About Postmodernism

A Postmodern Essay

Introduction
"Whether 'postmodern' is the best name for what is going on in this world may be reasonably doubted. That something powerful, deep, and potentially far-reaching is going on seems to be beyond doubt." And as Professor of Sociology Charles emert continues, "!et, " am aware that many, perhaps most, do indeed doubt it." #$% What is postmodernism& "s it a philosophical mo'ement li(e e)istentialism& "s it an artistic mo'ement li(e surrealism or impressionism& What about a period in history& "s it a(in to the *enaissance, the +nlightenment or the ,odern +ra& Can " be a postmodern author, architect, painter or sculptor& Can " be postmodern in my thought& "n my dress& -r am " simply postmodern because of the era in which " li'e& Am " able to define the postmodern as an entity unto itself, or do " ha'e to define it in terms of something else& .hose who call themsel'es postmodern define the term 'ariously. Critics can't agree on a definition. /either can adherents. Some belie'e that postmodern times offer wonderful opportunity. -thers are fearful. ,ost find themsel'es in con'ersation, digging 0ust beneath the surface of the sub0ect, uncertain how to defend or critici1e what appears to be elusi'e and illusory. As a means of addressing the nature of the postmodern, what follows is a collection of resources. A con'entional essay might pro'ide us a clearly stated topic and would be followed by a series of supporti'e paragraphs. /ot here. "n this modest e)ercise, we will set aside the traditional structure and rules and simply pro'ide se'eral useful resources related to the postmodern, postmodernism, and postmodernity. #"s there any difference&% What follows then, in no particular order, is a series of 2uotes3 a suggested reading list3 a brief o'er'iew of "4 Aftershoc(s of Postmodernism" from our friends at .he -o1e3 a list of primary sources3 selected, helpful resources from a 'ariety of authors including eonard Sweet3 notes and citings3 and other related stuff. We begin with a 'ariety of 2uotes.

Take Their Word for It: What the Experts Have Said
5efore going any further, let's ta(e a loo( at what others ha'e said. "t is worth noting that the authors 2uoted might not agree with each other, but then that should be clear. The word 'postmodernism' has very little content of its own. It is a sign; a pointer in reference to other concepts, like the word 'north'. It says simply that the previous cultural and philosophic synthesis, 'modernism', is at an end, and something else is emerging to take its place. Because no one knows yet precisely the shape of the future, it is convenient to speak of postmodernism: the force which will follow modernism. The words 'postmodernism' and 'emerging culture' are substantially interchangeable. #from Threshold of the uture by ,ichael *iddell% #6% The postmodern ethos resists unified, all!encompassing, and universally valid

e"planations. It replaces these with a respect for difference and a celebration of the local and particular at the e"pense of the universal. #ostmodernism likewise entails a re$ection of the emphasis on rational discovery through the scientific method, which provided the intellectual foundation for the modern attempt to construct a better world. %t its foundation, then, the postmodern outlook is anti!modern. #from % #rimer on #ostmodernism by Stanley 7ren1% #8% &hereas modernism tried to elevate man into 'od's place, postmodern theory seeks to destroy or deconstruct the very place and attributes of 'od. #from #ostmodern Theory and Biblical Theology by 5rian "ngraffia% #9% The #ost!(odern %ge is a time of incessant choosing. It's an era when no orthodo"y can be adopted without self!consciousness and irony, because all traditions seem to have some validity. This is partly a conse)uence of what is called the information e"plosion, the advent of organi*ed knowledge, world communication and cybernetics. It is not only the rich who become collectors, eclectic travellers in time with a superabundance of choice, but almost every urban dweller. #luralism, the +ism+ of our time, is both the great problem and the great opportunity. #from "What is Post-,odernism&" by Charles :enc(s% #;% I define postmodern as incredulity toward metanarratives. The postmodern would be that which, in the modern, puts forward the unpresentable in presentation itself. % postmodern artist or writer is in the position of a philosopher; the te"t he writes, the work he produces are not in principle governed by preestablished rules, and they cannot be $udged according to a determined $udgment. #from The #ostmodern ,ondition by :ean-<rancois yotard% #=% -ome hold that postmodernism represents a new historical period that people are entering, while others view it as an e"tension of some of the basic concepts undergirding modernism itself. -till others see postmodernism as a kind of in! between period in which old ways are being )uestioned but the new era has yet to arrive. #from #hilosophy . /ducation by 7eorge >night% #?% The postmodern self faces life and society with suspicion rather than trust. The modern self retained a basic optimism about the capacities of human reason, governmental or social strategies and scientific achievement, to shape the world for the general advancement of human society. But such optimism omits too many factors to provide hope for the postmodern self. #from Interpreting 'od and the #ostmodern -elf by Anthony .hiselton% #@% In contrast to modernity, postmodernism repudiates any appeal to 0eality or Truth. The very attempt to propose totali*ing metanarratives that define and legitimate 0eality are denounced as oppressive. 1nce modernity's claims to universality and 0eality are dissolved, the relativism of 0ichard 0orty and -tanley ish emerges. or what remains is only the autonomous -elf and its power of language. These are the two constitutive elements of postmodernism. #from the introduction to ,hristian %pologetics in the #ostmodern &orld, edited by .imothy Phillips and Aennis -(holm% #4% 1utside the visual arts, where it may be $ustified, the term postmodernism suggests a misleading sense of a school or theoretical movement. #ostmodern thought, on the contrary, mirrors in its multiplicity of forms, ideologies, and agendas the playful eclecticism of postmodernity itself. #from the preface to #ostmodernity: ,hristian

