{"id":6019,"date":"2021-05-13T13:58:37","date_gmt":"2021-05-13T20:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/blog\/archives\/"},"modified":"2021-07-01T14:20:08","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T21:20:08","slug":"who-is-open-and-relational","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/blog\/archives\/who-is-open-and-relational","title":{"rendered":"Who is Open and Relational?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

     For several decades, I\u2019ve opted to identify a few basic ideas that comprise the umbrella I call \u201copen and relational theology.\u201d Under that umbrella stand many people, movements, and claims. I\u2019ve described this theology in my new book, Open and Relational Theology: An Introduction to Life-Changing Ideas<\/em>. It will be available this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

     Open and relational thinkers believe God gives and receives in relation to creation. That\u2019s relational. Both God and creatures experientially move into an open future. That\u2019s open. They also stress issues related to God\u2019s love and presence in the universe. And so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I coined the label \u201cOpen and Relational\u201d to bring together isolated groups and individuals to form a group at the American Academy of Religion, joined by my co-chair Lynne Lorenzen. The group remains a strong voice at AAR, and as of this writing is co-chaired by Krista Hughes and Andrew Schwartz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Open and relational thinkers don\u2019t agree on everything. And my emphasis on a big umbrella doesn\u2019t mean those differences are inconsequential. Difference matters. There\u2019s always a place for exploring and noting them. Exploring those differences is part of the fun of living in relationship with God and others\u2026 at least when it\u2019s done respectfully!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Process, Open, or Relational?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

     Many people ask me to differentiate between process, open, and relational theologies. They want to know, for instance, what makes process theology different from open theology. Some ask about the differences between open theology and relational thought. And some wonder if all relational theologies are process theologies (they aren\u2019t).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     These are good questions. Answering each well requires identifying the essential ideas of each theology. A close look at those who self-identify as process, openness, or relational reveals diverse lists of essentials. What is essential to one person\u2019s theological view is not to another. And there\u2019s no official list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

     It\u2019s easier if we look at the ideas proposed by specific people. I can point to differences and similarities between Catherine Keller and Gregory Boyd, for instance, but even that evaluating can get complicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I sometimes respond to these questions by saying, \u201cthe typical, self-identifying open theist believes x.\u201d Or \u201cthe typical, self-identifying process theist believes y.\u201d These generalizations help, but they don\u2019t account for many who don\u2019t fit what\u2019s \u201ctypical.\u201d Some self-identify with one label, say \u201cprocess theology,\u201d but hold views typical of another label, say \u201copen theology.\u201d Confusion reigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Instead of building a massive chart, constructing a thematic tree with roots and branches, or making a list of \u201c10 Essential Ideas of ___ Theology,\u201d I point to two general views as common for open and relational thinkers: God is relational, and the future is open. I then celebrate, ponder, and argue over the diverse ways to understand these ideas and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I admit this \u201cbig tent\u201d approach is sometimes messy. But I find it more effective than either a strict list of beliefs or a \u201cwhatever works for you\u201d approach. The first excludes all but a select few who affirm every jot and tittle. The second promotes confusion and renders labels meaningless. The big tent approach is broadly inclusive without dismissing distinctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Religions, Denominations, and Other Labels\ufeff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

     Open and relational thinkers come from or identify with various religions and movements. I\u2019ve done no official survey, but I\u2019m confident more open and relational thinkers identify with Christianity than any other religion. The Christian denominations and movements with which open and relational thinkers identify are diverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     You can find open and relational Adventists, African Methodist Episcopal, Anglicans, Baptists, Church of Christ, Church of England, Church of God, Church of the Nazarene, Congregationalists, Covenant, Disciples of Christ, Eastern Orthodox, Episcopal, Free Methodists, Latter-Day Saints, Lutherans, Mennonites, Methodists, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Quakers, Roman Catholics, Salvation Army, Unitarians, United\/Uniting Churches, United Church of Christ, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

     Open and relational thinkers sometimes identify primarily with a particular way of thinking rather than with a specific denomination or religion. There are open and relational Anabaptists, analytic theologians, Arminians, Calvinists, charismatics, continentalists, evangelicals, exvangelicals, feminists, intersectionalists, liberationists, postcolonialists, progressives, theopoetics, Wesleyan, and womanists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Some open and relational thinkers are members of other religious and non-religious traditions. These include African religions, Bahai, Buddhism, Indigenous religions, Interfaith, Islam, Judaism, Nones, Paganism, Spiritual but not Religious, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I see this diversity as a strength. The ideas of open and relational theology transcend any one group or religion. The movement is broad enough and ideas appealing enough to appreciate the diversity, while pointing to a few ideas that unite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ufeffDid I Miss Something?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

     By the way, I\u2019m always interested in adding to the above list of religions, Christian denominations, or other labels open and relational thinkers embrace. Send me a note if I\u2019ve missed a label on my list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

     For several decades, I\u2019ve opted to identify a few basic ideas that comprise the umbrella I call \u201copen and relational theology.\u201d Under that umbrella stand many people, movements, and claims. I\u2019ve described this theology in my new book, Open and Relational Theology: An Introduction to Life-Changing Ideas. It will be available this summer.      Open […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[28,30,138,7079,7080,7081],"yst_prominent_words":[1224,1226,1228,1232,1234,1244,1267,1468,2964],"class_list":["post-6019","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-open_and_relational_theology","tag-open-theology","tag-relational-theology","tag-process-theology","tag-denominations","tag-exvangelical","tag-openness-theology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6019","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6019\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6019"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomasjayoord.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=6019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}