s emphasize a justice that lifts up those who are downtrodden and supports the oppressed.

Christians seek salvation and Buddhists seek enlightenment. They are not the same thing.

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly easy to read basic intro to process theology in a Q&A format with one of the most prominent contemporary process theologians.

[Jimmy]

This book is hands down the worst book I read in the first quarter of 2010. It is fill with much arbitrariness, and at times i wish he was more straight forward with what he does and does not believe. I read the book consciously looking for things that suggests a Process Theology epistemology (since I wanted to see if it's epistemology can sustain it's theological and metaphysical claims). There were times where you read various pages of Cobb's answer to a question and all the time does not show how Process philosophy or theology lead them there. Since Cobbs opinionates a lot on morals and ethics, I wished he would have shown exactly how process theology led him to his conclusion and view. Furthermore, I wished he could have discussed what is ultimately his basis for ethics. This he left unexplored, and he should have discussed Process Theology's foundation for ethics, especially since he reject traditional and Biblical ethics with another sort of ethics. Concerning his political statement, I do find some of what he says as simplistic or so broad that it was not helpful.

[c5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a little about process theology in a college course, and I had always intended to read more about it. After researching a few books, I decided that this might be a good one to start with. While I found this book interesting and insightful overall, it seems in places to assume that its audience comes from a fairly specific Christian background.

[Tylor Lovins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book assumes that you are familiar with the basics of process theology. Although it is overal a good summation of John Cobb's views on process theology, that is all it is. The book is actually a publication of a few emails from the processandfaith.org website where Cobb answers questions monthly.