Identity in a ragmented %ge by Paul a(eland% #$B% &ith the postmodern denial that we can have any access to a transcendent or to any metanarrative e"cept its own 2that humans are the only creators3 some of the modern aura of the artist as redeemer was transferred to the critic as redeemer. #from The 1utrageous Idea of ,hristian -cholarship by 7eorge ,arsden% #$$% #ostmodernism re$ects certain key aspects of modernism, yet it retains certain affinities with it as well. Both modernism and postmodernism are largely nontheistic; both either re$ect theism overtly or affirm agnosticism. 4one of the leading postmodernist thinkers !! whether 0orty, 5errida, oucault, 6yotard or Baudrillard !! affirm belief in a personal deity. This matches the later forms of modernism that abandoned even deism in favor of atheism or agnosticism. (odernists and postmodernists are united in their philosophical naturalism. They deny the ob$ective e"istence of 'od and the supernatural, and take the material universe to be all there is. #from Truth 5ecay: 5efending ,hristianity %gainst the ,hallenges of #ostmodernism by Aouglas 7roothius% #$6% There is no neutral place to stand outside of a culturally encoded narrative. Interpretation, we have come to reali*e, is intrinsically tradition!dependent. &e therefore re)uire a more honest !! and more postmodern !! understanding of what it means to live out of the ,hristian faith with authenticity in our contemporary culture. #from Truth Is -tranger Than It 7sed to Be 5y *ichard ,iddleton and 5rian Walsh% #$8%

The Deformed Church of Leonard Sweet

"n his important wor( -oul Tsunami, Arew Cni'ersity professor eonard Sweet outlines what he calls the ".op $B Ae-words for a Aeformation Church." De offers that the church must mo'e through these "de" words before she can get to the "re" words. What follows, then, is the briefest possible e)ploration of these ten (ey ideas. After you wor( through this material, you'll probably want to in'estigate his helpful website. !ou might e'en want to do that right now. #www !eonardsweet com% 7ood stuff. $. 5econstruction. .here is no understanding without standing under-that insists that e'erything must be entered in order to be understood. 6. 5emateriali*ation. "n postmodern culture the uni'erse is disappearing. +'erything solid is melting into thin air. +'eryday life is now li'ed as much on the screen as anywhere. 8. 5ecentrali*ation. .he art of relishing relin2uishment. +'ery organism must learn how to de'ol'e, to lose control, to cell out. 9. 5econversion. CSAmerica is becoming de-Christiani1ed, and people need to be decon'erted from what Christendom culture has taught them a Christian is. ;. 5ealignment. "deas and institutions are ta(en up, toyed with, dropped, and resuscitated with alarming alacrity.

=. 5emorali*ation. *adical alienation is ob'ious without the presence of any moral philosophy or source of moral 0udgment. ?. 5emocrati*ation. Aemocracy is the wa'e of the future, and electronic media, li(e the /et, are the most democrati1ing, empowering media e'er. @. 5eprivati*ation. *eligion is returning to public life. "t is once again e)ercising its political 'oice. 4. 5edifferentiation. +'erything goes together--the interchangeability of shopping, sports, leisure, eating, education, and so on. $B. 5emassification. .he collapse of the big middles, trends, typicals, a'erages, generals, and ordinaries. .here is no normal anymore. As noted, the abo'e #with mega-than(s% is e)cerpted from Ar. Sweet's boo( -oul Tsunami, published in $444 by Eonder'an, chapter #life ring% F?, pages $94 to $;@.

" Core #a!ues of Postmodernism: Thanks$ %r

%ac

"n this time of transition and change, few pastors ha'e earned a greater right to be heard than 5rian ,c aren of Cedar *idge Community Church near 5altimore. "n his boo( The ,hurch on the 1ther -ide, he shares the remar(able story of his own church's 0ourney through the labyrinth of postmodernism. As an introduction, we include his <i'e Core Galues of Postmodernism and a list of $; realities for the church regarding the postmodern. ive ,ore 8alues of #ostmodernism $. Postmodernism is s(eptical of certainty. 6. Postmodernism is sensiti'e to conte)t. 8. Postmodernism leans toward the humorous. 9. Postmodernism highly 'alues sub0ecti'e e)perience. ;. <or postmoderns, togetherness is a rare, precious, and elusi'e e)perience. ifteen 0ealities for the ,hurch 2our title, but 0ev. (ac's ideas3 $. We ha'e to distinguish between genuine Christianity and our #indi'idual and 'arious culture-encoded% 'ersions of it. 6. We need to see truth and goodness where they e)ist in postmodernism. 8. We need to magnify the importance of faith. 9. We ought to be more fair. ;. We need to be more e)periential. =. We need to address the postmoderns' e)istential predicament. ?. We need to listen to the postmoderns' stories. @. We need to tell our stories. 4. We need to address issues we ha'e ne'er e'en thought about before. $B. We need to a'oid coercion and pressure. $$. We need to see the postmoderns in here, out there, and e'erywhere. $6. We must rely more than e'er on art, music, literature, and drama to communicate our message.

