Envisioning the Future of the Process Movement | Jay McDaniel and Chris Hughes
Event Type:
- Discussion, Presentation
- (Online)
Program:
- Process Explorations
Theme:
- Building Alternative Futures
Featuring:
- Jay McDaniel and Chris Hughes
Organizers:
- Center for Process Studies
Process thought is a way of thinking and, even more deeply, a way of living. It speaks to existential needs faced by people all over the world: the need for meaning, for healthy relationships at home and in the workplace, for healthy communities, for a peaceful and joyful planet in which people, other animals, and Earth flourish together. It also speaks to intellectual needs: the need to affirm the wisdom of sciences and the humanities, spirituality and practice, reason and feeling. Influenced by Whitehead, it is also more than Whitehead. Today process thought is growing in many parts of the world, albeit as a minority tradition in a world faced by many crises. Might it have a role to play? Might its voice be heard? Chris Hughes and Jay McDaniel will share ways this might happen, inviting discussion as we think together about the future of the process movement.
Chris Hughes will ask “What is it in Process thought that is deeply transformative?” Are we transforming peoples experience of self and world or are we lost in the many practical applications of the process movement? His presentation will imagine a future where transformation is the goal of the educational effort, with the assumption that actions will then naturally follow. He will look at some programs that are currently delivering on this and some that are close to implementation. The final questions are the personal and organizational ones – are we happy with the way things are? Do we have an appetite for change?
Featuring
Jay McDaniel
Jay McDaniel is a philosopher and theologian known for his work in process theology and open and relational thought. Influenced by Alfred North Whitehead, his writing explores the relational nature of reality, the role of creativity in the universe, and the spiritual significance of everyday life. He has long been associated with the Center for Process Studies and with Open Horizons, where he helps develop resources that connect philosophy, spirituality, ecology, and the arts. McDaniel writes for both academic and general audiences, often drawing on literature, music, theater, and nature to illuminate philosophical ideas. His work emphasizes compassion, imaginative freedom, and the possibility of cooperative and sustainable communities. A teacher, essayist, and musician, he is especially interested in how process philosophy can enrich religious life, interfaith dialogue, and public culture. Through essays, courses, and collaborative projects, he seeks to make complex philosophical ideas accessible and practically meaningful for contemporary life.
Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes is the 2025 Dean of the Certificate in Process Thought and Practice. He is an award winning Canadian educator who has created teaching materials to bring process thinking to a wider audience. Chris came to Canada from the UK in 1975 after earning a BA in Psychology from Durham University. In 1986 he earned a B.Ed with a major in Science from the University of Calgary. Along the way he picked up courses and skills in experimental psychology from the University of McMaster and in philosophy from the University of Calgary. Prior to 1986 when he started a 30+ year High School teaching streak (Math and Physics), he worked with young people who were “at risk” or who had custodial sentences. Towards the end of his teaching career, he trained as a Mindfulness Instructor with the British Mindfulness in Schools Project and taught Mindfulness to both students and teachers. Chris lives in Calgary, Alberta and is always looking forward to that brief pause between the end of one ski season and the start of the next.
RSVP for this Event
Free Online Event
Disclaimer: This event is open to the public and will be recorded. If you choose to enable your camera or participate in any discussions, your voice and likeness will be recorded, and may be posted on the Center for Process Studies websites and social media, or included in CPS materials and/or publications for noncommercial purposes. If you do not want your voice or likeness to be shared in any public venues, please send an email to optout@ctr4process.org.
