Friday, February 28, 2025

Index - Israel's Priesthood & the Church's Patriarchs



Index - Israel's Priesthood &
the Church's Patriarchs

by R.E. Slater

Part 4 - Stoicism and Chrstianity


Part 2 - Stoicism and Judaism  <--- Comparing Process to Hellenaic Philosophic-Theologies


Comparing Process Theology to the Patristic Theology of the First Millennium Church










A History of Christian Governance


A History of Christian Governance <-- the capstone to all below (esp read part III)




The Evolution of God: From Polytheism to Monotheism <-- Divine Revelation in Process










Past Related Articles

Process Theology Says God Gives AND Receives Love Contra Anselm & Aquinas



R


T
The Church's Struggle Today, Not Unlike Paul's Struggle Then, with Inflexible, Dying Traditionalism





Additional References

[ these links contain separate articles in this website
which have not been indexed ]










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Thursday, February 27, 2025

Comparing Process Theology to the Patristic Theology of the First Millennium Church


Comparing Process Theology to the
Patristic Theology of the First Millennium

Compiled by R.E. Slater
February 27, 2025

Please Note: I've utilized AI to draw the pictures below. In this series, ChatGPT 4.0 has tended towards a mystic eastern representation of the early orthodox doctrines rather than the more typically cold and sterile pictures of western medievalism. And since Whiteheadian philosophy feels more Buddhistic than Western Analytical it's all good. Also note, Process is different from Buddhism in significantly major ways though each also share common sympathies in how we live out our lives in beauty and harmony with one another. - re slater

Whitehead's process philosophy offers a fascinating lens through which to reconsider traditional church orthodoxy—not as a static doctrinal construct, but as an evolving, dynamic reality, shaped by relational and experiential factors. His emphasis on becoming rather than being challenges traditional metaphysical assumptions about church orthodoxy, allowing for a more open-ended, dynamically organic living tradition.

If we were to map Whitehead’s influence onto the historical development of early orthodoxy, we might see his work as offering a reframing of theological discourse—one that acknowledges classical doctrines but seeks to integrate them into a more processual and relational paradigm based upon his development of Process Philosophy from which Process Theology derives.

Many of these themes have been reflected elsewhere in this website. Too, Process themes can be individualized to the thematic motif under discussion. This means that process theology will react differently to second and third millennial church orthodoxies in comparison to first millennial church orthodoxies. This is the beauty of a holistic process-based philosophic construct which can supersede all previous, earlier visions of God, life, universe, and meaning. And as an integral philosophy it will be around for a long while; having been discussed in ancient Greek philosophy, redefined by Whitehead et al, and proving adept in the quantum sciences, etc.


R.E. Slater
February 27, 2025

Exploring How Process Theology Can

Transform Key Orthodox Doctrines

By moving church orthodox off it's Hellenistic philosophic foundations (Platonism, NeoPlatonism, Aristotelianism, etc) onto the foundations of process philosophy orthodox church doctrine then may escalate upwards into a vibrant, transformative construct which is more dynamic, relational, and evolving as a contemporary framework now able to dialogue with the sciences and metamodern academia across all areas and topics.

AI Art of the Trinity  |  R.E. Slater

1. The Trinity: From Static Essence to Dynamic Relationality

Traditional Orthodox View

  • The Trinity is often framed in substance metaphysics: One divine essence (ousia) in three persons (hypostases).
  • The Nicene-Chalcedonian model insists on the co-equal, co-eternal nature of Father, Son, and Spirit.

Process Theology’s Reframing

  • Rather than a static ontological unity, the Trinity is seen as a dynamic process of relational becoming.
  • God is not a fixed essence but a relational act—the interplay of divine creativity, responsiveness, and transformation.
  • The Trinity embodies a divine process of co-creative love:
    • Father → The primordial, creative source (the lure toward beauty and novelty).
    • Son → The embodied expression of God in history (concretizing divine love and relationality).
    • Spirit → The sustaining, guiding force of divine persuasion, working within creation.

Key Shift:
Orthodoxy views the Trinity in terms of immutability and essence, while process theology sees it as a living, interactive relational flow.