$8. We must belie'e that the Doly Spirit is out there at wor( already. $9. We must become see(ers again. $;. We must reassert the 'alue of community and re(indle the e)perience of it. We encourage you to in'estigate 5rian ,c aren's wor( for yoursel'es. Dis boo(s will both challenge and encourageH The ,hurch on the 1ther -ide: 5oing (inistry in the #ostmodern (atri" #a re'ision of his earlier wor( 0einventing 9our ,hurch% published by Eonder'an in 6BBB. .he abo'e-noted e)cerpts are to be found between pages $=6 and $=9, and between pages $?6 and $@9. See also inding aith, subtitled 'a self-disco'ery guide for your spiritual 2uest,' published in $444, also by Eonder'an. -ur brother 5rian can also be found through the Cedar *idge website, www crcc or&.

A Su&&ested 'eadin& List: (ot a )ew Weeks*

+ears*

"f you want to do the worthy, demanding wor( of a good researcher, chec( out the primary resources listed later on under 'Primary Sources'. "f you want to chec( out what the belie'ing community is saying about postmodernism, good and bad, then maybe the following list will help. Any supporting comments are ta(en directly from 0ac(et copy, unless we thin( a wor( is simply doggoned terrific, then we will say so. Clearly, this is a modest list. Additional 'olumes enter the discussion all the time. A!!en$ ,io&enes. ,hristian Belief in a #ostmodern &orld. WestminsterI:ohn >no) Press, $4@4. "+specially helpful to those struggling with Christianity's place in a world of religious pluralism." -oschman$ Lamar. uture &orship. *enew 5oo(s, $444. "Aisco'er how 7od is transitioning the Church to a new style of leadership and order of worship that will help the Church relate to the new digital culture." -rown$ Haro!d . / The -ensate ,ulture. Word, $44=. "*easons so many moderns worship the sensuous, the material, the merely colossal--but still feel empty and shallow." C!a00$ 'odney. % #eculiar #eople: The ,hurch as ,ulture in a #ost!,hristian -ociety. "nterGarsity, $44=. "We are trying to ser'e as chaplains to a ci'ili1ation that no longer sees Christianity as necessary." ,ockery$ ,avid, editor. The ,hallenge of #ostmodernism: %n /vangelical /ngagement. 5a(er, $44?. "+'angelical thin(ers from a 'ariety of perspecti'es attempt to define the postmodern ideology." Easum$ Wi!!iam 1 Thomas -andy. 'rowing -piritual 0edwoods. Abingdon, $44?. -ne of many boo(s offered by this wonderful duo. All effecti'ely address ministry's role in a changing culture. Erickson$ %i!!ard. #ostmoderni*ing the aith: /vangelical 0esponses to the ,hallenge of #ostmodernism. 5a(er, $44@. ".he author e)plores si) e'angelical responses to postmodernism--both positi'e and negati'e."

