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Understanding Postmodernism: A Christian Perspective
Postmodernity has matured. But the challenge of navigating our contemporary culture remains. In order for Christians to make wise decisions, we first need to understand the many facets of our postmodern context. If René Descartes is often identified as the first truly modern philosopher in light of his confidence in human reason, then postmodernism has taken Descartes to the woodshed. Stewart Kelly and James Dew detail the litany of concerns that postmodernism has overconfidence in human reason, the limitations of language, the relativity of truth, the lack of a truly objective view, the inherently oppressive nature of metanarratives, the instability of the human self, and the absence any moral superiority. With wisdom and care, Kelly and Dew compare these postmodern principles with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Christian faith. What emerges is neither a rejection of everything postmodernism is concerned with nor a wholesale embrace of all that it affirms. Instead, we are encouraged to understand the postmodern world as we seek to mature spiritually in Christ.
- GenresPhilosophyTheology
305 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
18 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Stewart E. Kelly
3 books1 followerStewart E. Kelly (PhD, Notre Dame) is professor of philosophy at Minot State University. He is the author of Truth Considered and Applied and Thinking Well: An Introduction to Critical Thinking.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 18, 2019
This book was excellent. Not necessarily an introductory book, but still written in a very clear, readable style—they avoid unnecessary jargon, and explain it well when it comes up.
The book is written from an explicitly Christian perspective, but is sympathetic to many of the challenges postmodernity raises. The book takes on ten major themes of PoMo, ranging from the view of the self, the possibility of knowledge, situatedness and the sociology of knowledge, metanarratives, the nature of truth, etc.
The book was particularly helpful in demonstrating that just because one is influenced by society or is personally invested in a particular perspective, this does not necessarily prove that objective knowledge and truth is then impossible (what PoMo claims). Also, the author’s refusal to attack a straw man version of PoMo and being able to find aspects that are worthy of engaging was so refreshing. Nearly all Christian responses to PoMo that I have read tend to only refute the most outlandish forms of the movement. The author’s don’t do that; they are charitable, while still being able to be critical. All in all, a great book for someone who has a thumbnail sketch of what PoMo is and wants to explore it deeper. Also, the book recommendations at the end of each chapter are golden.
The book is written from an explicitly Christian perspective, but is sympathetic to many of the challenges postmodernity raises. The book takes on ten major themes of PoMo, ranging from the view of the self, the possibility of knowledge, situatedness and the sociology of knowledge, metanarratives, the nature of truth, etc.
The book was particularly helpful in demonstrating that just because one is influenced by society or is personally invested in a particular perspective, this does not necessarily prove that objective knowledge and truth is then impossible (what PoMo claims). Also, the author’s refusal to attack a straw man version of PoMo and being able to find aspects that are worthy of engaging was so refreshing. Nearly all Christian responses to PoMo that I have read tend to only refute the most outlandish forms of the movement. The author’s don’t do that; they are charitable, while still being able to be critical. All in all, a great book for someone who has a thumbnail sketch of what PoMo is and wants to explore it deeper. Also, the book recommendations at the end of each chapter are golden.
May 3, 2019
This proved a disappointing fundamentalist attempt at “refuting” postmodernism without any evidence of the authors having really understood, let alone engaged charitably with, the postmodernist philosophers surveyed. Their pronouncements betray a hostility to higher criticism and a simplistic reading of the source materials they take up. They claim in chapter three, for instance, that Nietzche would have considered the pursuit of knowledge “pretty much pointless” and at one fell swoop in chapter six dismiss the work of Goodman, Putnam, Winograd, and Rorty as “radically defective and worthy of rejection” because “common sense seems to support the view known as realism”. Christ have mercy.
Kelly and Dew also consistently visit question begging upon the reader to an insufferable degree, asserting from the second chapter onward that they presume the stability and coherence of language and the human capacity for objective truth-claiming, irrespective to subject location, as necessary pre-requisites for Christian inquiry. They then attempt to reassure us that they really are giving postmodernists a fair shake with a folksy metaphorical aside about the “North Dakota Chicken Casserole Contest”. Uff da.
If you’re looking for thoughtful Evangelical engagement with postmodern thought, look elsewhere. Stanley Grenz, John Franke, Brian McLaren, and James K.A. Smith, all of whom were referenced at arm’s length in the footnotes of this book, would offer much more fruitful lines of inquiry.
