Call for Papers on Emergent Church

The Open and Relational Theologies Group at the American Academy of Religion has posted a call for papers to be presented at the AAR meeting in Baltimore next November. This is mui importante. If you’re thinking of proposing a paper, let me know the topic in the comment section of this post.

Open and Relational Theologies

Call for Proposals

This Group plans to explore two themes:

Postcolonial theology in relation to themes common in open, relational, and/or process theologies including, but not limited to power, love, social structures, redemption, justice, violence, forgiveness, salvation, and authority. We prefer proposals addressing these themes or others from overtly open, relational, or process theological perspectives

The Emergent Church. Proposals may explore theological, social, institutional, cultural, ecclesial, or doctrinal issues or related matters. We prefer proposals that show a link or potential connection between Emergent Church issues and open, relational, and/or process thought

Mission

This Group brings together scholars of diverse interests and concerns. Prominent among those who participate are scholars who label themselves as process-oriented, openness-oriented, Wesleyan, feminist, liberationist, Arminian, trinitarian, evangelical, etc. Those participating generally affirm the following:

• Theology involves speculation about who God truly is and what God really does
• God’s primary characteristic is love
• Creatures — at least humans — are genuinely free to make choices
• God experiences others in some way analogous to how creatures experience others
• Both creatures and God are relational beings, which means that both God and creatures are affected by others in give-and-take relationships
• God’s experience changes, yet God’s nature or essence remains the same
• Creatures are called to act in ways that please God and make the world a better place
• The future is open — it is not predetermined by God
• God’s expectations about the future are often partly dependent upon creaturely actions

Anonymity of Review Process

Proposer names are visible to Chairs but anonymous to Steering Committee members.

Questions?

Thomas Oord

Northwest Nazarene University

tjoord@nnu.edu

Submit papers here: Open and Relational Theologies.