In this episode of Conversations in Process, host Jay McDaniel speaks with Jared Morningstar about how they first encountered the world of process thought. Through Alfred North Whitehead’s work, they share their journeys into the intersections of 20th-century philosophy, metaphysics, theology, and spiritual inquiry.
Together, they explore:
- How Whitehead’s philosophy offers a vibrant alternative to rigid dogmatism
- Why process thought may have something of value for today’s spiritual and philosophical seekers
- The influence of other process thinkers like Charles Hartshorne and Henri Bergson
- The continuing relevance of metaphysical speculation in contemporary life
Guest Bio
Jared Morningstar
Jared Morningstar is an independent scholar and public intellectual based in Chicago whose work explores philosophies and wisdom traditions that are attuned to our time of profound cultural, ecological, and spiritual transition. His research focuses especially on process philosophy and theology, classical and contemporary Islamic thought, metamodernism, comparative religion, and non-ordinary experiences. Across his writing and public scholarship, he explores how religious traditions can be articulated to respond constructively to contemporary challenges such as nihilism, interreligious conflict, ecological crisis, and the so-called “meaning crisis.” Jared’s work has appeared in a variety of publications including Metamodern Theory and Praxis, Process Perspectives, and Emerge alongside the edited volumes Open and Relational Theology and its Social and Political Implications: Muslim and Christian Perspectives and Amipotence: Expansion & Application. He is a frequent lecturer and conference presenter and has appeared on numerous podcasts and public forums to discuss religion, process thought, Islam, and metamodernism. He holds degrees in Religion and Scandinavian Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College and currently works with the Center for Process Studies and the Psychedelic Medicine Association.
Host Bio
Jay McDaniel
Jay McDaniel is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at Hendrix College in Arkansas, and founder of the website Open Horizons, which focuses on exploring a process outlook on life and way of living in the world. Active in the development of process thought in China, he is a consultant to the Institute for Postmodern Development of China, and the Cobb Institute. His books include With Roots and Wings: Christianity in an Age of Ecology and Dialogue; Living from the Center: Spirituality in an Age of Consumerism; and Gandhi’s Hope: Learning from Other Religions as a Path to Peace.