Marjorie H. Suchocki - Prayer in Troubling Times, A Process Perspective

Marjorie H. Suchocki - Prayer in Troubling Times,

A Process Perspective, 2010

Feb 9, 2021

Marjorie Suchocki discusses the place and relevance of prayer in process perspective. Through personal narrative and concrete examples, she addresses the challenge of God's activity in the face of truly troubling times. Arguing against the notion that there is a God "up there" to which we pray, Suchocki expounds the fundamental conviction of process theology: God is immanently present to all things and in attentive relationship to all contextual experience. The immanence of God is not coercive, but pervasive and persuasive, constantly adjusting experience to the Good. This framework, Suchocki argues, opens up a new way of understanding how prayer influences God and the world in relation to what is possible for both.

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Books by Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

In God's Presence: Theological Reflections on Prayer

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

The Fall to Violence: Original Sin in Relational Theology

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

Divinity and Diversity: A Christian Affirmation of Religious Pluralism

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

The End of Evil: Process Eschatology in Historical Context

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

The Upper Room Disciplines: A Book of Daily Devotions

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

Through a Lens Darkly

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

The Whispered Word: A Theology of Preaching

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

Building a Heart of Faith: Talking about God & Jesus with Kids

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki

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Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki (born 1933) is an author and United Methodist professor emerita of theology at Claremont School of Theology. She is also co-director of the Center for Process Studies at Claremont.

Suchocki earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from Pomona College in 1970 and both Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in religion from Claremont Graduate School in 1974. She taught at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary from 1977 to 1983. From 1983 to 1990 she was professor of systematic theology and dean of Wesley Theological Seminary. In 1990 Suchocki returned to Claremont School of Theology, where she held the endowed Ingraham chair in theology and joint appointment at the Claremont Graduate School until her retirement in 2002. She has held visiting professorships at Vanderbilt University in 1996 and 1999, and at the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1992.

Since 2001 Suchocki has been director of the Whitehead International Film Festival. She is considered along with John B. Cobb and David Ray Griffin as one of the leaders in the field of process theology.

Books

• God Christ Church: A Practical Guide to Process Theology, Crossroad, 1982 (227 p.), ISBN 0-8245-0464-X, revised ed. 1989 (263 p.): ISBN 0-8245-0970-6
• The End of Evil: Process Eschatology in Historical Context, State University of New York Press, 1988, ISBN 0-88706-724-7
• The Fall to Violence: Original Sin in Relational Theology, Continuum International, 1995, ISBN 0-8264-0860-5
• Trinity in Process: A Relational Theology of God, (coeditor with Joseph A. Bracken), Continuum International, 1996, ISBN 0-8264-0878-8
• In God's Presence: Theological Reflections on Prayer, Chalice Press, 1996, ISBN 0-8272-1615-7
• The Whispered Word: A Theology of Preaching, Chalice Press, 1999, ISBN 0-8272-4239-5
• Divinity and Diversity: A Christian Affirmation of Religious Pluralism, Abingdon Press, 2003, ISBN 0-687-02194-4

External links

• Works by or about Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
• Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Describing God's Sovereignty by Love... NOT by Power

Describing God's Sovereignty by Love...

NOT by Power

With Process Theology I've been working towards refilling the phrase "Divine Sovereignty" with "Divine Love". And then, refilling the church's theology built upon Divine Sovereignty (Theodicy sic., Calvinism) with a theology of Divine Love (Theodicy sic. Arminianism, sic., Open and Relational Theology, sic., Process Relational Theology).

I remember an incident in life where I drove out of the driveway in the wrong direction. By the time I remembered I was going the other way I had travelled several miles opposite to where I was going. My conditioned response, based upon behavior, was to go the way I was going without thinking it was the wrong direction to head in this instance. Similarly with the church's theology.

The church has been centered upon Divine Sovereignty for many, many centuries. In fact, millennia, when reading all the way back through the Old Testament to the Genesis account where God is described as creating the earth and all that is in it.

Now you would think the Apostle John's description of God's Love would be front and center as a disciple of Jesus whom Jesus loved. But John introduces Jesus divinity to us ahead of his love and then, speaks to Jesus' ministry of awakening darkened hearts to the atoning work he had come to do in the life of the world, his creation:

John 1.1-13

The Deity of Jesus Christ

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 [a]He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not [b]comprehend it.

