Can God act in history? : a Whiteheadian perspective
The thesis seeks to set the question ~Can God act in history~ in a Whiteheadian perspective, but first seeks to clarify the question itself. The first chapter examines the concept of action in general terms, and goes on to explore Whitehead's understanding of it, before applying the 'findings' to talk of God's action. The second chapter similarly addresses the notion of history, asking what procedures the historian follows in giving his account of the past, and whether God could be properly used as a referent within such constraints. Again Whitehead's view on the subject is examined. Chapter Three examines more overtly theological issues necessary for consideration of divine action, such as the concepts of violation, intervention, and 'willing' and 'permitting', before reviewing the work of Farmer, Farrer and Peacocke. The fourth and fifth chapters serve to direct our attention to Whitehead's cosmological system. The briefest biographical outline is followed by a selective exposition of his mature doctrines, and then an attempt to discern any movement or development in his thought through his corpus of writings. The whole of Chapter Five is then given over to an examination of particularly relevant interpretive
Ellis, Robert Anthony
God ; Philosophical theology
Can God act in history? : a Whiteheadian perspective. The thesis seeks to set the question ~Can God act in history~ in a Whiteheadian perspective, but first seeks to clarify the question itself. The first chapter examines the concept of action in general terms, and goes on to explore Whitehead's understanding of it, before applying the 'findings' to talk of God's action. The second chapter similarly addresses the notion of history, asking what procedures the historian follows in giving his account of the past, and whether God could be properly used as a referent within such constraints. Again Whitehead's view on the subject is examined. Chapter Three examines more overtly theological issues necessary for consideration of divine action, such as the concepts of violation, intervention, and 'willing' and 'permitting', before reviewing the work of Farmer, Farrer and Peacocke. The fourth and fifth chapters serve to direct our attention to Whitehead's cosmological system. The briefest biographical outline is followed by a selective exposition of his mature doctrines, and then an attempt to discern any movement or development in his thought through his corpus of writings. The whole of Chapter Five is then given over to an examination of particularly relevant interpretive
god act history perspective seek set question can god act history perspective first seek clarify question itself first_examine concept action general term explore whitehead apply findings talk god_action second similarly address notion history ask procedure historian follow give_account past whether god could properly use referent within_constraint whitehead view subject examine three_examines overtly theological_issue necessary consideration divine action concept violation intervention willing review work farmer serve direct attention whitehead cosmological system brief biographical outline follow selective exposition mature doctrine attempt discern movement development think corpus writing whole give examination particularly relevant interpretive