The world as gods body, christian century, 105 july 2027, 1988, 671673. Even those who disagree with her proposed world as god s body model will agree that the book makes a compelling case for an increased care and respect of creation and life. Whispers of conversation between thomas merton and sallie. Mcfague offers metaphors that challenge us to consider our responses in a world of global change. Panentheistic view is what mcfague tries to portray as the right view. Mcfague describes a panentheistic vision of god the whole universe as gods body empowered by the divine spirit. Sallie mcfague archives center for action and contemplation. Sallie mcfague 1933 november 15, 2019 was an american feminist christian theologian, best known for her analysis of how metaphor lies at the heart of how we may speak about god. Sally mcfague is an american feminist christian theologian best known for her analysis of how metaphor lies at the heart of how we speak about god. A new climate for theology not only traces the distorted notion of unlimited desire that fuels our market system. An ecological theology by sallie mcfague and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Convincing, specific, and wise, mcfague argues for an alternative economic order and for our relational identity as. Panentheism seeing the world as in god puts god s name first, but each of our names are included and preserved in their distinctiveness within the divine reality.
Later, she adds, what this experiment with the world as gods body comes to, finally, is the awareness, both chilling and breathtaking, that we as worldly, bodily beings are in gods presence. In this awardwinning text, theologian sallie mcfague challenges christians usual speech about god as a kind of monarch. Mcfague develops such an alternative organic model in response to the ecological crisis and what she believes as a common story of creation. Mcfague elaborated this metaphor at length in the body of god. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In this collection, sallie mcfague offers a lucid and powerful guide to theological thinking about god and the world, individual and community, humanity and nature, reality and metaphor, the sacramental and the prophetic, and the critical issue of climate change. The world as god s body may be poorly cared for, ravaged and, as we are becoming well aware, essentially destroyed, in spite of gods own loving attention to it, because of one creature, ourselves, who can choose or not choose to join with god in conscious care of the world. A critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model as. I think she makes some good points, useful stuff going forward as we reground theology incarnationally and immanentally. I hope these introductions will inspire you to seek out their work and learn more. This book builds well on her previous works on metaphor and the body of god. Sallie mcfague is on the podcast reminding us that we can indeed be in love with god and the world.
How does thinking about the world as gods body inform our praise and ethics. In mcfague s preferred model, the world is viewed as gods body, stressing immanence in the world, but she is aware that this could become pantheism unless it is complemented by the agential model which distinguishes god from the world. She has applied this approach in particular to ecological issues, writing extensively on care for the earth as of it were gods body. Mcfagues argument is more stimulating because it not only locates the impetus for this human behavior in an understanding of the world as gods body, but also because tanner fails to demonstrate the necessity for such activity in her understanding of gods plan for the world. Sallie mcfague distinguished theologian in residence. In her book the body of god, mcfague dedicates her efforts to exploring the thought experiment of the body as a model for an ecological theology. Specifically, mcfague s understanding challenges and calls disciples of jesus to reimagine the doctrine of creation not as merely god s acting upon the world, but as god sharing divine power that all creation may. Nov 17, 2008 despite these limitations, though, a new climate for theology is a wellwritten and wellargued book. According to mcfague, sometimes we find the presence of god emerging in special ways. The study endeavours to evaluate, test and revise this particular theological model. In mcfagues view, there has been too much emphasis on gods transcendence.
The world as gods body may be poorly cared for, ravaged, and as we are becoming wellaware, essentially destroyed, in spite of gods own loving attention to it, because of one creature, ourselves, who can choose or not choose to join with god in conscious care of the world. She applied this approach in particular to ecological issues, writing extensively on care for the earth as if it were gods body. This book is a collection of readings from sallie mcfagues most essential theological works. The body of god by sallie mcfague goodreads share book. Currently she is the distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology in british columbia, canada. Yet i end the book aware that what is needed is not only immanental models of god, but a way of thinking of gods transcendence in an immanental waythat the world is our meeting place with god. Now in the body of god she works out a way of thinking of gods transcendence in an immanental way vii. She envisions the universe sun, moon, trees, rivers, animals, and people as god s body and sees our vocation as helping the earth to prosper. Explains mcfagues feminist theology theology flashcards.
Common creation story sallie mcfague brings new insights into her theology from the common creation story, which she uses as a resource to reconceive the organic model of the world. This book is a collection of readings from sallie mcfague s most essential theological works. By doing this we emphasis our reliance and dependence on god but also realise our duties and responsibilities we have towards our natural world. These metaphors originate in sources as diverse as the bible, the tradition of christian thought, the world of literature and the human imagination. States that the universe is the visible part of god, mcfague considers using the world as a metaphor for gods body. An evaluation of sallie mcfague s body of god theology introduction 119 6.
Second, i have already noted how important sallie mcfague s work on ecology is, and the dalai lama has phoned her up on this point. Mcfague, who teaches at vanderbilt divinity school, challenges christians to an environmental ethic and a planetary agenda that is radically compassionate. Sallie mcfague, 19332019 times higher education the. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Sallie mcfague, theologian 19332019 a pilgrim in narnia. She wrote in the introduction to this 1993 book, the present essay.
