Emerging Process

by Bruce G. Epperly

Life-giving theology emerges from our evolving personal and communal experiences of divine inspiration amid the dynamic interdependence of life. Emerging process theology arises from the faithful and ongoing gifts of a lively community of friends and colleagues. Each moment of experience and one’s whole lifetime emerges from the universe and God who gives birth to all things. Accordingly, the emergence of this text in emerging process theology owes its existence to many named and unnamed persons to whom I want to give thanks. First, I am grateful to the wise persons who first introduced me to the insights of process theology and philosophy – Richard Keady and Marie Fox in the Religion and Philosophy departments, respectively, of San Jose State University and John Cobb, David Griffin, and Bernard Loomer at Claremont Graduate University. I am grateful to John Akers, pastor of Grace Baptist Church, with whom I first studied process theology in the early 1970’s. These way-showers enabled me to take the first steps in my own evolving adventure in integrating process theology and Christian faith. I am grateful for the inspiration of friends and colleagues I first met in the mid-1970’s at Claremont Graduate University, and whose own theological insights and evolution have shaped my own evolving understanding of process theology, most especially Jay McDaniel, Catherine Keller, Rebecca Parker, and Rita Nakashima Brock. Though often separated by geography, we have been spiritually joined in a process of creating new ways to experience and articulate process theology and progressive Christianity. I am also grateful to my students in process theology and emerging Christianity at Lancaster Theological Seminary as well as two insightful and forward-looking seminary leaders, Dean Edwin Aponte and President Riess Potterveld. I thank George Hermanson and Suzanne Sykes who have provided a platform for exploring emerging process theology with participants in the Madawaska Institute, Burnstown, Ontario. I have been also inspired by companions on the way, whose questions and trust in my insights have enabled me to be a better theologian and spiritual guide, most especially, Anna Rollins, Patricia Adams Farmer, Kathy Harvey Nelson, Jo Ann Goodson, Tripp Fuller, Helene Russell, Monica Coleman, Susan Hermanson, our son Matt Epperly and his life partner Ingrid, and the community of faith at Disciples United Community Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This book also emerges in creative dialogue with emerging Christians such as Brian McLaren, Jonny and Jenny Baker, Doug Pagitt, Marcus Borg, Rob Bell, Tony Jones, Diana Butler Bass, Bruce Sanguin, and Philip Newell whose words both written and spoken have been a source of ongoing inspiration. Younger theologians such as Tripp Fuller and Brian Brandsmeir have also been companions on the journey.

204 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 16, 2011

Reviews

[Craig Bergland · Rating 3 out of 5]

My biggest problem with the emergent church movement is that it seems to believe that evangelicals and Pentecostals comprise the entirety of Christenson and so fails to address the vast majority of historic Christianity. This book is no exception.

[Patrik Olterman Rodhe · Rating 5 out of 5]

What we believe in!