Source: “The Death of Supernaturalism: The Case For Process Naturalism”, Copyright © 2025 by Chad Bahl, First Edition.
This topic argues for process naturalism as a superior alternative to traditional supernaturalism, which the author believes fails to resolve critical theological dilemmas. By synthesizing the "God-consciousness" of Friedrich Schleiermacher with the philosophical framework of David Ray Griffin, the author demonstrates how rejecting a coercive, omnipotent deity allows for a more rational faith. This transition addresses the problem of evil by shifting responsibility from God to creaturely freedom and reconciles religion with scientific inquiry by viewing divine activity as a persuasive force within the natural order. Ultimately, the text seeks to provide a consistent, experience-based theism that accounts for divine hiddenness and biblical fallibility without abandoning the reality of the divine.
The Case for Process Naturalism.pdf
The Case for Process Naturalism.pptx
The_Case_for_a_Non-Interventionist_God.m4a
For too long, we’ve been told we must choose: the cold, hard logic of science or the warm, mystical embrace of a God who breaks the rules. This friction has left many of us in a state of spiritual vertigo, caught between a "Supernaturalism" that feels increasingly illogical and an atheism that feels too small for our deepest intuitions. We find ourselves asking: Must faith require us to check our brains at the door?
There is a revolutionary middle ground that most of us weren't taught in Sunday school: Process Naturalism. Rooted in the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and championed by thinkers like David Ray Griffin, this framework suggests that the problem isn't God—it's our definition of God. By moving the Divine from "outside" nature to "inside" it, we don't lose God; we find a God who actually makes sense in a world of evolution, suffering, and quantum uncertainty.
Here are four mind-bending takeaways from this perspective that might just save your faith from your intellect.