Primordial Truth and Postmodern Theology (Suny Series in Constructive Postmodern Thought)

Rating:
Summary: Unbalanced Debate
Review: This is an extended debate between David Ray Griffin, probably the most prominent contemporary exponent of process theology, and Huston Smith, a scholar and popularising exponent of the so-called Perennialist School, whose luminaries are Frithjof Schuon, Rene Guenon, Seyyed Hossein Nasr, and their colleagues. Each critiques the other's philosophical theology as a response to modernity. Unfortunately, Smith is somewhat out of his league. Griffin's criticisms are quite devastating -- though of course very polite -- and mostly go unanswered. For a perennialist with an open mind, this would be a disturbing read, since Griffin really lays bare the deficiencies of the perennialist doctrines, and Smith can't do very much to attack the process approach. Theodicy is one area in which Smith and the perennialists take an especially heavy beating. All in all, if you have interest in process theology and in perennialism, and especially if you are struggling between them as personal philosophical alternatives, this is a "must read."