(ren2$ Stan!ey. % #rimer on #ostmodernism. +erdmans, $44=. "What challenges does the cultural shift from modernism to postmodernism present to the church&" (roothius$ ,ou&!as. Truth 5ecay: 5efending ,hristianity %gainst the ,hallenges of #ostmodernism. "nterGarsity, 6BBB. ".he author un'eils how truth has come under attac( and how it can be defended." (uder$ ,arre!!, editor. (issional ,hurch: % 8ision for the -ending of the ,hurch in 4orth %merica. +erdmans, $44@. ".he authors e)amine today's secular culture and the church's loss of dominance." Henderson$ ,avid. ,ulture -hift: ,ommunicating 'od's Truth to 1ur ,hanging &orld. 5a(er, $44@. "Aramatic shifts in American culture ha'e nudged the world out of reach of the Christian message." In&raffia$ -rian. #ostmodern Theory and Biblical Theology. Cambridge, $44;. "Any attempted reconciliation between contemporary critical theory and biblical theology is radically incompatible." Lake!and$ Pau!. #ostmodernity: ,hristian Identity in a ragmented %ge. Augsburg <ortress, $44?. ".his 'olume clarifies the critical impulses behind the cultural, intellectual, and scientific e)pressions of postmodernism." %cCa!!um$ ,ennis, editor. The 5eath of Truth. 5ethany Douse, $44=. ".his boo( tac(les a 'ast array of implications not 0ust for the way we thin( but the way we li'e." %cLaren$ -rian. The ,hurch on the 1ther -ide: 5oing (inistry in the #ostmodern (atri". Eonder'an, 6BBB. ".he author sees in this new postmodern world wonderful opportunities for the church to be a 'oice." %idd!eton$ 'ichard and -rian Wa!sh. Truth Is -tranger Than It 7sed to BeH Biblical aith in a #ostmodern %ge. "nterGarsity, $44;. ".he authors are sympathetic to the postmodern criti2ue." %oore$ Ste0hen. #ost-tructuralism and the 4ew Testament. Augsburg <ortress, $449. ".he author guides us through the ma1e of concepts and pro0ects that constitute the phenomenon of poststructuralism." %or&entha!er$ Sa!!y. &orship /vangelism. Eonder'an, $444. "Combining the best of traditional and contemporary, the author shows how to achie'e worship that's both culturally rele'ant and authentic." %yers$ 3enneth. %ll 'od's ,hildren and Blue -uede -hoes: ,hristians . #opular ,ulture. Crossway, $4@4. "Aeals not only with the roots of popular culture but also with its ultimate impact on character." 4ash$ 'obert. %n :!Track ,hurch in a ,5 &orld: The (odern ,hurch in the #ostmodern &orld. Smyth J Delwys, $44?. ".he church must become 'ery different from the churches to which most of us now belong." 4ewbi&in$ Less!ie. The 'ospel in a #luralist -ociety. +erdmans, $4@4. "A brilliant analysis of contemporary culture and how Christians can more confidently affirm

their faith in such a conte)t." Phi!!i0s$ Timothy and ,ennis .kho!m, editors. ,hristian %pologetics in the #ostmodern &orld. "nterGarsity, $44;. "Some of e'angelicalism's most stimulating thin(ers consider three possible apologetic responses." 'abey$ Steve. In -earch of %uthentic aith. Water5roo( Press, 6BB$. "A comprehensi'e guide to what post-boomer leaders are thin(ing, doing, and trying in order to reach new audiences of unchurched but hungry people." 'idde!!$ %ichae!. Threshold of the uture: 0eforming the ,hurch in the #ost! ,hristian &est. SPC>, $44@. -ne of the 'ery best loo(s at the sub0ect--"a handboo( for the 0ourney into the .hird ,illennium." Sine$ Tom. (ustard -eed 8ersus (c&orld: 0einventing 6ife and aith for the uture. 5a(er, $444. "Delps ma(e sense of the change hammering our li'es, families and congregations in a new, one-world economic order." Sweet$ Leonard. #ostmodern #ilgrims: irst ,entury #assion for the ;<st ,entury &orld. 5roadman J Dolman, 6BBB. :ust one of his half do1en or more boo(s guiding "the future church into the twenty-first century." Thise!ton$ Anthony. Interpreting 'od and the #ostmodern -elf: 1n (eaning, (anipulation and #romise. +erdmans, $44;. A scholarly wor( that "argues for a deeper understanding of the self and its destiny." #eith$ (ene Edward. #ostmodern Times: % ,hristian 'uide to ,ontemporary Thought and ,ulture. Crossway, $449. "We must understand our times--a culture grappling with postmodernism." Wuthnow$ 'obert. ,hristianity in the ;<st ,entury: 0eflections on the ,hallenges %head. -)ford, $448. ""dentifying changes that churches must address if they are to remain 'ital in the future." Please also chec( out the 'arious lin(s we offer on our own "lin(s" page. .hese sites point you to authors, thin(ers, churches and other ministries that offer a 'ariety of additional information. Also, we certainly in'ite your thoughts, your fa'orites, your suggestions. Who did we miss&

5 Aftershocks of Postmodernism: An .verview

Aa'id .rotter and Spencer 5ur(e, the oo1emeisters at .he -o1e, www theoo2e com, ha'e de'eloped a helpful tool for understanding the shift from ,odernism to Postmodernism. A brief loo( is pro'ided here. Chec( out Spence and Aa'e on this and much other great stuff at their site. $. %ftershock =<. <rom ,u0!ication to Inte&ration <rom duplicating the particular to bringing together a 'ariety. 6. %ftershock =;. <rom Achievement to Learnin&.

Shifting focus from the end result to the process. 8. %ftershock =>. <rom Industry to Individua!s. ,o'ing from the (nown to the new and e)perimental. 9. %ftershock =?. <rom Scarcity to Abundance. <rom control to a posture of creating space for others. ;. %ftershock =@. <rom #ertica! to Hori2onta!. ,o'ing from authoritarian leadership to collaboration and teamwor(. =. %ftershock =A. <rom E6c!usion to Inc!usion. <ocusing on what draws us together rather than on what separates us. ?. %ftershock =B. <rom Con7uer to E60erience. <rom trying to change others to sharing with others where'er they li'e. @. %ftershock =:. <rom Consumerism to Stewardshi0. <rom unrestricted consumption to a desire to act responsibly. 4. %ftershock =C. <rom -ui!din&8Centered to Community8Centered. Shifting focus from a particular location to interdependent relationships. As the oo1e-guys note, ".he ma0or 2ua(e has already occurred, but we are 0ust now e)periencing the aftershoc(s that powerfully remind us that our world has been fore'er changed. We must not bury our heads and act as if nothing e'er occurred. .his 2ua(e roc(ed our world, and we now ha'e the wonderful opportunity to respond to the needs of postmoderns around the globe."

