Relational Deity: Hartshorne and Macquarrie on God

by Douglas Pratt

An examination of the concept of God as propounded by Charles Hartshorne and John Macquarrie, two mid-20th century theological thinkers, Relational Deity argues for a concept of God as "relational deity" that arises out of a detailed investigation juxtaposing Hartshorne's neoclassical (or "Process") theism and Macquarrie's existential-ontological theism. The notion that deity is itself inherently relational is of considerable significance for an age that must wrestle with theological issues in a context of pluralism and post-modernity. It is a powerful idea with important theological and philosophical implications.

234 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2002

About the author

Professor Douglas Pratt is Convenor, Graduate and International Student Adviser (Studies in Religion) at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Professor Pratt also holds appointments as Adjunct Professor (Theology & Interreligious Studies) at the University of Bern, Switzerland, and Adjunct Associate Professor (Research) in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University, Australia. A former President of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion (AASR) and the New Zealand Association for the Study of Religions (NZASR), Professor Pratt is the New Zealand Associate of the Australian-based UNESCO Chair in Intercultural and Interreligious Relations – Asia Pacific. He is also an Associate of the Centre for the Study of Religion and Politics (CSRP) at the University of St Andrews, Scotland.

Professor Pratt's research interests focus on recent and contemporary topics to do with Christianity, Islam, Christian-Muslim relations, interreligious dialogue, and religious issues such as pluralism, fundamentalism and extremism.