Sallie mcfague born 1933 is an american feminist christian theologian, who has written other books such as super, natural christians,models of god,metaphorical theology. She explores biblical images of god as spirit, empowering creatures from within rather than controlling them externally. She is now distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology in vancouver, british columbia. Yet government, business, and individuals have been largely in. In models of god, now in a second impression, sallie mcfague dealt. In models of god she speaks of the world as gods body. Sallie mcfague was not catholic, but her work in ecofeminist theology influenced generations of catholic theologians and students. She writes as a theologian, but one who takes evolutionary and ecological science very seriously.
The world is our meeting place with god as the body of god, it is wondrously, awesomely, divinely mysterious. A critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model. Specifically, mcfague s understanding challenges and calls disciples of jesus to reimagine the doctrine of creation not as merely god s acting upon the world, but as god sharing divine power that all creation may flourish 114. Models of god sallie mcfagues book models of god, has two distinct parts. Imagining the earth as gods body addresses that gap in embodied theology that occurs when she rejects incarnational christology. In models of god, now in a second impression, sallie mcfague dealt principally with immanental models, god as mother, lover and friend of the world her choice was a deliberate one, an attempt to balance the heavy transcendence of the christian dcotrine of god however, she ended the book aware that what was needed is not only immanental models of god, but ways of thinkingin models of god, now. Even those who disagree with her proposed world as gods body model will agree that the book makes a compelling case for an increased care and respect of creation and life. Climate change promises monumental changes to human and other planetary life in the next generations. It is the basis for a revived sacramentalism, that is, a perception of the divine as visible, as present, palpably present in our world.
Despite these limitations, though, a new climate for theology is a wellwritten and wellargued book. She is one of the most important living theologians and a pioneer of christian feminist theology. Sallie mcfague has created something important and necessarya model of god specifically for the sake of the earth. Sallie mcfague broke new ground in how we think about god through metaphors as feminist theology was just emerging, and the connections of religion with economics and ecology as environmental theology began to find its voice, said emilie townes, current dean of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Good book on ecological theology, proposing the creation as the body of god. If traditional concepts of god have alienated us from the bodies of the material world, then what alternative do we have. The world as gods body by sallie mcfague sally mcfague is carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt university in nashville. Week 2 creation is the body of god monday, february 19, 2018 this week im drawing from several theologians and spiritual teachers i respect.
It is located on the abstract and hypothetical level and is thus a nonempirical analysis of mcfague s thought. At the time my academic interests were focused on the intersections between theoretical physics, philosophy, and theology and particularly how our concept of god was being reshaped by scientific understanding. Sallie mcfague offers a lucid and powerful guide to theological thinking about god and the world, individual and community, humanity and nature, reality and metaphor, the sacramental and the prophetic, and the critical issue of climate change. A major emphasis of this book, written by a feminist theologian, is its effort to recover the value of the physical body. This book is a sequel to her models of god 1987, which received an award for excellence from the american academy of religion. Sallie mcfague far less has been written about sallie mcfague than merton. In models of god, now in a second impression, sallie mcfague dealt principally with immanental models, god as mother, lover and friend of the world. Sallie mcfague was distinguished theologian in residence at vancouver school of theology after spending twenty years as the carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school. She concludes part i by introducing the relational metaphormodels that she will interpret within the context of the world as god s body. What would happen according to sallie mcfague if god is called mother. Sallie mcfague is the most widely read exponent of an ecological theology that responds creatively to recent environmental crises. Mcfague talks a lot about bodies and spatial relationships, as distinct from our usual emphasis on temporality.
Mcfague is professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school. Sallie mcfague was the carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school, where she taught for thirty years. Sallie mcfague is a theological legend, a pioneer feminist theologian, and one of the most powerful thinkers in my own theological development. Aug 04, 20 what this experiment regarding the world as gods body comes to, finally, is an awareness, both chilling and breathtaking, that we, as worldly, bodily beings, are in gods presence. In this awardwinning text, theologian sallie mcfague challenges chris. Awardwinning theologian sallie mcfague here develops a striking and novel vision of the universe, one that takes seriously and radically both contemporary science and the incarnational commitments of the christian tradition. An ecological theology, is about that way of thinking. It follows that the world is no longer ruled by god, but is instead part of god s body or womb. My focus was a conscious one, meant to balance the heavy transcendence of the christian doctrine of god. For mcfague, god is the one who judges those who thwart the wellbeing and fulfilment of her body, our world. An ecological theology kindle edition by mcfague, sallie. Nov 06, 2017 in her book the body of god, mcfague dedicates her efforts to exploring the thought experiment of the body as a model for an ecological theology. Scott jones november 18 2019 one of the great theologians of our time has died. Nov 18, 2019 second, i have already noted how important sallie mcfagues work on ecology is, and the dalai lama has phoned her up on this point.
Body god ecological theology by sallie mcfague abebooks. These are some closing words from my book models of god, a book that dealt principally with immanental models god as mother, lover, and friend of the world. The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not sallie mcfague s body of god model is an adequate resource for a christian ecological theology. Common creation story, body of god, perichoresis, interrelatedness, trinity. In part ii, mcfague explores in detail these models of god and the inherent. A discussion of sallie mcfague s models of god by mary jo weaver, gordon kaufman, rosemary radford ruether, david tracy, and james g. Thats what led me to buy mcfague s 1993 book the body of god.
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