The scientist/theologian Ian G. Barbour has proposed a fourfold typology as an aid to sorting out the great variety of ways in which people have related science and religion :
1. Conflict---Biblical literalists believe that the theory of evolution conflicts with religious faith. Atheistic scientists claim that scientific evidence for evolution is incompatible with any form of theism. For both of them, science and religion are enemies.
2. Independence---An alternative view is that science and religion are strangers who can coexist as long as they keep a safe distance from each other. According to this view, there should be no conflict because science and religion refer to differing domains of life or aspects of reality.
3. Dialogue---One form of dialogue is a comparison of the methods of the two fields, which may show similarities even when the differences are acknowledged. For example, conceptual models and analogies are used to imagine what cannot be directly observed( God or a subatomic particle, let's say).
4. Integration---A more systematic and extensive kind of partnership between science and religion occurs among those who seek a closer integration of the two disciplines. A philosophical system such as process philosophy can be used to interpret scientific and religious thought within a common conceptual framework. Abrahamic Panentheism represents an integration of science and religion...
Process Philosophy was formulated under the influence of both scientific and religious ideas. Alfred North Whitehead was familiar with quantum physics and its portrayal of reality as a series of momentary events and interpenetrating fields rather than separate particles. In his thought, processes of change and relationships between events are more fundamental than enduring self-contained objects. For him, as for evolutionary thinkers, nature is a dynamic web of interconnected events, characterized by novelty as well as order.
For process thinkers, creation is a long and incomplete process. The God of Abraham elicits the self-creation of individual entities, thereby allowing for freedom and novelty as well as order and structure. Process metaphysics understands every new event to be jointly the product of the entity's past, its own action, and the action of the God of Abraham. Here the God of Abraham transcends the world but is immanent in the world in a specific way in the structure of each event. The power of love is precisely its ability to evoke a response while respecting the integrity of other beings.
Our speculative model of the God of Abraham will incorporate process philosophy, panentheism, and quantum field theory.
Definition
PANENTHEISM ( 'everything' 'in' 'the God of Abraham' )
The belief that the being of the God of Abraham includes and penetrates the whole universe, so that every part of it exists in Him, but ( as against Pantheism ) that His Being is more than, and is not exhausted by, the universe.
Abrahamic Panentheism realizes that every Jew, Christian, and Muslim is incorporated within the God of Abraham. Indeed, every Jew, Christian, and Muslims is a part of the God of Abraham. When Religious war and Global Terrorism arise, we have members of the Abrahamic Traditions trying to exterminate each other. When they kill a part of the God of Abrahams creation, they actually kill a part of the God of Abraham.
This is why understanding who, when, where, and why holy scripture was written is so important. These holy books work well in building ethics and morals when interpreted metaphorically, they have value. However, in this day and age, a literal blind faith reading could cause the extinction of humankind.
An example is the evolution of the concept of Jihad in the Koran. This concept has changed several times depending on the situations and circumstances of the times. This is what the movie addresses, and the time is near..........
The belief that the being of the God of Abraham includes and penetrates the whole universe, so that every part of it exists in Him, but ( as against Pantheism ) that His Being is more than, and is not exhausted by, the universe.
Abrahamic Panentheism realizes that every Jew, Christian, and Muslim is incorporated within the God of Abraham. Indeed, every Jew, Christian, and Muslims is a part of the God of Abraham. When Religious war and Global Terrorism arise, we have members of the Abrahamic Traditions trying to exterminate each other. When they kill a part of the God of Abrahams creation, they actually kill a part of the God of Abraham.
This is why understanding who, when, where, and why holy scripture was written is so important. These holy books work well in building ethics and morals when interpreted metaphorically, they have value. However, in this day and age, a literal blind faith reading could cause the extinction of humankind.
An example is the evolution of the concept of Jihad in the Koran. This concept has changed several times depending on the situations and circumstances of the times. This is what the movie addresses, and the time is near..........
Reconciliation
Abrahamic Panentheism does not have its own doctrines or creeds. Instead, it is a basic conceptual orientation that sees the universe as creative, inter-relational, dynamic, and open to the future. It does not reflect denomination or faith tradition. As a distinctive way of viewing reality, it is a way for people to deepen the particularity of their own faith while opening the way to mutual respect between faith traditions.
In this day and age, it would benefit Jews, Christians, and Muslims to make an honest attempt to understand this perspective of The God of Abraham.
This perspective , particularly, can help us with ways of thinking about the God of Abraham that do not require a violation of the laws of physics and chemistry. If you can find a way of talking about divine activity in the world that doesn't require that you talk about interruptions of natural processes, but is religiously meaningful, then you've actually taken a big step toward a reconciliation in a pretty good, deep way. Abrahamic Panentheism can lead in that direction.
In this day and age, it would benefit Jews, Christians, and Muslims to make an honest attempt to understand this perspective of The God of Abraham.
This perspective , particularly, can help us with ways of thinking about the God of Abraham that do not require a violation of the laws of physics and chemistry. If you can find a way of talking about divine activity in the world that doesn't require that you talk about interruptions of natural processes, but is religiously meaningful, then you've actually taken a big step toward a reconciliation in a pretty good, deep way. Abrahamic Panentheism can lead in that direction.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
