Threads from Henry's Web

Tag: Bruce Epperly

  • Are Panentheists Atheists?

    Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God

    Updated 17:09 central time to fix video link.

    Last night I interviewed Dr. Bruce Epperly, process theologian, as an excursus to my study of According to John using Google Hangouts on Air. I’m following the book Meditations on According to John by Dr. Herold Weiss, but I wanted to talk to Bruce about his book Healing Marks, in which he discusses the healings recording in John 5 & 9. More relevant to this extract, however, is his book Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God.

    Since there has been some recent discussion of panentheists in particular, and liberal Christians generally, I thought would be nice to hear an actual panentheist answer the question. I started my interview by asking Bruce: Are you an atheist? I’ve extracted his answer to this and posted it to YouTube. Here it is:

    Now I do not embrace process theology or panentheism, but I’m also not allergic to either term. It seems to me that one of the great tensions in scripture is between the story, which often reads very much like panentheism as Bruce noted, and the theological affirmations, which tend to separate God from the world more. I’m not sure that this tension is not valuable in itself, in that it keeps us from being too certain of our answers. We can see both in action, as God repents of making humankind or bargains with Abraham about how many righteous people need to be found in Sodom for that city to be spared. Both stories speak as if God doesn’t actually know the answers ahead of time. Yet at the same time we have the affirmation that he knows the end from the beginning, and indeed some scriptures that seem to say that he predetermines all. I see a parallel to the “God is sovereign” and “people have freewill” affirmations. Many Christians affirm both (whether they are Calvinists or Arminians), but explaining how they work together is much more difficult.

    For those who watched the interview and would like to know where I started with this discussion, James McGrath’s post Is This Atheism? is a good place to start. In fact, it links to one of my points in turn. I’m also planning to post another excerpt from the interview, in which I ask Bruce whether Jesus was a healer. His answer there might be enlightening in connection with asking whether he’s an atheist!

  • Reminder: Interview with Bruce Epperly on Healing, Panentheism, Process Theology, Truth, and …

    I’ll be interviewing Dr. Bruce Epperly on these subjects tonight in a Google Hangout on Air. I note with interest that some of these questions have come up in a post by James McGrath on Exploring Our Matrix, which in turn, links back to one of mine. It must be a hot topic!

    Come join us! The Q&A app will be active so you can ask your questions as well.

     

  • According to John – Excursus 1 – Interview with Dr. Bruce Epperly

    9781938434136sThursday night will represent an excursus in my study through the gospel of John, as I interview Dr. Bruce Epperly, author of the books Healing Marks and Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God, about the healing stories of Jesus. We’ll be discussing what it means to say that Jesus was a healer and we’ll likely have time to talk about words like “panentheism” that have come up in the study thus far. You can use the link above for more details. I’m embedding the YouTube player for this event at the end of this post.

    There’s also something to look forward to further down the road. Dr. Herold Weiss, author of our text Meditations on According to John, will join us on March 12 to discuss his approach to the gospel. We’ll touch on date and authorship, but most importantly on the theology of the book.

  • Football: I suspect God was indifferent to the ultimate outcome

    Football: I suspect God was indifferent to the ultimate outcome

    Finding God in Suffering: A Journey with JobBruce Epperly, author of the recently released book Finding God in Suffering: A Journey with Job, questions the view that God determines the outcome of football games (or, I suspect, any other sport), rewarding the faithful and punishing the unfaithful. The title to this post includes his money quote from his post, Is God a Seahawks Fan?. Here’s the full paragraph:

    I am sure that God was present on the playing field but not as a miracle worker or team mascot; God was there urging the players to achieve their best as team members, to be sportsmanlike, and to remain healthy amid a rough and tumble game. I suspect God was indifferent to the ultimate outcome.

    I found this post refreshing. God is involved, but God isn’t there to make your team win–or lose. He’s there with each person.

  • Quote: Prayers Make a Difference, But

    “I think my prayers make a difference, but they’re not omnipotent.”

    Listen to the whole interview by Doug Pagitt with Dr. Bruce Epperly, author of the recently released book Finding God in Suffering.

  • Bruce Epperly Interview and Sale

    Bruce Epperly Interview and Sale

    epperly_saleLast night I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Bruce Epperly, author of several Energion titles out of a total of 28 books he has written so far. Bruce is always both interesting and challenging, and doesn’t avoid the hard questions.

    We placed his books on a special “buy 2 get 1 free” sale just before the interview, but I was so interested in the topic, I forgot to mention it on video! I’ve extended that sale by one day, so it will be good all day today and tomorrow. If you want to stock up on these titles, this is the time to do it. Note that the buy 2 get 1 offer works along with quantity discounts, so if you’d like to stock up for a study group, again, now is the time. Just go to Energion Direct, and you’ll see a section for the sale on Bruce Epperly’s books. You can make your choices from there.

    For those who may have missed it, I’m embedding the YouTube video below.

  • Interview with Dr. Bruce Epperly

    On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, I will be interviewing Dr. Bruce Epperly on his newly released book Finding God in Suffering: A Journey with Job.

    I’ve just completed a trailer for this event:

    You can watch the actual event here:

  • Better Have Something to Share

    The following quote struck me in Bruce Epperly’s Adventurous Lectionary for the week:

    When we say, at our congregations, “come and see” to seekers, we better have something to share that will change lives, our own and others.  Jesus’ words call us to examine our ministries.  People are looking for meaning; they are looking for a sense of vocation and something to which to their lives.  Do we offer them the bread of life or business as usual?  What unique transformative gift do we have to offer?

    That and this too:

    Isaiah does not give us a pattern of vocational success.  Indeed, we must not abandon the statement that it is more important that we be faithful than successful.(emphasis mine)

    PS: I currently have the privilege of working on layout for Bruce’s next book, Holistic Spirituality: Life Transforming Wisdom from the Letter of James, and editing the one after that, which is on Process Theology, introducing it in about 40 pages!

     

  • Quote: Theology Moving from the Classroom

    This is another quote from my editing work:

    James is a theologian, but his theology moves from the classroom and the study to the street corner and the soup kitchen.  James is a “practical theologian,” whose beliefs motivate his actions and whose actions transform his beliefs.  Theological reflection and worship find their fulfillment in faithful action. — Bruce Epperly, Holistic Spirituality: Life Transforming Wisdom from the Letter of James (forthcoming)

    I’ll probably be posting more of these than I have in the past, as I really enjoy the work of editing and often find nuggets to share!

  • From My Editing Work

    9781938434761sChristianity involves following the path of Jesus in its embrace of the least of these,   discovering God’s presence everywhere.

    — Bruce Epperly, Holistic Spirituality: Life Transforming Wisdom from the Letter of James (forthcoming)