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Chapter 28. Conclusion: recent and emerging themes. Process theology. Seeks to merge the findings of contemporary science with Christian thought. Whitehead (1861-1947), Hartshorne (1897-2000), and Cobb (1925-) are leading proponents. God’s existence and creation are not static, but dynamic.
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Chapter 28 Conclusion: recent and emerging themes
Process theology • Seeks to merge the findings of contemporary science with Christian thought. • Whitehead (1861-1947), Hartshorne (1897-2000), and Cobb (1925-) are leading proponents. • God’s existence and creation are not static, but dynamic. • Open theism is a more conservative form of process theology.
Liberation theology • Emerged in Latin America in the 1960s as a response to social ills encountered there. • Orthopraxy is more important than orthodoxy to help the poor and oppressed. • Black theology continues the themes of liberation theology.
Feminist theology • Christianity emerged and flourished in a patriarchal society. Feminist theologians seek to appropriate the message of Christianity in non-patriarchal ways. • Important themes: • Rethinking God language • Challenging the essential maleness of Christ • Advancing the roles of women in the church.
Global Christianity and Pentecostalism • The future of Christianity is in non-Western countries. • These countries emphasize the charismatic gifts and Pentecostalism. • Because experience influences theology, it is expected that Christian thought will continue to develop.
Postmodernity • Postmodernism: Tradition-mediated thinking is anti-rational, but we cannot escape tradition-mediated thinking. • Possible responses to this: • All thinking (including thinking about God) is self-undermining and meaningless. • There is a universal rationality we can come to understand. • Tradition-mediated thinking is rational, because rationality is relative to communities.