The Witness John

6 There [c]came a man sent from God, whose name was John [the Baptist]. 7 [d]He came [e]as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 [f]He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 There was the true Light [g]which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His [h]own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were [i]born, not of [j]blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

So let's ask the question differently... why would an all powerful God come to save his spiritually darkened, religious people from themselves and their ways? They were living by Moses' Laws, the Torah. They were practicing those Laws in their scripted, enculturated lives. And they were perceiving God rightly in all of his divine offices in Temple practices, observances, teachings, rites, and worship. What more could Jesus add to this God they knew?

First, let's look at a few definitions of sovereignty and think how church doctrine has enlivened these teachings and practices into its own beliefs and worship:

Definition: Sovereignty

Noun - supreme power or authority: Plural - sovereignties

Usage: "How can we hope to wrest sovereignty away from the oligarchy and back to the people?"

Similar: jurisdiction, supremacy, dominion, power, ascendancy, suzerainty, tyranny, hegemony, domination, sway, predominance, authority, control, influence, rule, raj, regiment.

Opposite: subservience, subjection: "the authority of a state to govern itself or another state;" or, national sovereignty.

Similar: autonomy, independence, self-government, self-rule, home rule, self-legislation, self-determination, nonalignment, freedom.

Opposite: hegemony, colonialism, a self-governing state.

 

Wikipedia - Sovereignty of God in Christianity can be defined primarily as the right of God to exercise his ruling power over his creation, and secondarily, but not necessarily, as the exercise of this right. The way God exercises his ruling power is subject to divergences notably related to the concept of God's self-imposed limitations. The relationship between free will and the sovereignty of God has been relevant notably in the Calvinist-Arminian debate and in the philosophical theodicy.

Cyber security markets providing protection & controlling information flow

Webster - Synonyms & Antonyms of sovereignty

the state of being free from the control or power of another: "upon leaving home she felt that she had achieved sovereignty for the first time in her life"

• Synonyms for sovereignty
• autonomy, freedom, independence, independency, liberty, self-determination, self-governance, self-government

• Words Related to sovereignty
• emancipation, enfranchisement, liberation, manumission, release

• Near Antonyms for sovereignty
• captivity, enchainment, enslavement, immurement, imprisonment, incarceration, internment, subjugation

• Antonyms for sovereignty
• dependence (also dependance), heteronomy, subjection, unfreedom

2a body of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government: "As parts of the same sovereignty, the states should not enact laws intended to harm one another economically."

• Synonyms for sovereignty
• commonwealth, country, land, nation, state

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Continuing...

So let's ask the question differently... why would an all powerful God come to save his spiritually darkened, religious people from themselves and their ways? They were living by Moses' Laws, the Torah. They were practicing those Laws in their scripted, enculturated lives. And they were perceiving God rightly in all of his divine offices in Temple practices, observances, teachings, rites, and worship. What more could Jesus add to this God they knew?

When attending church, participating in church ministry and government, it's polities and practices, Divine "controlling power" seems to resonate throughout its structure and missional outreaches. Whether by a dogma, a doctrine, officiating processes of overseership, synods, associations, fellowships, etc. Controlling message, beliefs, and practices is a large part of the church's life.

But What If...

But what if God is defined in terms of God's Love and not by God's Power? What if God's Sovereignty is refilled with the idea of a Loving Sovereignty, a Loving Deity, a Loving ministrations of Deity as versus a wrathful, judgmental exercise of Divine Power? Of seeing Heaven everywhere instead of a Hell everywhere stripped of demons, devils, and works of darkness?

What if God is truly a God of Love through and through and through the church's doctrines, dogmas, messages, and practices?

If seems to me that over the millennia the traditional Church has confused itself when describing God's Sovereignty in terms of power rather than by love. Perhaps it is because of man's insatiable desire to control everything around him - which is no less true of religionists today as in the yesteryears past - perhaps, even more true of the church as we look around seeing it's religious over-reach across all spectrums of life demarcating it's sanctified boundaries it thinks God is pleased with.

To my own personal way of thinking God thinks about love, not power. Not lines and boundaries but love. God is power but it means nothing to God. It just is who God is as upholder and sustainer of the universe.

A Process-Relational Theodicy

But what's more important to God in a freewilled, indeterminant universe, is God's love for creation and in giving God's love away at all times to all things in every way possible.

• Did you notice how I slipped in a "freewilled, indeterminant universe"? If creation is free than it is indeterminate. It's actions are uncontrolled by God. Not dictated to; not circumscribed in its days and life's actions. It is free. It is indeterminate.

