Looking for Shakespeare
in Process Theology
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In An Oration Delivered Before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, at Cambridge, August 31, 1837, Ralph Waldo Emerson noted: "The English dramatic poets have Shakespearized now for two hundred years." The term Shakespearized has since come to mean the act of imitating or being deeply influenced by Shakespeare's style, themes, or spirit. Truth be told, many process theologians are already Shakespearized in significant ways, without calling it that. Their work resonates with key Shakespearian themes that enrich their theological reflections. Below are six such themes that can be found within process theology:
The Full Range of Human Emotion and Experience
Shakespeare's works capture the entire spectrum of human emotion—from love and joy to the depths of tragedy, doubt, and despair. Process theology, with its emphasis on God’s active involvement in the world, reflects a similar engagement with life’s emotional complexity. The idea that God lures creatures toward beauty and creativity, while also participating in the tragic and comic dimensions of life, echoes the dramatic range in Shakespeare’s plays. God is not detached but deeply involved in the drama of human existence, sharing in our sorrow and laughter, triumphs and failures, much like Shakespeare’s characters.
A Multiplicity of Perspectives
In Shakespeare’s plays, characters like Hamlet, Lady Macbeth, and Falstaff embody different, often conflicting, perspectives on life and morality. Similarly, process theology embraces a plurality of viewpoints, recognizing that each person, event, and creature offers a unique angle on the divine. This multiplicity reflects a Shakespearian awareness that the world is composed of diverse and evolving identities, each contributing to the unfolding process of creation.
The Dramatic Tension of Freedom and Fate
Many of Shakespeare’s characters struggle with questions of destiny versus free will, as seen in Hamlet’s indecision or Macbeth’s ambition. Process theology, too, explores this tension, particularly in its understanding of human freedom, the irreversibility of the past, the necessity of choice, and divine lure. God, like the universe in Shakespeare’s plays, offers possibilities without controlling outcomes, leaving space for human agency, creativity, and often, tragic consequences. This reflects the open-ended nature of reality as envisioned in process thought.
Moral Ambiguity and Ethical Complexity
Shakespeare’s tragedies, such as Macbeth and King Lear, explore moral ambiguity where distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, are not always clear. Process theology similarly acknowledges the complexity of ethical decisions. It resists rigid moral laws, instead presenting God as a gentle guide who offers possibilities but leaves room for nuanced and evolving ethical choices, much like the shifting moral landscapes of Shakespeare’s characters.
Cosmic Drama
In plays like The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, cosmic and supernatural forces play central roles in the unfolding of human stories. Process theology shares this sense of cosmic drama, portraying God not as an omnipotent ruler but as a co-participant in the unfolding of the universe. Much like Prospero or Puck, God works within and alongside the world, guiding events in unexpected ways while leaving room for human freedom and unpredictability.
Tragic Beauty
Shakespeare often finds beauty in the tragic, with characters like Lear or Othello embodying both greatness and deep suffering. Process theology captures this sense of tragic beauty, recognizing that life’s most profound moments often come through suffering, loss, and failure. God is understood as weaving even the most painful experiences into a broader, more complex tapestry of beauty and meaning—what process thought calls the "Harmony of Harmonies." This mirrors Shakespeare’s ability to find meaning in the midst of tragedy.