Louisville Process Theology Network

On the Varieties of Relational Theologies

ON THE VARIETIES OF RELATIONAL THEOLOGIES

“In the postwar years evangelicals began to question some of their theological assumptions about God.

The biblical witness of a God who genuinely interacts with His creatures,

is affected by their obedience or disobedience, who grieves and repents,

became increasingly at odds with conventional theology……..

Publications began to emerge, articulating alternate or hybrid theological concepts,

settling in the theological neighborhood somewhere between classical theology and process theology.

Open and relational alternatives were suddenly emerging!........

Open and relational theologies share common commitments to theological method which,

while being Christian and evangelical,

seek to develop concepts of God which are both biblical and dynamic…..

God and creatures relate to each other. God makes a real difference to creation,

and creation makes a real difference to God. God is relational……..

Because of love, God necessarily provides freedom/agency to creatures,

and God works by empowering and inspiring creation toward well-being.

God also necessarily upholds the regularities of the universe because those regularities derive from

God’s eternal nature of love.”

Excerpts of “The Uncontroling Love of God: An Open And Relational Account Of Providence”

by Thomas Jay Oord at bu.edu