• Thus and thus the position of an Open and Relational Theology. God's Love gives away control in order for creation to become wholly what it was created for in God's Imago Dei.

• And thus Process Relational Theology which says this becoming ever gins towards life and love, a composition which is beneficial and valuative as it concreases towards a wholly loving fellowship of creativity, imagination, and unbounded reality of generative acts within and without itself.

• This is the upside of a theodicy unbounded by Calvinism's darkened outlook preached by the church seeing everything in terms of sin and evil, wrath and judgment. Perhaps these statements are a description of positional idealism v practical devolvement but a loving theology seeks an escalating revolution of loving sovereignty as opposed to a bleak Armageddon-like Revelation of the ultimate break down of life by its own hand.

In Summary

God is a God of love and power but it is more correct to describe God as a God of love when describing God's sovereignty by which very term itself implies power as we have seen.

So let's forgive the church for its misuse of labels when thinking of God and man.

Let's preach "God's love as a higher priority than God's sovereignty".

I was raised in my faith to fixate over power. Divine power. Today I would rather revel in Divine Love.

The one theology teaches withdrawal from the world, militancy against the world, and exclusion to the world. Their can be no mission to people when coming with a sword in hand to conquer, forcing ideology and religious dogma. 

Here's a list of what I might call a conscientious theology of welcome when preaching about God's love:

• The first is that preaching a loving God is attractive. It's kind of hard to hate something which loves you back. Which listens and doesn't judge. Which says welcome when all seems unwelcoming. Or you don't measure up to the rules of the game. But e-s-p-e-c-i-a-l-l-y a theology which doesn't judge deficiencies, counts sin, looks at the Scarlet Letter on your forehead, or sets obstacles in front of you to get to God. This doesn't mean we aren't sinners but it does mean we are a lot more than what an austere religion might judge against us.

• Next, preaching God's Love seeks inclusion not exclusion. It is naturally missional and wholly centered in the other by taking in difference and allowing difference to reside with other diversities and dissimilarities. It speaks to cohesion. As illustration, Process Theology not only allows for the racial, gender, ethnic existence and beliefs of "the Other" but provides for equality and fairness in its cultural embrace and loving respect for the Other (whoever that Other is in our lives).

• Process Religions will work this way. And specific process theologies like Process Christianity will share many interfaith or interdenominational ecumenisms with its process brothers and sisters. That is, our fellowship will hold many common foundational elements with one another as we each work together toward shared humanitarian goals. Perhaps these goals may be:

i)  A better visualized humanity (sic, Process Humanism or for myself, a Process-based Christian Humanism being evidenced in progressive evangelical organizations like Red Letter Christians);

ii) Fairer democracies comprised of nurturing equalitarian ecological civilizations;

iii) Promotions of loving temperaments with one another across global societies;

iv) Or, at sites like Relevancy22, one might expect a Christian-form of Process Theology which is centered in God's love and is Jesus centric in the atoning redemption provided to the world who was the Redemptive Midpoint of Salvic History as well as example and model as to how we might think and minister about God.

• Further, a Loving Theology leads with a smile, a handshake, an embrace. It is naturally attractive in its helps, healing, assurance, and welcome to the other. Its transformative power starts (and stays) with the heart, not the head.

• Too, as just mentioned, a theology of a God of Love is Jesus-centered around the incarnational God whom showed us his heart. Not a sword ala the apostle Peter. Not religion, ala the apostle once named Saul who stoned Christians for abandoning the Jewish faith. Not like the unbowed Scribes and Pharisees who eschewed Jesus' salvation (some for good reasons re questions of whether they would be worshipping one or two Gods; but many for reasons of disbelief and works of blasphemy).

• In contrast, the disciple John understood God's love when Thomas did not; or when his fellow disciple Judas fled from God's love losing courage to be love, share love, accept love, forgive self and others, share compassion, thoughtfulness, or let go of himself into belief. Instead, Judas abandoned love and killed himself.

• God's Love is what God is all about. Not power... whether oppressive power, controlling power, or worried power. God is Love. God's power is a derivative of God's Love. God cannot deny who God is. God is Love and Power but God's Love describes God's Power and not the other way around else creation wouldn't be what it is, and is becoming, without Divine Love.

• Hence, God created from love. Sustains in love. Relates in love. Speaks, sings, and flourishes in love. God is wholly about love from which all of God's Self revolves, regenerates, rebirths, and renews.

This is my short list on the God I worship now. Whose songs, poetry, teachings, counsel, and theology I speak to and am in constant wonder not only of my Redeemer, but how my church got it so backwards. So confused. So wrongheaded.