Primary Sources: Postmodern Thinkers$ P!ease Stand 90

With some debate, selected thin(ers are credited with helping to form the mold out of which postmodern thought has de'eloped. A bit of info on a few of these is offered here. "t sadly has not been our strength as a Christian community to in'est the time to read and study at the well of primary source material. ,aybe you can find a few listed here that attract your attention. A small in'estment of time would help (eep the Church more informed. "f we truly stand on the shoulders of those who ha'e gone before, wouldn't it pay to (now a bit more about those on whom we rest& -arthes$ 'o!and #$4$;-$4@B% <rench iterary and cultural critic, he produced studies on e'erything from photography to national monuments. Wor(s include &riting 5egree Dero, The #leasure of the Te"t, and /lements of -ociology. >ey ideasH the 'death of the author', the te)t as "perpetually interwea'ing", contributions in the area of semiology, blurred the distinctions between literature and literary criticism. -audri!!ard$ /ean #$464- % <rench Social critic and sociologist, he is author of %merica and ,ool (emories. "n The Truth about the Truth, Anderson ma(es the following statementH ".his is 5audrillard's

'ersion of postmodernity--in which there is no connection whate'er between an image and any nonhuman truth. .he image, for all practical purposes, is reality." #$9% >ey ideasH simulations, images. ,errida$ /ac7ues #$48B- % <rench Professor of philosophy at Paris' +cole /ormale Superieure. Credited with originating the 'deconstruction' school of literary criticism. Wor(s include %porias, 1f -pirit, 1f 'rammatology, and -peech and #henomenon. >ey ideasH original terms include 'differance' and the 'trace', "we must re-read, and we must re-read differently," the fallacy of logocentrism, the 'metaphysics of presence'. )oucau!t$ %iche! #$46=-$4@9% <rench Cultural historian who preferred the term "archaeologist of (nowledge." /iet1schean disciple, he authored (adness and ,ivili*ation, and the three-'olume Eistory of -e"uality. >ey ideasH the specific abo'e the general, comple)ity, the myth of history, (nowledge as power, discourse and language. He&e!$ (eor& Wi!he!m )riedrich #$??B-$@8$% 7erman Philosopher and instructor in philosophy, authored The #henomenology of (ind, -cience of 6ogic, built upon >ant's ideas and greatly influenced >arl ,ar). >ey ideasH the comple) whole is referred to as "the Absolute," an emphasis on the logical, the nature of *eality is found in the "dialectic," the triad of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, and the marriage of philosophy and history. Heide&&er$ %artin #$@@4-$4?=% 7erman +)istentialist philosopher, wrote e)tensi'ely concerning the concept of '5eingH' Being and Time, The Fuestion of Being, 1n Time and Being, and The /ssence of 0easons, among many other wor(s. 7reat influence on the wor( of :ac2ues Aerrida. >ey ideasH modern metaphysics, the 2uestion of 5eing, fundamental ontology, angst, 'Aasein'. Husser!$ Edmund #$@;4-$48@% 7erman <ounder of the phenomenology school of philosophy. Wor(s include Ideas: 'eneral Introduction to #ure #henomenology. Deidegger's predecessor and teacher, his (ey ideas include what he called "the logic of presence," conte)t, e)pression, consciousness and meaning. 3ant$ Immanue! #$?69-$@B9% 7erman Pi'otal and highly influential philosopher whose ,riti)ue of #ure 0eason and ,riti)ue of #ractical 0eason mar(ed an end to what had come before and established the basis for much of the discussion that continued well into the twentieth century >ey ideasH the impact of interpretation, the noumenal world, the indi'idual and the uni'ersal. 3ierke&aard$ Soren #$@$8-$@;;% Aanish *egarded by some as the founder of e)istentialism. his wor(s include /itherG1r, ear and Trembling, and The ,oncept of 5read. Dis (ey ideas include the followingH the indi'idual and indi'idual choice, a high 'iew of Christian commitment, three stages-the aesthetic, the religious, and the ethical. Lacan$ /ac7ues #$4B$-$4@$% <rench Psychoanalyst and founder of the <reudian School in Paris, ma0or contributor to the