AI Art of Christ's Hypostatic Union  |  R.E. Slater

2. Christology: From Static Hypostatic Union to Incarnational Process

Traditional Orthodox View

  • Christ is fully divine and fully human (Chalcedon, 451).
  • The hypostatic union ensures that Jesus is a single person with two distinct natures.
  • Atonement is often framed through penal substitution or satisfaction models (sin, sacrifice, and divine justice).

Process Theology’s Reframing

  • Incarnation is not a singular event but an ongoing cosmic process.
  • Instead of a static two-nature model, Christ represents the highest actualization of divine becoming.
  • Jesus embodies God’s persuasive power, showing the world the lure toward divine harmony rather than divine coercion.
  • Atonement is relational, not juridical—Christ’s work is about persuading creation toward cooperative love rather than appeasing divine wrath.

Key Shift:
Orthodox theology emphasizes fixed divine-human unity, while process thought sees Christ as an ongoing relational process of divine becoming within creation.

AI Art of Revelation  |  R.E. Slater

3. Revelation: From Fixed Doctrine to Evolving Truth

Traditional Orthodox View

  • Scripture is often seen as inspired and authoritative, a direct deposit of divine truth.
  • Doctrines like apostolic succession and creedal formulations are viewed as once-for-all revelations.

Process Theology’s Reframing

  • Revelation is not a fixed deposit but an evolving interaction between God and creation.
  • The Bible and tradition are snapshots of evolving human engagement with God, not final blueprints.
  • Truth unfolds as God continuously interacts with the world.
  • Theology is never static but participatory—our understanding of God is always growing.

Key Shift:
Orthodoxy views revelation as fixed and final, while process theology sees it as unfolding and relational.

AI Art of the Nature of God  |  R.E. Slater

4. The Nature of God: From Immutable Being to Evolving Process

Traditional Orthodox View

  • God is unchanging (immutable) and all-powerful (omnipotent).
  • Classical theism assumes God is outside of time, foreknowing all events.

Process Theology’s Reframing

  • God is dipolar:
    • Primordial nature (envisioning all possibilities).
    • Consequent nature (experiencing and responding to creation).
  • God is not coercive but persuasive, working through relational influence rather than unilateral control.
  • God changes in response to creation—not in essence, but in relational engagement.

Key Shift:
Orthodoxy views God as timeless and unchanging, while process theology sees God as deeply interactive and evolving.

AI Art of the Christian Eschatology  |  R.E. Slater

5. Eschatology: From Apocalyptic End to Open Future

Traditional Orthodox View

  • Linear eschatology: History moves toward final judgment, resurrection, and new creation.
  • The future is predetermined (Augustinian predestination in some traditions).

Process Theology’s Reframing

  • The future is not predetermined—God and creation co-create the open possibilities of becoming.
  • Heaven and transformation are about processual renewal, not sudden apocalyptic events.
  • The eschaton is not a fixed endpoint but an ever-expanding realization of divine harmony.

Key Shift:
Orthodoxy sees eschatology as linear and finalized, while process theology sees it as open-ended and co-creative.

Conclusion: A Living Orthodoxy

Rather than dismissing traditional orthodoxy, Process Theology reframes it as a dynamic, evolving interaction between God and creation.

  • Instead of “orthodoxy” as a static boundary, it becomes a participatory unfolding.
  • Instead of fixed doctrines, theology is an ongoing dialogue between God and the world.
  • Instead of a top-down divine plan, the universe is co-created with God through relational persuasion.


Here is a visual chart mapping these doctrinal shifts:

Doctrinal Reinterpretation: Orthodoxy vs. Process Theology

Doctrine

Traditional Orthodox View

Process Theology View

Trinity

Fixed essence, three persons in one divine substance

Relational dynamism, ongoing divine becoming

Christology

Static two-nature hypostatic union

Christ as the highest actualization of divine process

Revelation

Finalized revelation in scripture and creeds

Unfolding revelation, evolving divine-human interaction

Nature of God

Immutable, omnipotent, outside time

Dipolar, evolving, responsive to creation

Eschatology

Linear, predetermined end of history

Open-ended, co-created future with God


Just for fun, here is AI's metamodern reinterpretations of each topic, now incorporating Whitehead’s process philosophy within an Orthodox iconographic framework:

  1. Trinity – A relational dynamism of divine becoming.
  2. Christology – Christ as the Redeeming Logos producing a continually evolving relationality.
  3. Revelation – An infinite unfolding scroll, symbolizing continuous divine-human dialogue.
  4. Nature of God – A woven, interactive force, deeply relational rather than distant.
  5. Eschatology – A co-created, evolving future, rather than a static final judgment.

