Journal of European Baptist Studies, Volume 7, No. 3, 2007

on. He is closer to them than they are to themselves. The compelling beauty of God is not only the perception of His proximity by people but also the way in which he influences created beings.’ 12 Any dictatorship or despotic reign is foreign to God’s character. He invites and expects one’s response. The reality as it unfolds is not the result of God’s immutable will, executed arbitrarily, without any dialogue or consent. As Hryniewicz says, ‘God is not a Lord who commands but one who serves. In His divine way, He encourages, draws, invites and summons to a response. The response is n man’s faith out of his free will.’ God’s presence in the world means that the reality He created will never pass away. He guarantees its perpetuation. He initiates everything and sustains it by the power of His word. He is the giver of life and that is why He is called the Eros Universum. 14 The question of the peace ‘here and now’, of harmony and fullness in life is coming to the foreground of the eschatology of process theology. In this way a believer is already partaking in the reality of heaven. Peace and harmony are signs of God’s presence. They also characterise the Church, seen as the eschatological community of peace. 15 It should be emphasised that in both Cobb’s and Hryniewicz’s 10 W. Hryniewicz, Dramat nadziei zbawienia: Medytacje eschatologiczne (Warszawa: Verbinum, 1996), pp. 48-49. 11 Cobb and Griffin, Process Theology, p. 52. 12 Hryniewicz, Dramat nadziei zbawienia, p. 62. 13 Hryniewicz, Kosciol jest jeden, p. 94. 14 A.N. Whitehead, Adventures of Ideas (New York: New American, 1935), p. 13. 15 Cobb and Griffin, Process Theology, p. 128. Theologies of John B. Cobb and Wactaw Hryniewicz 21 thought, the desired harmony is not to be confined to the intra-Christian reality only but to the whole of humankind while: the Church has been entrusted with the word of reconciliation and peace coming from Christ. The community of His disciples may be a sign of fraternity, benevolence and friendship towards all people. The spirit of brotherhood and solidarity make way for a dialogue with other religions as well. Without dialogue, one cannot be a Christian today. The plurality of religions has become a tremendous challenge to Christianity. 16 Elsewhere, Hryniewicz concludes that: there are many ways of salvation known only to God. Let us not argue about the fullness of the truth and means of salvation. God has more of them than we can imagine. He is God of all, a truly ecumenical God. St. Clement of Alexandria, at the turn of the second and third centuries, said the following insightful words: ‘The Savior is polyphonic (nohixpcovot;) and acts in various ways ( noXmponog ) in order to save people’. This wonderful metaphor derived from music is indeed very profound. Let’s consider its true depth: the Savior is polyphonic and ‘polytropic’ for the salvation of 17 people—all people, not just C