theories associated with language and post-structural analysis. Wor(s include /crits #'Writings'% and collections of his lectures. >ey ideasH structural linguistics. the unconscious mind. Lyotard$ /ean8)rancois #$469-$44@% <rench <ormer professor of philosophy at the Cni'ersity of Paris-Gincennes. *esponsible for introducing the term postmodernism into philosophical discussion. Wor(s include The #ostmodern ,ondition: % 0eport on Hnowledge and The #ostmodern /"plained. >ey ideasH the collapse of metanarrati'es, legitimation, the postmodern age. 4iet2sche$ )riedrich #$@99-$4BB% 7erman Dighly influential philosopher, writer, and critic of organi1ed Christianity, his wor(s ha'e greatly shaped all those that follow and include Thus -pake Darathustra, Beyond 'ood and /vil, %ntichrist, /cce Eomo, The 'enealogy of (orals, and Twilight of the Idols. >ey ideasH the Superman, the will to power, dynamic reality, "7od is dead," nihilism, the failure of science and technology. 'orty$ 'ichard #$48$ -% American Professor of Dumanities at Stanford Cni'ersity and author of such wor(s as #hilosophy and the (irror of 4ature and ,onse)uences of #ragmatism. <ollows somewhat the ideas of :ohn Aewey with the following (ey thoughtsH pragmatism, nonessentialism, absence of foundations, the 'correspondence theory of truth'. Saussure$ )erdinand de #$@;?-$4$8% Swiss Professor of linguistics at the Cni'ersity of 7ene'a, influential in his study of the relationship between language as grammar and language as speech, and his discussions concerning sign and symbol. Dis notes were published posthumously as ,ourse in 'eneral 6inguistics. >ey ideas include structural linguistics, signifiers, signs and symbols. Witt&enstein$ Ludwi& #$@@4-$4;$% Austrian-born 5ritish Philosopher and author of Tractatus 6ogico!#hilosophicus, the Blue and Brown Books, and #hilosophical Investigations. "ntroduced the idea of 'language games.' Additional (ey ideasH truth in conte)t, language and meaning, rules and following rules. As you e)periment by reading from the list of influential philosophers and writers abo'e, you will be introduced to others--Claude e'i-Strauss, >arl :aspers, and Stanley <ish among them. .hey, and many others, probably deser'e mention too. !ou may find *ichard *orty 2uite readable, but you might find Degel impossible to wade through. !ou might sense that Soren >ier(egaard is 2uite sympathetic to your own religious belief. !ou might find /iet1sche less so. #A little le'ity.% As you wade through the material, you might consult a good encyclopedia or sur'ey of philosophy. .he -)ford and Cambridge companions are wonderful resources. Sur'eys and histories from 5ertrand *ussell, <rederic( Copleston and Walter >aufmann are classic studies. A new multi-'olume series from "nterGarsity is also 'ery helpfulH ,hristianity . &estern Thought, the first two 'olumes of which are already a'ailable. Among the wor(s listed abo'e in the Suggested *eading ist that may pro'e helpful as you read primary source material are those by 7ren1, "ngraffia and .hiselton. !ou might also chec( Eabits of the (ind: Intellectual 6ife %s a ,hristian ,alling by :ames Sire and published in 6BBB by "nterGarsity. Study on.

A (!ossary: ,efinin& Stuff :.r Tryin& to;

,any more terms than can be defined here surface during a study of the ideas related to postmodernism. .han(s to the writers listed abo'e and the big-time assistance of The ,ambridge 5ictionary of #hilosophy, we are actually able to offer a definition or two. As you will see, we find it hard to offer substanti'e definitions for some. .he con'ersation continues . . . aesthetics 8 the branch of philosophy that e)amines the nature of art and our e)periences of both art and our natural en'ironment. an&st 8 a 7erman term which plays a (ey role in the writings of Deidegger. "t refers to a special form of an)iety, emotion that re'eals the human condition and the unsettling freedom that accompanies self-awareness. corres0ondence theory of truth 8 the idea that a belief is true pro'ided a fact 'corresponds' to it. critica! theory - social theory that offers 0ustifiable and 'erifiable e)planation and e'aluation of crisis and conflict. deconstruction 8 Professor Aerrida has said the following in his essay entitled -ignature /vent ,onte"t: "Aeconstruction consists in o'erturning and displacing a conceptual order, as well as the nonconceptual order with which the conceptual order is articulated." ,eaning is found, not in an understanding of the author's intent. "n fact, the author's intent may not be (nowable. " need to spend some more time deconstructing the concept of the idea of the symbols of deconstruction to get it right, "'m sure, or (ind of sure. .hese are 0ust letters and symbols themsel'es after all. dia!ectic 8 a method of argumentati'e e)change in'ol'ing 2uestion and answer, gi'e and ta(e designed to refute the opponent of the argument. En!i&htenment$ The 8 a late eighteenth-century mo'ement in thought stressing such 'alues as those of scientific disco'ery, education, indi'idual freedom, and democratic go'ernment. e0istemo!o&y - the study of the nature of (nowledge, what we (now and how we (now what we (now. essentia!ism that an ob0ect properties are properties are 8 than(s to Ar. 7ren1 in his #rimer, we offer the followingH "the belief or thing has both 'intrinsic' and 'relational' properties. "ntrinsic the essential 2ualities that the thing has 'in itself,' and relational 2ualities that it has merely in relation to other things.