One benefit this book could offer would be to expose fundamentalists to postmodern thinkers so they know what to search for on Google when they give up verbal plenary inerrancy (which Kelly and Dew explicitly affirm in the introduction). It also, to their credit, offers a presentation of postmodernism which resists painting thinkers in this school as the villainous purveyors of an insidious “secular agenda”. For this, I suppose I owe them some small debt of gratitude. In an era where voting for Trump and paying to endure “God’s Not Dead” are enough to feign piety, there is no nod toward civility or philosophical literacy too small to encourage.
Kelly and Dew also consistently visit question begging upon the reader to an insufferable degree, asserting from the second chapter onward that they presume the stability and coherence of language and the human capacity for objective truth-claiming, irrespective to subject location, as necessary pre-requisites for Christian inquiry. They then attempt to reassure us that they really are giving postmodernists a fair shake with a folksy metaphorical aside about the “North Dakota Chicken Casserole Contest”. Uff da.
If you’re looking for thoughtful Evangelical engagement with postmodern thought, look elsewhere. Stanley Grenz, John Franke, Brian McLaren, and James K.A. Smith, all of whom were referenced at arm’s length in the footnotes of this book, would offer much more fruitful lines of inquiry.
One benefit this book could offer would be to expose fundamentalists to postmodern thinkers so they know what to search for on Google when they give up verbal plenary inerrancy (which Kelly and Dew explicitly affirm in the introduction). It also, to their credit, offers a presentation of postmodernism which resists painting thinkers in this school as the villainous purveyors of an insidious “secular agenda”. For this, I suppose I owe them some small debt of gratitude. In an era where voting for Trump and paying to endure “God’s Not Dead” are enough to feign piety, there is no nod toward civility or philosophical literacy too small to encourage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2019
Book 186 of 2019. One of the most difficult and distressing philosophies Christianity has dealt with over the past 50 years is postmodernism. Characterized by its extreme forms, postmodernism is often seen as an atheistic attack on truth, morals and relativity. In this book, Kelly and Dew examine 10 beliefs common to postmodern thinkers to see how these views line up with Christian beliefs.
As a theologian who is strongly influenced by postmodernism (and yet not a extreme postmodern), I worried that this book would be entrenched in a modern viewpoint that would condemn all of postmodernism. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kelly and Dew are well-balanced in their looks at postmodernism and that the view they portray of both postmodernism’s strengths and weaknesses is finely drawn and carefully nuanced.
This doesn’t mean it is a perfect book. There are times when Kelly only portrays the most extreme positions and times when his own criticisms show a modern predilection. Still, it presents a really good critical picture of postmodernism.
For the armchair theologian: It would be most helpful to have a little background in postmodernism and the postmodern philosophers, but it is accessible enough to go into without having that background. Kelley and Dew do a good job of defining technical terms and making this book a far easier read than it could be. They also have plenty of books they recommend, and end of chapter summaries to help orient you if you get lost. It’s a good choice if you’re curious about postmodernism
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#theology #postmodernism #understandingpostmodernism #gradschool #books #bookstagram #bookreview #theunreadshelfproject2019
As a theologian who is strongly influenced by postmodernism (and yet not a extreme postmodern), I worried that this book would be entrenched in a modern viewpoint that would condemn all of postmodernism. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kelly and Dew are well-balanced in their looks at postmodernism and that the view they portray of both postmodernism’s strengths and weaknesses is finely drawn and carefully nuanced.
This doesn’t mean it is a perfect book. There are times when Kelly only portrays the most extreme positions and times when his own criticisms show a modern predilection. Still, it presents a really good critical picture of postmodernism.
For the armchair theologian: It would be most helpful to have a little background in postmodernism and the postmodern philosophers, but it is accessible enough to go into without having that background. Kelley and Dew do a good job of defining technical terms and making this book a far easier read than it could be. They also have plenty of books they recommend, and end of chapter summaries to help orient you if you get lost. It’s a good choice if you’re curious about postmodernism
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#theology #postmodernism #understandingpostmodernism #gradschool #books #bookstagram #bookreview #theunreadshelfproject2019
July 11, 2023
Postmodernism is a complex topic that is difficult to narrow down to one philosophy, but it's one of the most widely promoted views of our day. This is a helpful book that dissects the issues into roots, motives, patterns, beliefs, and inevitable outcome.
From the outset, the authors make a point of approaching this topic graciously and try to provide all sides accurately, including numerous citations and further reading recommendations after each chapter. I really appreciated the tone of the book, very winsome and thorough.
