Sallie mcfague born 1933 is an american feminist christian theologian, who has written other books such as super, natural christians,the body of god. Sallie mcfague was the carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school, where she taught for thirty years. Mcfague elaborated this metaphor at length in the body of god. In the first, mcfague s response comes as more stimulating because she locates the impetus for such ecological responsibility in the shared experience of the world as gods body 110. 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 was distinguished theologian in residence at vancouver school of theology after spending twenty years as the carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school. Sallie mcfague distinguished theologian in residence. I hope these introductions will inspire you to seek out their work and learn more. 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. 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. 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. Mcfague offers metaphors that challenge us to consider our responses in a world of global change. 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. Convincing, specific, and wise, mcfague argues for an alternative economic order and for our relational identity as. It follows that the world is no longer ruled by god, but is instead part of god s body or womb.
We do not have to go to some special place a church, for instance or to another world to find god for god is with us here and now. A major emphasis of this book, written by a feminist theologian, is its effort to recover the value of the physical body. 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 critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model as. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Climate change promises monumental changes to human and other planetary life in the next generations. She explores biblical images of god as spirit, empowering creatures from within rather than controlling them externally. The study endeavours to evaluate, test and revise this particular theological model. An ecological theology, is about that way of thinking. For mcfague, god is the one who judges those who thwart the wellbeing and fulfilment of her body, our world. 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. The body of god by sallie mcfague goodreads share book. God, the world, and global warming by mcfague, sallie isbn.
Thats what led me to buy mcfague s 1993 book the body of god. A discussion of sallie mcfague s models of god by mary jo weaver, gordon kaufman, rosemary radford ruether, david tracy, and james g. By doing this we emphasis our reliance and dependence on god but also realise our duties and responsibilities we have towards our natural world. 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. Imagining the earth as gods body addresses that gap in embodied theology that occurs when she rejects incarnational christology. For example, in models of god, mcfague develops the metaphors of god as mother, lover, and friend, in the context of the world as god s body. Good book on ecological theology, proposing the creation as the body of god. 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. If traditional concepts of god have alienated us from the bodies of the material world, then what alternative do we have. Sallie mcfague was not catholic, but her work in ecofeminist theology influenced generations of catholic theologians and students. The world as gods body, christian century, 105 july 2027, 1988, 671673. 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. Scott jones november 18 2019 one of the great theologians of our time has died. 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.
She applied this approach in particular to ecological issues, writing extensively on care for the earth as if it were gods body. 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. She is now distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology in vancouver, british columbia. 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 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. Week 2 creation is the body of god monday, february 19, 2018 this week im drawing from several theologians and spiritual teachers i respect. 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. 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. Sallie mcfague, theologian 19332019 a pilgrim in narnia. She writes as a theologian, but one who takes evolutionary and ecological science very seriously. A critical analysis of salli e mcfagues body of god model. 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. For that reason models of god dealt principally with immanental modelsgod as mother, lover, and friend of the world vii. In part ii, mcfague explores in detail these models of god and the inherent. How does thinking about the world as gods body inform our praise and ethics.
In this awardwinning text, theologian sallie mcfague challenges christians usual speech about god as a kind of monarch. According to mcfague, sometimes we find the presence of god emerging in special ways. An evaluation of sallie mcfague s body of god theology introduction 119 6. Now in the body of god she works out a way of thinking of gods transcendence in an immanental way vii. 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.
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. Explains mcfagues feminist theology theology flashcards. 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. In models of god she speaks of the world as gods body. 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. In mcfagues view, there has been too much emphasis on gods transcendence.
An ecological theology kindle edition by mcfague, sallie. She concludes part i by introducing the relational metaphormodels that she will interpret within the context of the world as god s body. She wrote in the introduction to this 1993 book, the present essay. Mcfague, who teaches at vanderbilt divinity school, challenges christians to an environmental ethic and a planetary agenda that is radically compassionate.
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. Models of god by mcfague, sallie and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The world is our meeting place with god as the body of god, it is wondrously, awesomely, divinely mysterious.
In this awardwinning text, theologian sallie mcfague challenges chris. Common creation story, body of god, perichoresis, interrelatedness, trinity. Nov 17, 2008 despite these limitations, though, a new climate for theology is a wellwritten and wellargued 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. This book builds well on her previous works on metaphor and the body of god. 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. I think she makes some good points, useful stuff going forward as we reground theology incarnationally and immanentally. In models of god, now in a second impression, sallie mcfague dealt. Despite these limitations, though, a new climate for theology is a wellwritten and wellargued book.
Sallie mcfague is on the podcast reminding us that we can indeed be in love with god and the world. A brilliantly constructed work, it culminates with three chapters that consider god in terms of the models of mother, lover, and friend, and each of these in terms of gods love, activity, and ethic. This book is a collection of readings from sallie mcfague s most essential theological works. These metaphors originate in sources as diverse as the bible, the tradition of christian thought, the world of literature and the human imagination.
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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. 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. Mcfague develops such an alternative organic model in response to the ecological crisis and what she believes as a common story of creation. Panentheistic view is what mcfague tries to portray as the right view. A discussion of sallie mcfagues models of god by mary jo weaver, gordon kaufman, rosemary radford ruether, david tracy, and james g. Hart with a response by mcfague, religion and intellectual life, 5 spring, 1988, 944. My focus was a conscious one, meant to balance the heavy transcendence of the christian doctrine of god. It is located on the abstract and hypothetical level and is thus a nonempirical analysis of mcfague s thought. The world as gods body by sallie mcfague sally mcfague is carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt university in nashville. 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. This book is a collection of readings from sallie mcfagues most essential theological works.
Sallie mcfague archives center for action and contemplation. Sallie mcfague is a theological legend, a pioneer feminist theologian, and one of the most powerful thinkers in my own theological development. Yet government, business, and individuals have been largely in. Whispers of conversation between thomas merton and sallie. Sallie mcfague has created something important and necessarya model of god specifically for the sake of the earth. Mcfague talks a lot about bodies and spatial relationships, as distinct from our usual emphasis on temporality. 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. It is the basis for a revived sacramentalism, that is, a perception of the divine as visible, as present, palpably present in our world. States that the universe is the visible part of god, mcfague considers using the world as a metaphor for gods body. An ecological theology by sallie mcfague and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the body of god. A new climate for theology not only traces the distorted notion of unlimited desire that fuels our market system.