Abstract This article presents a philosophical interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37) by examining it through the lens of Alfred North Whitehead’s process philosophy. Its primary argument is that the concept of ‘neighbour’ undergoes a profound shift in meaning throughout the story. The initial question posed by the lawyer to Jesus, inquiring about who qualifies as a neighbour, reflects a substantialist ontology according to which reality is organized into fixed and self-sufficient entities. Jesus’s reformulation of the question at the end of the story reveals a shift to a process-relational ontology. This perspective, asserting that reality is structured through mutable and reciprocal relationships, permeates the entire narrative, wherein both living and non-living entities assume unexpected roles. Their interactions serve the purpose of crafting a more sophisticated reality that harmoniously integrates contrasting elements. An example of this is Jesus’ contention that boundaries, such as those between Jews and Samaritans, should be transcended as all human beings share an obligation to assist each other. The processual reading proposed here can make the parable relevant to a broad spectrum of discussions rooted in a relational vision of reality. For instance, in the context of ecology, this approach suggests that the concept of ‘neighbour’ can be expanded to include the entire environment.
Alessandro Falcetta (Mon,) studied this question.