Homebrewed Christianity

Theopoetics: What We Talk About When We Talk About God

Dec 5, 2024

Catherine Keller, a leading voice in process theology, joins Kristy Whaley, an expert in Christian literature, and Ilia Delio, a theologian focused on science and religion. They dive deep into the perplexities surrounding the language of God and propose a theopoetic approach. The conversation navigates how personal experiences shape perceptions of God and the importance of a relational understanding of the divine. They explore the transformative power of community, the relevance of personal wounds, and the impact of technology on faith, all while challenging traditional theological views.

01:06:41

Episode guests

Ilia Delio

Kristy Whaley

Catherine Keller

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The concept of 'God baggage' hinders spiritual growth, necessitating a redefinition of perceptions towards a more loving and relational understanding of God.

Theopoetics invites individuals to express their spirituality creatively and personally, moving beyond dogma to embrace diverse interpretations of encountering the divine.

Recognizing God as a relational presence emphasizes human participation in spirituality, fostering agency and collaborative co-creation within the divine narrative.

Deep dives

Reimagining God Concepts

Many individuals grapple with 'God baggage' stemming from personal experiences and institutional beliefs. This baggage often manifests as a negative perception of God, shaped by societal stereotypes, such as viewing God as a judgmental figure or as a reflection of oppressive political or social structures. Theologians like Christy Whaley emphasize the importance of redefining these perceptions, focusing on a more loving and relational understanding of God. This reframing involves recognizing that God transcends traditional stereotypes and embodies a force of love that invites individuals into deeper, more constructive dialogues about spirituality.

Intro

2min

Navigating God Baggage: Ethics and Interpretation

4min

Evolving Understanding of God

15min

Exploring Theopoetics: Reimagining the Divine

3min

Rethinking the Divine: A Relational Approach

27min

Embracing Wounds and Technology

7min

The Dynamic Relationship Between God and Creation Through Theological Reflections

6min

What do we talk about when we talk about God? There are so many problems with the inherited concept, language, and vision of God, that ‘god’ might just need a time out. You would be surprised how familiar theologians are with ‘god’ problems! One cluster of constructive responses to the predicament of divine discourse is theopoetics. If you ever wondered what would happen if 600 people got to nerd out in person with a bunch of craft beverages and sat down to hear three outstanding theologians tackle this problem, then you were likely at Theology Beer Camp. There, I was joined by Catherine Keller, Kristy Whaley, and Ilia Delio to wrestle with the language we use about ‘god’ and the theopoetic turn in theology.

If you want to get info, updates, and access to pre-sale tickets for Theology Beer Camp 2025, you can sign up here.

Kristy Whaley is faculty at St. Petersburg College, where she teaches both religion and humanities. Her interdisciplinary interests are primarily centered on Christian theology and literature, but often also stray into pop culture, mainly about Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lost. Her most recent book, Wounded Images, is a work in theopoetics. She is also a podcaster and you can put her in your earbuds by checking out Theology on the Rocks.

Ilia Delio, OSF, PhD is a Franciscan Sister of Washington, DC, and American theologian specializing in science and religion, with interests in evolution, physics, and neuroscience and the import of these for theology.

Catherine Keller is George T. Cobb Professor of Constructive Theology in The Graduate Division of Religion of Drew University. If you are new to Catherine Keller and Process Theology this is the book to start with – On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity In Process.

_____________________

This DECEMBER, we will be exploring the 'Theologians of Crisis' in our online Advent class - Breaking into the Broken World. Join us to learn about Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Rudolph Bultmann as we explore their thoughts and timely reflections in their Advent/Christmas sermons.

Join my Substack - Process This!

Join our class - THE RISE OF BONHOEFFER, for a guided tour of Bonhoeffer's life and thought.

Spend a week with Tripp & Andrew Root in Bonhoeffer’s House in Berlin this June as part of the Rise of Bonhoeffer Travel Learning Experience. INFO & DETAILS HERE

Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices