God et al.— World-Making as Collaborative Improvisation: New Metaphors for Open Theists
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AbstractThe Abrahamic traditions regard God as the world’s author. But what kind of author? A novelist? A playwright? Perhaps a composer of classical music? I will argue that it is best to regard God as like an improvisational play director or the leader of a jazz ensemble. Each determines the broad melodic contours or coarse-grained plot beforehand, while allowing their musicians or actors, and chance, to fill in the more fine-grained details. This analogy allows us to regard God as the ultimate author of this world, while allowing us to be, while less than co-authors, more than mere enactors of a pre-written piece. These metaphors are particularly well-suited to illustrate and flesh out an Open Theistic view of things.
1990 ◽
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pp. 928-929
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2019 ◽
Vol 33
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pp. 5676-5683
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2021 ◽
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1950 ◽
Vol 200
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2007 ◽
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pp. 234-238
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1996 ◽
Vol 33
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pp. 715-728
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