Process theology is a major strand within philosophical and religious thought that emphasizes the dynamic, evolving nature of reality. Developed by Alfred North Whitehead in *Process and Reality* (1929) and later expanded by Charles Hartshorne in *The Divine Relativity* (1948), this theological framework posits God as fundamentally relational and changing. Central to process theology is the concept of divine dipolarity: God's “primordial nature” represents abstract, unchanging potential, while the “consequent nature” reflects God's experiential engagement with the world. This dual aspect has influenced natural theology, particularly through thinkers like John Cobb Jr., whose panentheistic interpretations integrate process thought with ecological and cosmological concerns. By situating divinity within an unfolding process of becoming, rather than static being, process theology offers a distinct alternative to classical theism.
Process theology remains an active and evolving field within contemporary theological and philosophical discourse. At its core, the framework revolves around three key concepts: *creativity*, *becoming*, and *relationality*. Whitehead's notion of the “creative advance” emphasizes that reality is a dynamic process of novel emergence, where each moment builds upon past actualities while introducing irreducible novelty. The idea of *becoming* challenges static ontologies by positing all existence-including divine reality-as participatory in an unfolding cosmic process. Relationality, as articulated by Hartshorne and Whitehead, underscores the interdependence of all entities, with God's nature characterized by both primordial potential (abstract) and consequent responsiveness (experiential).
Environmental ethics has emerged as a prominent application of process thought. Scholars like Mary Evelyn Tucker integrate process theology into eco-theology, arguing that its emphasis on interconnectedness aligns with ecological sustainability. This approach criticizes anthropocentrism in favor of a relational cosmology where divine and natural processes are mutually influential.
The field is supported by key institutions, including the Center for Process Studies at Claremont School of Theology (founded 1973), which fosters interdisciplinary research. The Whitehead Research Project (2005-present) further promotes Whiteheadian scholarship, bridging philosophy, science, and theology.
Process theology has influenced liberation and feminist theologies. Jürgen Moltmann's post-Holocaust theology incorporates process thought to reimagine divine suffering alongside human struggle, while Marjorie Suchocki applies its relational framework to feminist critiques of patriarchal language about God. Interreligious dialogue also benefits from process theology, with adaptations in process Hinduism and process Buddhism, where its dynamic metaphysics resonates with non-dualistic traditions.
The field continues to evolve through ecological, existential, and postmodern critiques, maintaining relevance in discussions of divine agency, suffering, and cosmic purpose.
Process theology has been interpreted and developed through various lenses, yielding distinct viewpoints within philosophical and theological discourse. Classical process theology, as articulated by Alfred North Whitehead in *Process and Reality* (1929) and Charles Hartshorne in *Man's Vision of God* (1941), emphasizes a dynamic conception of reality where God is relational and responsive to creation process-theology-classical-process-theology-viewpoint. Open and relational theology, exemplified by Jürgen Moltmann's *The Crucified God* (1973), extends this framework to highlight divine suffering and mutual interaction between God and the world process-theology-open-and-relational-theology-viewpoint. Hartshorne's neoclassical metaphysics, particularly in *The Logic of Perfection* (1962), critiques classical theism by arguing for a dipolar understanding of divinity that reconciles transcendence with immanence process-theology-neoclassical-metaphysics-viewpoint. Critics from traditional theism, such as Norman L. Geisler, challenge process theology for its perceived departure from orthodox notions of divine immutability and omnipotence, while analytic philosophers including J.L. Mackie in *The Miracle of Theism* (1982) raise distinct objections, arguing on logical grounds against the cogency of Hartshorne's modal ontological argument for a necessarily existing dipolar God process-theology-traditional-theism-critique-viewpoint. Additionally, process psychology, as explored by David Ray Griffin, integrates these ideas with theories of human experience and consciousness process-theology-engagement-with-process-psychology-viewpoint.
- Alfred North Whitehead - Natural Theology - open-theism - panentheism - process-philosophy - environmental-ethics-in-religion - interreligious-dialogue
1. Alfred North Whitehead, *Process and Reality* (New York: Macmillan, 1929). 2. Charles Hartshorne, *The Divine Relativity: A Social Conception of God* (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1948). 3. John B. Cobb Jr., *Process Theology: An Introductory Exposition* (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977).