born february american theologian philosopher described important north american twentieth century regarded scholar field process philosophy process theology school thought associated philosophy author books elected prestigious theme work emphasis ecological idea ecosystem reliant parts argued humanity urgent task preserve world lives depends idea primary influence philosopher mathematician describes world loyalty known approach integrating insights different areas study bringing different specialized disciplines communication broad minded interest approach influential wide range disciplines including theology ecology economics biology social ethics wrote single author book environmental ethics late theology ecology argued relevance religious thought approaching ecological crisis authored book common good economy community environment current global economic practice advocated sustainable ecology based economics written extensively religious dialogue particularly buddhism christianity need reconcile religion science founder current director california remains leading related institute witnessed launch thirty related centers academic institutions world including centers china founder president uses ideas order sustainable economy address practical problems associated social change recently founded organization aims create ecological civilization organizing major conference seizing alternative june biography born japan parents methodist missionaries age lived primarily hiroshima received early education multi ethnic canadian academy attributes beginnings outlook moved georgia usa finish high school found disgusted racism region particularly japanese seeing events presented different ways based country living counter cultural critical dominant views churches media universities government graduation high school oxford georgia joining chosen japanese language program filled mainly jewish catholic intellectuals helped aware narrow nature georgia served occupation japan returned united_states left army soon afterward entered program university_of_chicago set test faith learning modern world objections christianity faith come intact determined expose faith worst world offer months exposure faith shattered god constant companion lord point simply prayers bounced ceiling hoping reconstruct christian faith compatible scientific historical knowledge entered successful restoring personal faith primarily help introduced philosophical williams taught process philosophy process theology thought central theme work receiving phd university_of_chicago spent years teaching north georgia serving time pastor church circuit establishing seventh congregation area president university_of_chicago brought georgia teach new graduate institute liberal arts followed california named professor theology professor religion established journal founded making center process thought years later organized organization holds conferences tenth taking place career served visiting professor school theology japan germany received honorary work described theologian overarching tendency thought integration different areas knowledge employing philosophical framework guiding insight result work broad range fields philosophy education consistently opposed splitting education knowledge disciplines departments believes current university model encourages excessive specialized area study defines frame reference tends ignore dialogue broad understanding world combat problems argues disciplines general theology particular need emerge mutual academic isolation theology tied ethical questions practical everyday concerns theoretical understanding world service vision consistently sought integrate knowledge biology physics economics disciplines theological philosophical work philosophy convinced right viewing nature human beings machines seeing nature purely mechanical human consciousness strange exception explained away went opposite direction arguing experience world inform view rest nature mechanical short nature seen having aspect deserves attention speaking need moving modern ideas 1960s label thought later began describe thought changed label like counterpart arose partly response dissatisfaction mind matter viewed matter machine human mind wholly different nature modern science uncovered evidence idea argues assumptions continue persist accepted general culture day shapes structure university division sciences people articulate view world given sight touch material consider purely material status concluded abandon attempts create comprehensive vision world believe comprehensive world models possible needed particular argued new based events substances incorrect person thing substance fundamental identity remains constant changes person thing secondary instead moment person life event seen new asserting continual change transformation fundamental static identities far important view easily certain findings modern science evolution wave particle environmental ethics ecological themes work turned attention ecological crisis convinced environmental issues constituted humanity pressing problem writes sense theological changed lose interest developing christian tradition render convincing changing context reject discipline theology especially separation ethics generally isolation academic disciplines persuaded problem critical decent survival humanity threatened destroy exhausting natural context went write single author book environmental ethics late theology ecology book argued ecological acknowledges continuity human beings living things mutual dependence proposed christianity specifically needed appropriate knowledge biological sciences order human non human world critique growth oriented economics economic critiques arose natural extension interest ecological issues recognized write ecological sustainable society including discussion economics investigation economic policies frequently worsened ecological situation 1980s decided evaluate gross national product gross domestic product measures economic progress son developed alternative model index sustainable economic welfare sought consolidate economic environmental social elements common framework net progress metric later change recent article shown global capita peaked meaning social environmental costs economic growth benefits time authored book entitled common good economy community environment outlined policy changes intended create society based community ecological balance common good earned award ideas improving world order recent years described current growth oriented economic systems prime example corruption american culture religion rise modern economics christians forced criticism greed said greed good want help people possible sees values direct opposition message jesus places explicitly criticizes accumulation wealth christianity widespread acceptance economic values sees christians far confident proclaiming values jesus biology religion sought reconcile science religion places appear