DISQUS

nomad · 4 months ago

I know what you're saying. But it might help if his title did not say exactly that. God evolved. That's the trouble with such books. They claim to be about one thing but are actually about another. If his book is about the Evolution of the Idea of God, maybe that should be the title. If Karen Armstrong is actually writing about the History of the Idea of God maybe that should be the title. But then they might not sell as many books.

River · 4 months ago

Yeah, I get that the title is confusing. Reading the cover blurb, though, clears that up pretty fast. :)

Adam · 4 months ago

Wait, hold on.

You want people to have *informed* opinions about stuff? You don't want people to just spout off about whatever before doing even a minimal amount of research? That's just crazy!

;-)

River · 4 months ago

I KNOW! Right? I'm a nutter! Crazy River. Get a clue River. ;-)

Mystical Seeker · 4 months ago

The book is on my reading list, and it sounds interesting, although I did critique in my blog Wright's recent NY Times column because I think he has in some ways a limited understanding of theology (I have to wonder if he is aware of process theology, specifically). It seems pretty clear that people's understanding of God has evolved through history, and I think this is an important message to convey, because I think that there is a fundamentalist belief that the Old Testament (for example) presented a single, consistent theology, when in fact the Bible gives a clear indication within its pages of evolving thinking about God. So my guess is, without having read Wright''s book but based on my general understanding of what it is about, that a lot of fundamentalists would be offended by the book even once they know what it is he is saying.

River · 4 months ago

I knew when I started the book that Wright was going to piss everybody off - both polytheists and monotheists. :)

The direction he seems to be heading in, with his Platonic-ish Logos theology, seems very Process to me. I haven't finished the book, but I get the impression that Wright wouldn't say that monotheism is the end point. It seems like monotheism would be just one more point along the evolutionary line. Beyond that would be a panentheism, imo.

The Rambling Taoist · 4 months ago

I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on what Wright meant or didn't mean. That said, why couldn't "God" evolve? Who among us is to say that perfection or completeness doesn't include the process of evolving? Everything else in this universe evolves, why couldn't "God"?

River · 4 months ago

I think Wright might agree with you RT. I know I do. His view seems to be leaning towards a process panentheism, even though he doesn't come out and say it yet. The process view embraces the fact that existence includes and necessitates change. (Though for the Infinite, that change would be a bit different than what we undergo.)

Bruce the Agnostic · 4 months ago

I have read the book.

Wright shows how the concept of God has evolved throughout history, particularly the history of the Bible. I found his book very informative.

God may not even exist but that doesn't mean human beings don't believe in God or that their understanding of God has evolved over time.

Bruce

River · 4 months ago

Exactly. :) I'm almost finished. I think I have 2 or 3 chapters left. I should spend less time on the net and more time reading.