Ted Peters

Ted Peters (1941- ) is a Lutheran theologian and Professor of Systematic Theology at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. In addition to his work as a theologian and educator, he is a prolific author and editor on Christian and Lutheran theology in the modern world. Peters' dense but accessible books on Christian theology in the modern world are popular with clergy and laity alike. He is also the editor of "Dialog", a quarterly scholarly magazine of modern and postmodern theology.

Peters writes on a broad array of theological issues. One of the most important recurring themes in his work is the willingness to converse with and learn from other religious traditions. In his book The Cosmic Self Peters writes that New Age cosmology, which holds that the universe is elastic and the human soul is part of all things, can be a necessary tonic for Christian theology, which has grown hardened and dogmatic. Peters co-edited the book God, Life, and the Cosmos, discussing the need to build bridges between the Islamic and Western worlds. He has also written several books intended to reconcile science and theology.

Peters has summarized his theology in this way: "I define 'The Gospel' as telling the story of Jesus with its significance. Our task in this third millennium is to tell this story in such a way that the people of our emerging post modern culture will perceive its significance for them."

Education

*AB.A., Michigan State University
*M.Div. Trinity Lutheran Seminary
*M.A. University of Chicago
*Ph.D., University of Chicago

Notable Publications

*"Can You Believe in God and Evolution? A Guide For the Perplexed" with Martinez Hewlett (2006)
*"The Gift of Grace: the Future of Lutheran Theology" (editor) with Niels Henrik Gregersen and Bo Holm (2004)
*"Evolution from Creation to New Creation: Conflict, Conversation, and Convergence" with Martinez Hewlett (2003)
*"God, Life, and the Cosmos: Christian and Islamic Perspectives" (editor) with Muzaffar Iqbal and Syed Nomanul Haq (2003)
*"Bridging Science and Religion" (editor) with Gaymon Bennett (2003)
*"Science and Theology: The New Consonance" (editor) (1999)
*"For the Love of Children: Genetic Technology and the Future of the Family" (1996)
*"Playing God? Genetic Determinism and Human Freedom" (1996, 2nd edition 2002)
*"Sin: Radical Evil In Soul and Society" (1994)
*"God as Trinity: Relationality and Temporality in Divine Life" (1993)
*"Toward a Theology of Nature: Essays on Science and Faith" with Wolfhart Pannenberg (1993)
*"GOD - The World's Future" (1992, 2nd edition 2002)
*"The Cosmic Self" (1990)
*"Cosmos as Creation" (1989)
*"Fear, Faith and the Future" (1980)
*"Futures Human and Divine" (1978)

External links

* [http://www.plts.edu/peters.html Ted Peters Faculty Homepage]
* [http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~content=t713709314~db=all Co-Editor: Theology and Science]
* [http://www.counterbalance.net/bio/ted-body.html Ted Peters Bio]
* [http://www.plts.edu/people/peters.html Ted Peters at PLTS]
* [http://www.counterbalance.org/genetics1.html Genetics and Genethics: Are We Playing God?] Full text of Peters' paper online