conflict encourage religion use scientific insights vice versa area religion biology wrote australian book dominant biological model mechanism arguing leads study organisms environments birch argue instead ecological model draws sharp lines living non living organism environment book argues idea evolution behavior lead genetic changes birch stress species environment way intelligent purpose plays role evolution evolution process ruthless competition directed goal increasing power complexity attitude failing fact evolutionary success species environment equally stable nature wisdom humanity simply submit intelligent purpose plays role behaviour environments change role increased liberation life stresses life human life aims realization richer experience birch develop idea life religious impulse attempting achieve settled perfected social structure allow change evolution religious dialogue participated extensive dialogue notably japanese buddhist philosophy explicit aim gain ideas insights religions eye christianity writes mission christianity universal faith sense taking alien truths realized mere matter addition instead matter creative transformation christianity christianity limited traditions fulfill mission realizing universal meaning jesus christ short conceive dialogue useful primarily convert converted useful order transform parties mutually allowing ideas faith order better face challenges modern world active theories religious partly response professor identified kind deep alternately believes actually distinct religious god universe believes elements necessary present form religion different tend stress ultimate viewed way different religions seen complement providing insight different religious avoids criticism religions actually different instance buddhism christianity possible truths christianity world believed nineteenth century half twentieth century american protestant theology largely derivative european specifically german theology late 1950s professor decided time come end authentic dialogue american european establish real organized series conferences leading germany united_states published series volumes called new theology writing books surveying contemporary forms christian turned mid-1960s original work sought bring ideas contemporary american protestant scene aimed reconstruct christian vision compatible modern knowledge ready engage today world number ways stressed problems inherent calls ultimately derived philosophy dominates christian theology western thought way thinking mind matter matter mind fundamentally different kinds entities encourages seeing relations entities entity contrast view follows events processes substances view contained sharp boundaries fact way thing relates things makes writes view abandoned different picture emerges occasion human experience constituted incorporation cellular occasions body incorporation aspects people people internally relate character moment moment affected health happiness neighbors process better aligned bible stresses history community importance neighbors instead turning inward preserve cohesive christian community turned outward order discover truths christianity possess direct opposition feel christianity religious system absolutely final complete free error turned religions notably buddhism order supplement christian ideas systems disciplines including biology physics economics fact away imaging regarded traditional christian notion god believe god sense having control events sees total power love goodness impossible task instead creatures viewed having degree freedom god problem evil denying god stressing instead god power god influence creatures determine god role liberate traditional denied idea god instead stresses god affected changed actions creatures human idea god experiences changes mean god imperfect contrary instead god seen experiencing beings understanding beings fellow understands argues idea god compatible bible jesus suffers dies additionally theology argued idea salvation singular event saved saved time seeing time world test morality order enter heavenly realm sees salvation continual transform perfect experience world idea salvation focuses moral categories aesthetic categories preference intense experience dull experience beauty writes morality bound contributing crucial question contributed contribution making moral fine finally true morality aim simply spread morality aim tries help broader sense process thought perfection experience admits idea morality aesthetics shocking christians argues life simply morally good morally bad aesthetic categories fulfill function specifically defined goods years increasingly distressed popular identification christianity religious right weak response mainstream encourage stronger response organized noted episcopal priest chaired reflection committee edited number books perceived gap policies american government christian teaching grew wider books moved simply proposals entitled resistance new role progressive christians recent book entitled spiritual bankruptcy action argues claiming needed wisdom traditions influence thought china process philosophy tradition considered primarily american philosophical movement spread globally particular interest chinese process philosophy leading figures taken leadership role bringing process thought east specifically help china develop ecological civilization goal current chinese government written constitution founded currently president board directors helps coordinate work collaborative centers china organize annual conferences ecological civilization books written varieties online edition online edition structure christian existence online edition god world late theology ecology revised edition liberal christianity crossroads online edition christ age process theology introductory exposition isbn theology cell community online edition dialogue mutual transformation christianity buddhism talking god online edition praying theological education biblical preaching death jesus common good economy community environment revised edition won isbn online edition death dialogue christ good news isbn sustaining common good isbn grace responsibility church isbn challenge theological critique isbn transforming christianity world way isbn public policy religion culture education sexuality class race politics economy isbn process perspective frequently asked questions process theology edited isbn romans spirit process spirituality world second edition word book index technical terms process reality isbn spiritual bankruptcy action process perspective edited theological books edited later theology theology history theology critique response mind nature online edition social thought existence conversations online edition human family isbn god buddhist jewish christian conversation isbn christians jews isbn darwin resistance new role progressive christians dialogue comes age religions making articles list published articles list
John B. Cobb