• Experiences of Presence | Ann Taves

    Process Explorations

    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.

  • Ten Differences Between Traditional Systematic Theology and My Systematic Theology of Love | Thomas Jay Oord

    Process Explorations

    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.

  • Mind-at-Large Project: A New Dawn

    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.

  • Process Pop-Up: Becoming Together: Immersing a Congregation in Process Theology

    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.

  • Process Pop-Up: A Systematic Theology of Love

    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.

  • Dementia Dharma: Caring for Sentient Beings with Neurodegenerative Diseases | Lourdes Arguelles and John Freese

    Process Explorations

    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.