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"We live in an increasingly global, interconnected, and interdependent world, in which various forms of systemic imbalance in power have given birth to a growing demand for genuine pluralism and democracy. As befits a world so interconnected, this book presents a comparative theological and philosophical attempt to construct new underpinnings for the idea of democracy by bringing the Western concept of spirit into dialogue with the East Asian nondualistic and nonhierarchical notion of qi. The book follows the historical adventures of the idea of qi through some of its Confucian and Daoist textual histories in East Asia, mainly Laozi, Zhu Xi, Toegye, Nongmun, and Su-un, and compares them with analogous conceptualizations of the ultimate creative and spiritual power found in the intellectual constellations of Western and/or Christian thought namely, Whitehead's Creativity, Hegel's Geist, Deleuze's chaosmos, and Catherine Keller's Tehom. The book adds to the growing body of pneumatocentric (Spirit-centered), panentheistic Christian theologies that emphasize God's liberating, equalizing, and pluralizing immanence in the cosmos. Furthermore, it injects into the theological and philosophical dialogue between the West and Confucian and Daoist East Asia, which has heretofore been dominated by the American pragmatist and process traditions, a fresh voice shaped by Hegelian, postmodern, and postcolonial thought. This enriches the ways in which the pluralistic and democratic implications of the notion of qi may be articulated. In addition, by offering a valuable introduction to some representative Korean thinkers who are largely unknown to Western scholars, the book advances the study of East Asia and Neo-Confucianism in particular. Last but not least, the book provides a model of Asian contextual theology that draws on the religious and philosophical resources of East Asia to offer a vision of pluralism and democracy. A reader interested in the conversation between the East and West in light of the global reality of political oppression, economic exploitation, and cultural marginalization will find this book informative, engaging, and enlightening"--

Explores the contemporary significance of Alfred North Whitehead's 1927 book Symbolism: Its Meaning and EffectThis collection of 11 essays form a new examination of Whitehead's Barbour-Page lectures, which were published as the book Symbolism: Its Meaning and Effect in 1927. Leading Whitehead scholars give you exciting insights into the contemporary implications of Whitehead's symbolism in an era of new scientific, cultural and technological developments. As a result, Whitehead's philosophy is reinvigorated in the context of contemporary discussions and debates. This volume also serves as a critical point of entry into Whitehead's more lengthy and complex work such as Process and Reality, and to his body of work as a whole.ContributorsJeffrey Bell, Professor of Philosophy at Southeastern Louisiana UniversityRoland Faber, Kilsby Family/John B. Cobb, Jr., Professor of Process Studies at Claremont School of Theology, Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Claremont Graduate University, Co-Director of the Center for Process Studies and Executive Director of the Whitehead Research ProjectMichael Halewood, Senior Lecturer at the University of EssexLuke Higgins, Lecturer in Philosophy at Armstrong UniversityCatherine Keller, Professor of Constructive Theology and Henry Luce Fellow at the Theological School and Graduate Division of Religion at Drew UniversitySheri Kling, Doctoral Candidate in Process Thought at Claremont School of TheologyHyo-Dong Lee, Associate Professor of Comparative Theology at the Theological School and Graduate Division of Religion at Drew UniversityBeatrice Marovich, Writer and Assistant Professor in the Department of Theological Studies at Hanover CollegeAdam Nocek, Assistant Professor in Philosophy of Technology and Science and Technology Studies in the School of Arts, Media + Engineering at Arizona State UniversityJoseph Petek, Doctoral Student in Process Thought at Claremont School of Theology, Chief Archivist of the Whitehead Research Project, Assistant Series Editor for the Critical Edition of Whitehead and English Coordinator for the Balkan Journal of PhilosophyKeith Robinson, Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Arkansas at Little RockSteven Shaviro, DeRoy Professor of English at Wayne State University"