e6istentia!ism 8 with hats off to Walter >aufmannH ".he refusal to belong to any school of thought, the repudiation of the ade2uacy of any body of beliefs whate'er, and especially of systems, and a mar(ed dissatisfaction with traditional philosophy as superficial, academic, and remote from life--that is the heart of e)istentialism." #<rom /"istentialism from 5ostoyevsky to -artre%

foundationa!ism 8 the philosophical and theological con'iction that there are beliefs or e)periences that are in themsel'es beyond doubt, and upon which systems of belief and understanding can therefore be constructed with certainty. #<rom #ostmodernity by a(eland.% hermeneutics 8 the art or theory of interpretation, and a school of philosophy that deals with 2uestions of interpretation. !e&itimation 8 the idea that grand narrati'es ha'e been the accepted source of the propositions of modern society--a notion opposed by yotard, for e)ample. !in&uistics 8 the study of the nature and structure of language. !iterary criticism 8 the systematic study of literature, including perspecti'e interpretation, e'aluation and history. !o&ocentrism - the term used by Aerrida to characteri1e any signifying system go'erned by the self-presence of meaning. #As offered by ,oore in #ost! -tructuralism and the 4ew Testament.% metanarrative 8 the grand, master, or sweeping narrati'es of a culture, people or society--narrati'e systems such as Christianity, progress, scientific disco'ery, ,ar)ism or re'olution, for e)ample. meta0hysics 8 the branch of philosophy that e)amines ultimate 2uestions, the nature of things, and the meaning of e)istence. #<rom a(eland% modernism 8 ine'itably tied to the +nlightenment, proposition centered in reason and e)pressed in such systems as foundationalism, essentialism and realism. natura!ism 8 the idea that e'erything is composed of 'natural' entities and are e)plainable in 'natural' terms, particularly as they relate to the sciences. nihi!ism 8 a system of belief that states that 'alues are without basis, that nothing can be (nown with certainty, that life itself is meaningless. All is illusion3 we ha'e no access to reality. #.han( you, Ar. 7ren1% non8essentia!ism 8 as is clear from the definition of essentialism gi'en abo'e, nonessentialism focuses on relational principles. .he nature of things can be discussed only in terms of their relationships with other things. noumena! wor!d$ the 8 >ant's concept of that which lies beyond the personal e)perience of an indi'idual. onto!o&y 8 the branch of philosophy that studies 'being' and the significance of 'being.' orthodo6y 8 accepted, customary, traditional or established beliefs. 0henomeno!o&y 8 the philosophy de'eloped by Dusserl, but widely di'ergent since. .he basic concern of philosophy is to answer the 2uestions concerning meaning and being, an attempt to pro'ide a direct description of our e)perience as it is in itself.

0!ura!ism 8 a philosophical perspecti'e that emphasi1es di'ersity and difference o'er unity and sameness. 0ostmodern$ 0ostmodernism$ 0ostmodernity 8 ob'iously, this entire e)ercise is designed to help illustrate 0ust what postmodernism is and how the church might properly respond. +ach of the features of this portion of our <reeway website is designed to assist anyone searching for the meaning behind these terms. -ur prayer is that with some consideration and thoughtful study, you might come to agree with us. .hat is, that 7od has gifted us with the wonderful opportunity of sharing :esus at a time in history when De and Dis Word clearly spea( to the needs of people. With than(s to the research of Stanley 7ren1, here goes yet another attempt at defining postmodernism. "n his boo( % #rimer on #ostmodernism, Ar. 7ren1 does a pretty thorough 0ob of defining the terms postmodern, postmodernism and postmodernity, and offers some sense of the distinctions of each term. Again, " 2uote from his wor(H "Postmodernism refers to the intellectual mood and cultural e)pressions that are becoming increasingly dominant in contemporary society. .hese e)pressions call into 2uestion the ideals, principles, and 'alues that lay at the heart of the modern mindset. Postmodernity, in turn, refers to the era in which we are li'ing, the time when the postmodern outloo( increasingly shapes our society. .he ad0ecti'e postmodern, then, refers to the mind-set and its products. .hese ha'e been reflected in many of the traditional 'ehicles of cultural e)pression. .hus we ha'e postmodern architecture, art and theater. Postmodernity is the era in which postmodern ideas, attitudes, and 'alues reign -- when the mood of postmodernism is molding culture. .his is the era of the postmodern society." #$;% Clearly, postmodernism is difficult to define. Poor definitions, inade2uate definitions, e'en incorrect definitions are ine'itable. Cnli(e impressionism, postmodernism is not an easily recogni1able style of creati'e e)pression. "t is not a mo'ement of philosophy li(e e)istentialism. And it isn't a social system li(e ,ar)ism. Postmodernism is a per'asi'e repudiation of things modern. 5ecause it tends to be reactionary, and does not itself present a clear and positi'e presentation, it is understandable that definitions 'ary. 0oststructura!ism 8 #per a(eland% a theoretical approach to te)ts which stresses that they are fields of signifiers without any determinate meaning, in which the 'play of signifiers' is at wor(, and thus in which 'meaning' is something arri'ed at, if at all, by the indi'idual interpreter. 0ra&matism 8 philosophy that stresses finding solutions to problems and situations by practical means. rationa!ism 8 the idea that reason has precedence o'er other ways of ac2uiring (nowledge, or that it is the uni2ue path to (nowledge. rea!ism 8 the idea that the world as it actually is can be grasped and e)plored, especially as it pertains to the natural sciences. re!ativism 8 the denial that there are certain (inds of uni'ersal truths. rhetoric 8 the art of effecti'e e)pression and the persuasi'e use of language. semio!o&y 8 the obser'ation of signs, the relation of signification and the classification of signs.

