Book Comment: The Challenge of Postmodernism

The Challenge of Postmodernism.  An Evangelical Engagement, edited by David S. Dockery, 2001

The modernist philosophy, the prevailing worldview of the 19^th, 20^th , and early 21^st  centuries, holds that there is a truth to be known and that it is knowable by the scientific method.  In its most developed form, it holds that everything which can be known is knowable only from measurable and observable phenomena.  There is an absolute denial of the supernatural and a denigration of knowledge derived in other ways than the scientific.

A new worldview is replacing the scientific/modernist philosophy.  Postmodernism has been building since the early 20^th century.  It rejects the idea of a knowable single absolute truth and stresses the idea of pluralism.  There are many truths.  Community is favored over individualism.  Truth is mediated through social relations, true because it is accepted with a particular community.  In effect, anything can be true because it is accepted by a particular community.  The truth of one community is just as true as the truth of another community, even if the truths are incompatible.  Since there is no absolute truth,  truth becomes subjective and relative to the situation and community in which It is believed.

Meaning is defined by how one feels.  Your truth may not be my truth,  but all truths are equally valid.  Reality becomes a social construct.

To a postmodernist, truth, if it exists at all, is a social relation.  It is what a particular group declares that it is.  To assert truth is to assert domination over other groups that define truth differently.  Absolute truth claims are seen as oppressive and imperialist.  Those who uphold traditional orthodox Christianity are derided.  Pope Benedict XVI has called it “the dictatorship of relativism.”

Postmodernist H. Tristam Engelhardt has said, “Insofar as individual do not share in the consensusof a common religious belief, including the divine roots of state authority, appeals to religious consideration will appear to those without faith or with a different faith as an appeal simply to force in order to support private interests.”

Obviously, then, postmodernism is a direct and hostile challenge to Christianity because Christianity declares that  “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

The point of The Challenge of Postmodernism is that Christians must not be caught unaware.  Postmodernist philosophy is all around us; perhaps you have heard it expressed by someone you know.  Postmodern thought can even be found in many Christian churches, especially those which pride themselves on their inclusiveness and those which accept Christianity as merely one religion among many.  

The Challenge of Postmodernism discusses the background information Which Christians need to know in order to understand postmoderism so that they may counter it intellectually and successfully evangelize the new culture.

I would strongly recommend this book to pastors, theologians, and those others who are not intimidated by a bit of “heavy” reading.  It is good to be aware of the bear before he attempts to eat you.

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I bought a trade paperback copy of The Challenge of Postmodernism at 2^nd and Charles, a used bookstore.  When I got it home, I realized that it was a signed copy.  The inscription reads, “Soli Deo Gloria, David S. Dockery.”

“Soli Deo Gloria” is Latin and translates as “glory only to God” or “glory to God alone.”  Some have translated it as “glory to the only God.”