In this presentation Sandro Galea will discuss the philosophical foundations of health, why we value health, and the implications that has for our actions on health as a society.
When people claim to have experienced the presence of a dead loved one, a deity, or other spiritual entity, the way they knew the presence was there can vary widely, regardless of who they thought was present. Some say that they just knew the presence was there. Others say they saw, heard, or felt the touch of the presence. Others explain that the entity signaled its presence by arousing unusual feelings or by causing unusual things to happen. As part of a research team that attempted to understand such experiences scientifically, Ann Taves and a collaborator developed a typology of presence experiences designed to enable researchers to distinguish the different types of experiences that they wanted to explain. In this talk, Taves will explain the typology using experiences drawn from her research to illustrate and discuss how considering experiences as events can help us to understand the factors that interact to produce experiences of known presences.
The shift from theologies oriented around controlling power to one oriented around uncontrolling love radically reshapes what systematic theology can be. It centers experience in bold ways, and not just the experiences of white men. In this session, Thomas Jay Oord explores ten differences between his systematic theology of love and traditional systematic theologies.
The inaugural conference of the Mind-at-Large Project will be held fully online from April 15–17, 2026, hosted by the Center for Process Studies. The conference program will feature plenary lectures from leading thinkers, emerging scholar presentations, panel dialogues across disciplines and structured opportunities for substantive exchange.
Ever wondered how to introduce process theology into your congregation? Join Pastor Brian Cromer for a process pop-up exploring a four-week journey that uses diverse practices, including participatory Bible study, storytelling circles, worship, and collaborative art, to immerse a community in core themes of process thought: God in relationship, becoming and change, persuasive love, and co-creation and transformation.
Apparently, Thomas Jay Oord has written the first book with the title, A Systematic Theology of Love. Oord not only puts love at the center of this thinking about God and creation, this central emphasis changes the way he considers core themes about God and creation. In this pop-up, Oord talks about what differences love makes to a consistent theology.
This conference will be the first to birth this long overdue intellectual exchange as it offers an improved metaphysical framework for value and consciousness in all ontological entities to address various concerns that are facing humanity: economy, political, and environmental. Although there are hesitant answers to some of these global challenges facing humanity, the influence of substance-based analysis has yet to offer penetrative answers, in addition to the almost complete lack of interaction among scholars of process to explore their common ground for a common voice in the way that substance thought has done over the centuries.
Lopon Dorje Khandro and Rev. Dr. Dhammabodhi will present the 6 paramitas (perfections) as the theoretical framework that they utilize in their spiritual care practice in order to embrace the suffering of both humans and non-humans. Lopon-la will give an overview of the six paramitas and focus on the paramitas of patience and wisdom in spiritual care. Rev. Dhammabodhi will focus on how ethics and meditation practice apply to spiritual care.
In his presentation, Doug Lippoldt will illustrate manifestations of systemic challenges using a sectoral case study approach focused on a set of middle-income developing countries striving to engage more deeply in the AI economy. The sample will include countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
This global gathering of scholars, educators, and practitioners marks a pivotal moment to engage Alfred North Whitehead’s philosophy in dialogue with the pressing challenges and transformative opportunities of the 21st century. The theme of the 2026 International Whitehead Conference is: “Process Philosophy in a Time of Polycrisis: Science, Meaning, and Civilization.” The conference will explore how process thought can illuminate the great transitions of our time—toward a more sustainable, creative, and compassionate world.
The Center for Process Studies sends out monthly newsletters sharing upcoming events, the latest updates in the process world, new books and podcasts, and more! We only email monthly (occasionally slightly more when announcing major new events or publications) and you can unsubscribe at any time.
The Center for Process Studies manages a private discussion group on Facebook where you can dig into the finer points of process philosophy and theology in a community of intellectually-engaged students of these subjects. Here too you will find regular postings sharing new books and journal articles in process studies, as well as updates about upcoming events and offerings from various organizations.