Norman Pittenger

William Norman Pittenger (July 23, 1905 – June 19, 1997) was an Anglican theologian. He played an important role as promoter of process theology and he became one of the first acknowledged Christian defenders for the open acceptance of homosexual relations among Christians. He lived most of his life in the United States and from 1966 he lived in Cambridge, England as an Honorary Senior Member of King's College.

Biography

Pittenger was born in Bogota, New Jersey and was raised in Princeton, New Jersey. He attended Princeton University for a short time, but left without graduating because he wanted to try a career as a newspaper reporter in New York City. Not able to find satisfaction he went to The General Theological Seminary in Manhattan. He started as a student and soon he became tutor, instructor, and finally professor of Christian Apologetics. Pittenger was one of the first process theologians without connections with the University of Chicago Divinity School and produced the first genuine process theological christology (The Word Incarnate - 1959). At general Seminary, he was priest and chaplain of the Guild of Scholars of The Episcopal Church. After his retirement in 1966 he moved to Cambridge as an Honorary Senior Member of King's College. Next to his writing on explicitly Christian themes, he wrote on sexuality in general (Making Sexuality Human - 1970) and a Christian defense of homosexuality in particular (Time for Consent - 1970), a book that was so controversial when published that the Church Times refused to review it. He also admitted his own homosexual bias. Norman Pittenger wrote throughout his life ninety books and many articles.

Selected works

Norman Pittenger authored ninety books and many articles.

• 1959 The Word Incarnate: A Study of the Doctrine of the Person of Christ, Harper & Brothers.
• 1967 God in Process, London:SCM Press Ltd. (Call No. BT83.6 P5)
• 1968 Process-Thought and Christian Faith, New York: Macmillan Company. (Call No. BR100 P615 1968)^[1]
• 1969 Alfred North Whitehead, John Knox Press.^[2]
• 1969 God's Way with Men: A Study of the Relationship Between God and Man in Providence, "Miracle," and Prayer, London: Hodder & Stoughton, Valley Forge, Pa:Judson Press.
• 1970 "The Last Things" in a Process Perspective, London: Epworth Press.^[3]
• 1970 Making Sexuality Human, United Church Press.
• 1970 Time for Consent: A Christian's Approach to Homosexuality, London: SCM Press.
• 1970 Christology Reconsidered, London: SCM Press.
• 1974 The Holy Spirit, United Church Press.
• 1974 Love and Control in Sexuality, United Church Press.
• 1980 After death/Life in God, London:SCM Press Ltd.^[4]
• 1989 Becoming and Belonging, Wilton, CT:Morehouse Publications. (Call No. BT77 .P49 1989)^[5]

External links

• Selected primary bibliography at the website of the Center for Process Studies
• Works of Pittenger at Religion online

References

1. ^ Religion Online: Process-Thought and Christian Faith by Norman Pittenger
2. ^ Religion Online: Alfred North Whitehead by Norman Pittenger
3. ^ Religion online: The 'Last Things’ in a Process Perspective by Norman Pittenger
4. ^ Religion online: After Death: Life in God by Norman Pittenger
5. ^ Religion online: Becoming and Belonging by Norman Pittenger

• John B. Cobb, Jr. and David R. Griffin, Process Theology, an Introductory Exposition, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1976, p. 180-181.

Persondata
Name	Pittenger, Norman
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	July 23, 1905
Place of birth
Date of death	June 19, 1997
Place of death