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.
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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.
Norman Pittenger authored ninety books and many articles.