Postmodernism

Postmodern Christianity may be described as a Christian reaction to and assimilation of postmodernism. It emphasizes the otherness and incomprehensibility of God. Paying close attention to the age-old philosophical question of the relationship of faith and reason, Postmodern Christianity usually thinks of the Christian faith as in some way transcending human reason, rather than being unreasonable, illogical, or absurd--on the one hand--or merely logical, on the other hand. Many scholars have insisted that postmodern theologians who reject foundationalism and bounded-set theology leave postmodern Christians with no means to determine normative truth or morals.

Jean-Luc Marion, a French Catholic scholar, and Merold Westphal, an American Presbyterian, are proponents of Christian postmodernism, the former in, for example, the book God Without Being and the latter, for example, in the book Overcoming onto-theology.

The Emerging Church movement is a movement which seeks to revitalise the Christian church beyond what it sees as the confines of modernity, so that it can effectively engage with people in a postmodern age. Critics of this movement allege that its concessions to relativism and penchant for redefining theological terms have led the movement outside of the bounds of orthodoxy. Brian McLaren is a prominent author who is a spokesperson for this movement.

Links

• "Postmodernism and the Emerging Church Movement" by David Kowalski
• "The Emerging Church Movement" by D. A. Carson
• "'A Generous Orthodoxy' -- Is it Orthodox?" by Albert Mohler
• "Emerging Confusion" by Charles Colson