Of a church teaching a God of wrath and judgment and controlling dogma claimed as biblical when it shows itself as not.

Of an oppressing church - whether civilly or religiously - is still oppression. Love does not oppress. It gives, shares, respects, honors, and protects all around, whether human or nature. Love nurtures. Love hugs. Love kisses the other in warm fellowship. Hate cannot and never will. God is Love.

Read the book of 1 John... all of it. And then go back and reread the bible as its narrates its interior struggle with who God is based upon a community's fears and needs. One might say religion has always got it wrong when leading out with a sovereignty build of power and not by love.

Peace,

R.E. Slater

June 14, 2022

1 John 1:1-10 (1 John 1-5)

Introduction, The Incarnate Word

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

God Is Light

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

A Loss of Faith Doesn't Mean a Loss of Personal Faith - Meet Brie Stoner

Indie Artist Brie Stoner

As a follow up to my last article, A Loss of Faith Doesn't Mean a Loss of Personal Faith, I came across Brie Stoner's interview in the West Michigan Entertainment Guide. Brie is an Indie Artist/Musician who coincidentally came from the same fundamentalist church I had come from many years ago. She is also about 25 years younger than myself placing her firmly in the X-Gen's and speaking out why a God of Love and a loving embrace of one another is de facto presto! where Christianity should be right now rather than the White Christian nationalism we see it embracing and forcing upon American society.

Going to the same church my wife and I knew Brie's parents who were a bit older and former ABWE missionaries to Spain. It was there her folks had grown up in Madrid as missionary kids. Our church had supported her grandparent's in missionary service and were similarly invested in Brie's parents missional outreach. Moreover, Brie's uncle and aunt were close friends of ours as we, and several other single (no kids) Baptist couples from area GARB churches, spent a lot of time together over a ten span.

Hence my surprise yesterday when rediscovering Brie's bio. There was also her connection with Mars Hill Bible Church, of Rob Bell fame, where she, like us, had ministered for a time in her career before losing faith, letting it all crash to the ground, then going back to her Christian roots via MTS studies at Chicago Theological Seminary. Afterwards Brie worked with several socio-political faith organizations before returning to music.

Even as I went through a painful period of faith-loss and later recovery, so had Brie. Even more surprising (but not really, as re-birthed Christian's journeys go) we both came to the conclusion that a God without Love is a God best forgotten. Though I find little comfort in my generation's indifference to it's crashed faith, I find a lot of encouragement in knowing the generations behind me might have the intolerance and anger to stand up for Jesus and shout all that's right with a Christ-bearing Christian faith.

Thank you Brie for your wise testimony and deep words of conviction. To our journeys ahead!

R.E. Slater

July 3, 2022

If Religion Doesn't Change You Then it Isn't About Love

by Brie Stoner, April 10, 2021

2:25 min

In this episode I chat with artist, musician and friend of the show Brie Stoner. You may have heard Brie on Richard Rohr's podcast Another Name for Every Thing (ANFET).

We discuss:

• Contemplation
• What is a Mystic?
• What is Mysticism
• Progressive & Conservative Christian World Views
• Did the Resurrection Literally Happen
• Inclusive Christianity
• Our Never Ending Battle with Superiority (Dominionism & Patriarchy)
• Us vs Them Ways of Viewing the World

Connect with Brie at https://www.instagram.com/briestoner/

Deconstruction Mysticism & Christianity with Brie Stoner

Apr 4, 2021 | Full podcast Episode

1:25:40

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https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=62960&i=752501&p=1&ver=html5

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Brie Stoner’s multi-lingual, indie dream-rock songs

of ‘longing, fury and feeling’

• by John Sinkevics
• |   June 10, 2022

The acclaimed Grand Rapids singer-songwriter returns to the stage Saturday while preparing a two-pronged studio release. The story and this week’s Local Spins on WYCE radio podcast.

Belonging Fiercely to Herself: Brie Stoner has finally found her musical harmony. (Photo/Brian Kelly Photography)

 

SCROLL DOWN FOR MUSIC VIDEO, RADIO SHOW PODCAST

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Brie Stoner has experienced the ups and downs of the music business, the dichotomy of living in different countries, speaking different languages, striving to meet different expectations for her art.

“My life has been a series of paradoxes,” the singer-songwriter readily admits after finally arriving at a comfortable, congruous place for her music.

