Events
Whitehead for Education, the Humanities, and the Social Sciences: In Pursuit of a Metamorphosis of Pedagogy
In the conference presentations, we encourage contributors to share the results of transdisciplinary research on the foundations of education (and, more broadly, the humanities), utilizing the interpretive framework offered by Whiteheadian process philosophy. We also warmly invite reflections on Whitehead’s educational ideas from the standpoint of your own disciplinary practice, whether it be the natural sciences, humanities or social sciences, or spiritual disciplines.
Middle Eastern Modal Process & Modulation
This SPARKS Exchange will feature a brief exposition of maqām (Middle Eastern modal) music focusing on Tanburi Cemil Bey’s “Hicazkâr Saz Semai” as a template for appreciation of the unique process of modulation that is prevalent in Middle Eastern music. Abdessamad Mason Zantow will present on the lâvta (Istanbul lute), an instrument played by Tanburi Cemil Bey and a cousin of the oud and modern guitar.
Process Pop-Up: The Death of Supernaturalism
In this Process Pop-Up, we’ll explore the core ideas of Chad Bahl’s newest book, The Death of Supernaturalism: The Case for Process Naturalism—a bold theological manifesto that critiques the metaphysical assumptions of supernatural theism. Bahl argues for a process naturalist view of God—one which sees God as relational, persuasive and embedded within the natural world.
Special Event Featuring the Graduates of the 2025 Certificate Program in Process Thought and Practice
In this special event, the students from the 2025 Certificate in Process Thought and Practice will present their springboard projects. Their projects range from artistic expressions of creativity to academic explorations of Whitehead’s philosophy. Process thought and practice unify these personal adventures and speak to the transformative power of individual encounters with the process movement.
Cultivating the Future University: Eco-Art, Healing, and Pedagogy in the Healing Garden
In this SPARKS Exchange, artist and educator Lipeng Jin invites you into the story of the “Healing Garden”—an evolving eco-art and pedagogical experiment at the Sichuan Fine Art Institute, China. More than a campus garden, the Healing Garden is a living laboratory reimagining the university’s role in an era of ecological crisis: How can higher education become a force for planetary healing and community renewal?
Process Theology Alive in Church Life | Leslie King
In this presentation, Leslie King will share almost 20 years of implementing process thought in congregational life. Given that administration, worship leadership, program development and pastoral care are four pillars of congregational leadership, she will examine the way Process Theology buoys up these traditional efforts.
China in Process: Reflections from a Recent Journey | Meijun Fan, Zhihe Wang, Cliff Cobb, Jay Jones
This Process Explorations session offers a reflective account of a recent journey through several regions of China, undertaken in the wake of John B. Cobb Jr.’s passing. Rather than a travel report or a series of separate observations, this online session seeks to convey the journey as a lived and unfolding whole. Meijun Fan, Zhihe Wang, Cliff Cobb, and Jay Jones will add their perspectives regarding what was offered and received at the various institutions and in transit.
Process Pop-Up: Evolution in Divine Love
In this Process Pop-Up, Swami Padmanabha will discuss the ideas in Evolution in Divine Love. Far from portraying divinity as distant or static, Swami Padmanabha encourages us to see Ultimate Reality as both changeless and ever-new, infinite and intimate, perfect and perpetually becoming—animated by the same love that pulses through every corner of creation. Through this lens, he invites us to view reality not as a closed system, but as a living, breathing process of growth, beauty, and co-creative transformation.
Just a Little Walk with Jesus: A Lenten Adventure | Bruce Epperly
In this session of Process Explorations, Bruce Epperly will reflect on the meaning of Lent from a process perspective. Lent is a holy adventure of simplifying and awakening to God's presence in ourselves and the world. During Lent, we prune the excess cumber of our lives to open to God's moment by moment and long-term vision for us.
Free
John B. Cobb Jr.: An Eco-Sage of Our Time | Online Memorial Gathering
To mark the first anniversary of the passing of John B. Cobb Jr., this online memorial gathering is convened to honor his life, his enduring legacy, and the living influence of his thought. It will offer a quiet and heartfelt space for remembrance, reflection, and gratitude as well.
Imagination, Ritual, and Non-Ordinary Experiences | Jared Morningstar
In this session of Process Exploration, Jared Morningstar shares his recent research exploring connections between ritual practice and imagination. Drawing upon ideas from process and Islamic philosophies, Jared provides a broad overview and analysis of the field of ritual studies before discussing the significance of non-ordinary experience for insight and self-transcendence.
Free
The Creative Spark of a Spirit-Forward Artist
Hope Montgomery is a musician, songwriter, and artist. Lacing doubt with curiosity and hopefulness, Hope's work is often reflecting on the human experience of loving, grieving, making meaning of mundanity, and what it means to live alongside nature as a friend. In this SPARKS Exchange, Hope will talk about her works and the creative process and life of a spirit-forward person.