Being, becoming, and God : toward a relational theology : a study in the doctrine of God, with special reference to the thought of John Macquarrie and Charles Hartshorne
This study in the doctrine of God, with special reference to the thought of John Macquarrie and Charles Hartshorne, addresses the issue of the relational problematic and suggests a potential resolution. The 'Relational Problematic' focusses on the notion of aseity and the doctrine of the Trinity. It concerns the ontological conundrum posed by, on the one hand, the insistence that the external relations God has are of no ontological consequence to him, together with, on the other hand, the witness of the Christian tradition that suggests such relations are not, in fact, inconsequential for the being of God. The task of constructing a resolution begins with the ontology of the early Heidegger which is implicitly relational. Thus 'relational ontology' furnishes a hermeneutical key whereby a 'Relational Theology' may be developed. This development involves, first, the analysis of John Macquarrie's existential- ontological theism, which concludes that to speak of God in the language of 'Being' is to speak of the relational being of God. Second, and alongside this, is placed the analysis and discussion of the neoclassical theism of Charles Hartshorne: the pluriform language of Becoming by which God is conceived
Pratt, George Douglas
BT78.P8
Being, becoming, and God : toward a relational theology : a study in the doctrine of God, with special reference to the thought of John Macquarrie and Charles Hartshorne. This study in the doctrine of God, with special reference to the thought of John Macquarrie and Charles Hartshorne, addresses the issue of the relational problematic and suggests a potential resolution. The 'Relational Problematic' focusses on the notion of aseity and the doctrine of the Trinity. It concerns the ontological conundrum posed by, on the one hand, the insistence that the external relations God has are of no ontological consequence to him, together with, on the other hand, the witness of the Christian tradition that suggests such relations are not, in fact, inconsequential for the being of God. The task of constructing a resolution begins with the ontology of the early Heidegger which is implicitly relational. Thus 'relational ontology' furnishes a hermeneutical key whereby a 'Relational Theology' may be developed. This development involves, first, the analysis of John Macquarrie's existential- ontological theism, which concludes that to speak of God in the language of 'Being' is to speak of the relational being of God. Second, and alongside this, is placed the analysis and discussion of the neoclassical theism of Charles Hartshorne: the pluriform language of Becoming by which God is conceived
become god toward relational theology study doctrine_god special_reference think john charles study doctrine_god special_reference think john charles address_issue relational problematic suggest potential resolution relational problematic focus notion doctrine_trinity concern ontological pose one_hand insistence external relation god ontological consequence together hand witness christian_tradition suggest relation fact god task construct resolution begin ontology early heidegger implicitly relational thus relational ontology hermeneutical key whereby relational theology may develop development involves first analysis john existential ontological theism conclude speak god language being speak relational god second alongside place analysis discussion neoclassical theism charles language becoming god conceive