“When you’re young, when you’re a teenager or even in your early 20s, it feels like you’re being handed a lot of shoes to try on and being told what to do and pushed out onto the stage. ‘You should sound like this and not like that.’ ”

And while Stoner feels she grew as an artist during those early years more than a decade ago, “I didn’t really know who I was yet.”

A ‘Homecoming Experience’: Stoner will release a two-part album starting later this year. (Photo/Brian Kelly Photography)

Motherhood, the isolation of the COVID pandemic and acceptance of her uniquely varied background have allowed her to “kick all of those shoes off that I was being handed and just feel what it felt like to walk on my own bare feet in the direction that I wanted to.”

It allowed her to “harmonize,” creating music that represented “all these disparate pieces” of her character.

“This was a real homecoming experience for me,” she concedes. “I am more than just one thing.”

After releasing three singles in recent months, the Grand Rapids singer and musician also has formed a new “indie dream-rock” band with plans for releasing a two-pronged album project, “Me Veo,” over the next year.

For this week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE, Stoner showcased two of those singles – “Hungry” and “Honey” – while sharing the story of her journey. Watch the video for “Hungry” here and scroll down to listen to the full interview and radio show.

VIDEO: Brie Stoner, “Hungry”

(Directed by Jaimie Skriba, cinematography by Josh Skinner, edited by Matthew Bouwense)

Growing up in Madrid, Spain, Stoner quickly became fluent in Spanish as well as English, and has since picked up some French as well.

Her music and her singing have attracted industry attention over the years – featured in a Victoria’s Secret ad campaign, “Orange is the New Black” and “The Affair,” as well as in other international TV and film projects.

And while she hasn’t performed or released albums in several years, she insists she’s remained active – singing to her children, writing new material and otherwise staying engaged with her art.

PODCASTING, FORMING A NEW BAND, RELEASING AN AMBITIOUS ALBUM PROJECT

“I never stopped writing or making music, but when I had kids, there was something singularly satisfying for a season to have their ears be the only ones who heard me sing,” she recalls.

“But even with little ones, I was singing and recording music for TV and film with my side project duet partner, Daniel Johnson in Detroit.”

She’s also a writer and a successful podcaster: She co-hosted “Another Name for Every Thing,” which garnered millions of downloads, and has since started her own podcast, “Unknowing,” which explores the spiritual path of creative possibilities with various authors, activists and artists.

‘Triumphant Culmination’: Stoner’s new music. (Photo/Brian Kelly Photography)

Now, her focus has turned squarely toward performing and releasing her music. At 7 p.m. Saturday, she’ll lead a full band in concert as part of the Listening Lawn series hosted by Listening Room on the Studio Park piazza in downtown Grand Rapids. Tickets are $15 and $25, and available online here.

Her band features guitarist-singer Vanessa DeCouto, drummer Scott Gentry, bassist Luke Shoemaker, electric guitarist Ben Erhart and keyboardist Enrique Olmos – and fans can expect a “very visual,” fashion-forward affair.

She’ll also perform as part of the WYCE Jammie Awards at The Intersection on June 25, and join Valentiger for a Listening Room show on Aug. 25.

Singing in English, Spanish and French, Stoner’s “Me Veo” project will be released in two parts digitally – the first part in the fall and the second next winter. The entire album and a bonus track will be available on vinyl in spring 2023.

“I recorded the album at my home and at Local Legend Recording studios, and it is produced by my dear friend David Vandervelde, whom I’ve worked with and known since we were both high schoolers,” she says, citing influences ranging from Neil Young to Mazzy Star to Fleetwood Mac.

“The songs are full of longing and fury and feeling. I drop deep theology while singing about sex in one line, and then arch into protest against industry and capitalism in another. Everything belongs on this record maybe because I finally belong fiercely to myself. And I guess this album to me is a triumphant culmination of my own sovereignty in that way.”

This week’s episode of Local Spins on WYCE – which spotlights Michigan-made music at 11 a.m. Fridays on WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org – also featured music by Djangophonique, Strange Heart, In the Valley Below and David VanderVelde (the musician’s picks by Stoner), Biomassive, Jack Droppers & The Best Intentions, KJ & The Good Time Family Band and Sorry, Not Sorry. Listen to the radio show here.

PODCAST: Local Spins on WYCE (6/10/22)

localspins · Local Spins on WYCE wsg Brie Stoner (6/10/22)

Note: The Bridge Blast mentioned in the show actually runs from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Details here.

Copyright 2022, Spins on Music LLC