structura!ism 8 #per ,oore% the application of e)planatory principles deri'ed from linguistics, preeminently those of Saussure, to such fields as anthropology, literary studies, psychoanalysis, cultural studies, history, political science, and biblical studies. structura! !in&uistics 8 founded by <erdinand de Saussure, the school of language study that affirmed that "language is largely to be understood as a closed formal system of differences, and that the study of language would be principally go'erned by its autonomous structural determinations." #<rom the ,ambridge 5ictionary of #hilosophy% synthesis 8 related to Degelian theory and a function of the relationship between the terms 'thesis' and 'antithesis' in his 'dialectic3' though somewhat e)panded beyond his original presentation, certainly now the term is held to represent the combination of disparate elements into a whole.

Works Cited 1 4otes

$ Charles emert, Postmodernism Is Not What You Think #5lac(well Publishers, $44?%, from the preface, p. )i. 6 ,ichael *iddell, Threshold of the Future #SPC>, $44@%, pp. $B$-$B6. 8 Stanley 7ren1, A Primer on Postmodernism #+erdmans, $44=%, p. $6. 9 5rian "ngraffia, Postmodern Theory and Bibli al Theolo!y #Cambridge, $44;%, p. $. #*eally. .his 2uote was actually on page one.% ; Charles :enc(s, "What "s Post-,odernism&" from The Truth About the Truth, edited by Walter .ruett Anderson #.archerIPutnam, $44;% p. 6?. = :ean-<rancois yotard, The Postmodern "ondition# A $eport on %no&led!e #Cni'ersity of ,innesota, $44?%, p. ))i'. ? 7eorge >night, Philosophy ' Edu ation# An Introdu tion in "hristian Perspe ti(e #Andrews Cni'ersity, $44@% p. @=. @ Anthony .hiselton, Interpretin! )od and the Postmodern *elf #+erdmans, $44;%, pp. $$-$6. 4 .imothy Phillips and Aennis -(holm, editors, "hristian Apolo!eti s in the Postmodern World #"nterGarsity, $44;%, p. $8. $B Paul a(eland, Postmodernity# "hristian Identity in a Fra!mented A!e #Augsburg <ortress, $44?%, from the preface, p. )iii. $$ 7eorge ,arsden, The +utra!eous Idea of "hristian * holarship #-)ford Cni'ersity, $44?%, p. @4. $6 Aouglas 7roothuis, Truth De ay# Defendin! "hristianity A!ainst the

"hallen!es of Postmodernism #"nterGarsity, 6BBB%, p. 8@. $8 *ichard ,iddleton and 5rian Walsh, Truth Is *tran!er Than It ,sed to Be #"nterGarsity, $44;%, p. $?9. $9 :ean 5audrillard, ".he ,ap Precedes the .erritory" from The Truth About the Truth, edited by Walter .ruett Anderson #.archerIPutnam, $44;%, p. ?4. $; Stanley 7ren1, A Primer on Postmodernism #+erdmans, $44=%,pp. $6-$8. As noted throughout, a great debt is owed Ar. *obert Audi, general editor of the second edition of The "ambrid!e Di tionary of Philosophy and 'arious authors cited from the list of suggested resources listed abo'e. .wo useful on-line encyclopedias of philosophy are listed below. Pro'ided by the uni'ersity community, they may pro'e helpful as well. The Internet Encyc!o0edia of Phi!oso0hy httpHIIwww.utm.eduIresearchIiepI 4oesis$ Phi!oso0hica! 'esearch .n8Line httpHIInoesis.e'ans'ille.eduIbinIinde).cgi Should any of the information pro'ided abo'e pro'e useful in the continuing discussion related to postmodernism, then our simple intent will ha'e been met. "f any material is e)cerpted for any purpose, please ac(nowledge authorship. ,uch of the material shared here is copyrighted by others, and the writers, researchers and thin(ers that produced it deser'e credit. Please ma(e notes accordingly, with our than(s.