The images now merge classical orthodoxy, process theology, and metamodern aesthetics, visually expressing the dynamic, participatory nature of divine reality.


The Trinity as a relational dynamism of divine becoming

AI Art of the Processual Trinity  |  R.E. Slater

Christ as the Redeeming Logos producing a continually evolving relationality

AI Art of the Processual Christ as Logos of God  |  R.E. Slater

Revelation as an infinitely unfolding scroll symbolizing continuous divine-human-eco/cosmic dialogue

AI Art of the Processual Revelation  |  R.E. Slater

The Nature of God as a woven, interactive force which is deeply relational
rather than a distant non-presence

AI Art of the Processual Nature of God  |  R.E. Slater

The co-created, evolving future of the church as vs a static final judgment

AI Art of the Processual Eschaton  |  R.E. Slater

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The History of Western & Eastern Church Orthodoxy


The History of Western & Eastern Church Orthodoxy

Compiled by R.E. Slater

The history of Western and Eastern Church Orthodoxy is marked by a gradual divergence in beliefs and practices, culminating in the "Great Schism" of 1054, which formally split the Christian Church into the Roman Catholic Church (West) and the Eastern Orthodox Church (East), primarily due to theological disputes, political tensions, and differing views on papal authority, with the key difference being the Western Church's addition of the "Filioque" clause to the Nicene Creed, signifying the Holy Spirit proceeding from both the Father and the Son, a concept not accepted by the East.

Key points in the history of the East-West Schism:

Early Christian Unity:

In the early centuries of Christianity, the Church was unified, with both the East (centered in Constantinople) and the West (centered in Rome) sharing the same core beliefs and practices, though cultural differences were already present.

Growing Tensions:

Over time, tensions arose regarding the authority of the Pope in Rome, particularly in the East where the Byzantine Emperor held significant influence over the Church.

Theological Disputes:
  • Filioque: The most significant theological disagreement was the addition of the "Filioque" clause to the Nicene Creed by the Western Church, which stated that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.
  • Iconoclasm: The controversy surrounding the veneration of icons also contributed to the rift, with the East generally supporting iconography while the West experienced periods of iconoclasm.
The Photian Schism (9th Century):

A major turning point, where Patriarch Photius of Constantinople challenged the authority of the Pope, leading to a temporary schism.

The Great Schism (1054):

The official split occurred in 1054 when Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius excommunicated each other, marking the formal separation between the Eastern and Western Churches.

Distinctive features of Eastern Orthodoxy:
  • Centrality of the Eucharist: Emphasis on the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
  • Iconography: Extensive use of religious icons in worship
  • Synodal Structure: Decision-making power shared among bishops through councils
  • Liturgical Language: Primarily in the Greek language
Distinctive features of Western Catholicism:
  • Papal Primacy: The Pope is considered the head of the Church with ultimate authority
  • Development of Scholastic Theology: Greater emphasis on philosophical reasoning in theological discussions
  • Latin Liturgy: Primarily conducted in Latin

References

The Great Schism of 1054
Why the Catholic West and Orthodox East Divided
18:25



History of Roman Catholicism & Eastern Orthodoxy



FULL SERIES: Episode 1: Origins & Early Schisms    • Christian Origins & Early Schisms   Episode 2: Roman Catholics & Eastern Orthodoxy    • History of Roman Catholicism & Easter...   Episode 3: Anglicans, Lutherans & Reformed    • History of Anglican, Lutheran & Refor...   Episode 4: Anabaptists & Quakers    • History of Anabaptists & Quakers   Episode 5: Baptists & Methodists    • History of Baptist & Methodist Churches   Episode 6: Mormons, Adventists & JWs    • History of Mormon, Adventist, and Res...   Episode 7: Pentecostals & Charismatics    • History of Holiness, Pentecostal & Ch...   Episode 8: Miscellaneous Groups    • Obscure Churches You May Not Know Exist   Check out Ready to Harvest's video here:    • What do Catholics and Orthodox Think ...  



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