Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context by Grenz, Stanley J.; Franke, John R. published by Westminster John Knox Press Paperback

by Stanley J. Grenz

"What role does scripture play in the task of the church? What value do past theological constructs offer today? How does culture affect theological reflection? For that matter, of all the diverse ways Christian belief is expressed, what makes any of them "Christian"?" "In Beyond Foundationalism, Stanley Grenz and John Franke move past the foundationalism of the Enlightenment period to offer a revolutionary method for doing theology in a postmodern age. Writing to both mainline and evangelical traditions, they propose a new method that views theology as arising out of the interplay of the Spirit, which speaks authoritatively through the biblical text; tradition, which provides a historical interpretative framework; and culture, which gives context for constructive theological reflection. This method, they argue, fosters a Christian theology that embodies a Trinitarian structure, utilizes the faith community as the organizing principle or integrative motif, and features an eschatological orientation."--BOOK JACKET.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 2000

About the author

Stanley James Grenz was born in Alpena, Michigan on January 7, 1950. He was the youngest of three children born to Richard and Clara Grenz, a brother to Lyle and Jan. His dad was a Baptist pastor for 30 years before he passed away in 1971. Growing up as a “pastor’s kid” meant that he moved several times in his life, from Michigan, to South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Colorado.

After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.

In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.

During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.

Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.

In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.

Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.

As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3

Reviews

[Mikah Sauskojus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loses some points for general audience readability, but still contains a lot of interesting arguments that merit further study.

[M Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ordinarily, I'm not big on books about doing theology (as opposed to books OF theology) but this one held my attention almost all the way through. After a slightly slow first section on why theology needs to change for the postmodern context, the authors really hit their stride with a section on "Theology's Sources" (Scripture, Tradition, and Culture) and keep the pace in the section on "Theology's Focal Motifs" (Trinity, Community, Eschatology) before running out of steam again. Grenz and Franke have made a good start on considering how theology needs to come to terms with the postmodern mindset. It will be interesting to see what their work engenders.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of taking a class by Professor Franke at Biblical Theological Seminary shortly after he wrote this book with Dr. Grenz. I pulled up on my computer this short review I wrote on chapter 3. Don't know where the remaining reviews went.

***

First I find it interesting that orthodox Christianity seems to posit, regardless of the current philosophical worldview in vogue at the time but within that philosophical worldview, that the Spirit speaking through or simply the Word of God, in some form or another, is where we need to seek truth. So for the beginning of the post-post-modern period (whenever that is) let me be the first to say “the Spirit, through the Biblical narratives, speaks truth to us today.” Ah, that’s a joke by the way. But an interesting joke none the less – at least in my trite opinion.

I believe we can summarize Beyond Foundationalism, in discussing the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Scripture in Chapter 3, as simply the Spirit speaks through Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the inspiration of Scripture and as we read Scripture the Holy Spirit illuminates It, or to be more precise, He illuminates the meaning of It to us. The illumination of Scripture occurs through speech-act. The Spirit speaks illocution through the text in its cultural context and we ask in our current cultural context “what is the Spirit saying to the Church?” In this way the Spirit speaking through Scripture becomes a “norming norm” for theology. The Spirit doesn’t just speak to us through the Scripture but also through our tradition shaping our community towards the eschatological hope of our future existence.

Scripture as a “norming norm” for me makes the association of Scripture and Tradition somewhat problematic. If the Spirit is speaking to us through the Scriptures and within our Christian tradition why are there differing traditions? How do we ascertain whether the Spirit spoke/speaks through our tradition and not another? And if this knowledge is obtainable if we don’t refer back to Scripture that doesn’t have as many variations from the autographs as does the vicissitudenous of our tradition. Scripture as a “norming norm” seems to posit sola scriptura because we still need to recheck our tradition with Scripture and therefore Scripture is still the overarching authority in which we refer back to.

As I read Beyond Foundationalism I am also still trying to sort out what we mean by tradition. I feel I am tracking two different expressions of tradition. One that is the more typical and what is commonly expressed as when we talk about the Protestant tradition and/or the Catholic tradition. And the other which appears to be what is more associated with culture. In other words its not just the Spirit speaking through the appropriated Biblical texts but the Spirit speaking through the appropriated Biblical texts AND our theological tradition causing us to ask what does this mean to us in our cultural tradition.

[Tung · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this text for a seminary class so I was expecting something dry and academic. But even starting the reading with such an expectation, I was not prepared for how dry and how academic the book turned out to be. Grenz and Franke discuss how contemporary theology should be framed in a postmodern context. They posit that theological dialogue needs to evolve from the traditional foundationalist approach of the Enlightenment, and navigate the postmodern world between conservatism and liberal relativism by taking into account things like contemporary culture. Grenz and Franke do a good job of highlighting the history of theological discussion, but unfortunately, the appeal of this book is limited to serious theologians due to its excessive use of academic jargon. There were sentences I read aloud to my spouse to highlight how much jargon could be crammed together without saying anything of significance. The academic in me sees the value of this book for theologians, but for everyone else, this is a pass.

[Josiahmeyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The authors provide a thorough critique of foundationalism, but failed to construct anything meaningful in its place. Their eschatological approach is like building stalagmites backwards through history. It just doesn't make sense. Well-written, but a poorly supported case.

[Marjorie Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took awhile to get through ... it is text-book style learning. Gave me the bug to read more about postmodernism.

[Eric Black · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for a seminary course many years ago. I only remember being unimpressed with Grenz's and Franke's conclusions, so much so that I gave the book away. I don't generally give philosophy books away.