What was especially helpful was in each chapter, the authors presented the issue, then the philosophy behind it, then positives from postmodern thought, and then concluded with what the Bible says. They represented the other side fairly, while disagreeing with its conclusions. Much of philosophy and postmodernism is pendulum swinging according to human understanding. The Bible provides the foundation at the heart of man's search for truth, purpose, and salvation.
🐙Each chapter includes a summary at the end which would work well for topical group study or even high school resource.
⚠️Some references to quotes by N. T. Wright who wrote a false perspective on the apostle Paul elsewhere. However the quotes here seemed biblically sound within their contexts.
From the outset, the authors make a point of approaching this topic graciously and try to provide all sides accurately, including numerous citations and further reading recommendations after each chapter. I really appreciated the tone of the book, very winsome and thorough.
What was especially helpful was in each chapter, the authors presented the issue, then the philosophy behind it, then positives from postmodern thought, and then concluded with what the Bible says. They represented the other side fairly, while disagreeing with its conclusions. Much of philosophy and postmodernism is pendulum swinging according to human understanding. The Bible provides the foundation at the heart of man's search for truth, purpose, and salvation.
🐙Each chapter includes a summary at the end which would work well for topical group study or even high school resource.
⚠️Some references to quotes by N. T. Wright who wrote a false perspective on the apostle Paul elsewhere. However the quotes here seemed biblically sound within their contexts.
February 5, 2023
Dew and Kelly do an excellent job of providing a general overview of the postmodern movement. Combining history, criticism, and charity, they build a basis for understanding how and why some see the world through a postmodern lens.
Perhaps the most impressive part about their work is that this is not a fundamentalist “refutation” of postmodernism. While their theological positions are decidedly evangelical (as they disclaim at the start), the do an excellent job of finding the positive common-grounds to be shared with postmodernism. Though they do not wholesale endorse this philosophy, they carefully sift through to find what important lessons can be gleaned from this worldview.
This book is highly readable and provides a great introductory overview of a philosophy that is greatly impacting society today. The section summaries at the end of each chapter make it easy for any reader to keep up with the biggest main ideas. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, even if they have never dipped their toes in the waters of philosophy. And for those who are interested in further research or depth, the suggested readings at the end provide good diving boards by which to enter deeper waters.
Perhaps the most impressive part about their work is that this is not a fundamentalist “refutation” of postmodernism. While their theological positions are decidedly evangelical (as they disclaim at the start), the do an excellent job of finding the positive common-grounds to be shared with postmodernism. Though they do not wholesale endorse this philosophy, they carefully sift through to find what important lessons can be gleaned from this worldview.
This book is highly readable and provides a great introductory overview of a philosophy that is greatly impacting society today. The section summaries at the end of each chapter make it easy for any reader to keep up with the biggest main ideas. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, even if they have never dipped their toes in the waters of philosophy. And for those who are interested in further research or depth, the suggested readings at the end provide good diving boards by which to enter deeper waters.
Want to read
July 26, 2023Didn’t finish. Stopped at page 85. I wanted to understand post-modernism, but not at this depth. My basic understanding of post-modern thought is that it’s a belief that there is no absolute truth, and that our feelings basically constitute what is “real” and “true” for us. This book is also highly philosophical, which I understand about as well as math… And both give me a massive headache trying to figure out… So if you want to know the entire history of post-modernism and how we got here, this is for you.
October 22, 2021
A decent, readable summary of some trends in postmodern thinking, with a pretty good chapter on the history of the concept of the "self." But a pretty unconvincing, borderline-biblicist attempt at "refutation" of the ideas the authors don't care for, so a mixed bag.
See full video review here: https://youtu.be/KbW06MjTAmI
See full video review here: https://youtu.be/KbW06MjTAmI
May 9, 2018
A decent overview of Postmodernism, but I found it to be less than convincing in its rebuttals from a Christian perspective. The Suggested Readings at the end of most chapters is appreciated. A more thorough sourcing of certain statements and statistics would also have been helpful at times.
February 2, 2026
At 268 pages, this isn’t the briefest introduction one could have to a Christian perspective of postmodernism, but it did at times feel a little long-winded.
I think this is a solid explanation of what postmodernism is and how we got here, with an excellent Christian response/rebuttal to it.
I think this is a solid explanation of what postmodernism is and how we got here, with an excellent Christian response/rebuttal to it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews