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Extra material for Postmodernism course
© David Parker - final revision 21/5/1999
Handout Session 1
Conversion Converted: a Postmodern Formulation of the Doctrine of Conversion
by Brad J. Kallenberg
Evangelical Quarterly 67:335-364 Oct 1995
Introduction
Inadequacies of Berkhof's doctrine of conversion
(L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology [Banner of Truth] pp 415f)Distinguishing postmodern theology
Transforming the doctrine of conversion
Transforming the practice of evangelism
Is it orthodox?
Conclusion:
This paper has attempted to extend the Christian tradition by formulating the practice of evangelism in a way that overcomes incoherencies in the received doctrine of conversion. The received account was found to be deficient in precisely the ways it borrowed presuppositions from modern philosophy. I have argued that these deficiencies could be overcome by identifying the 'deep grammar' of the doctrine and recasting it into a postmodern form. What results is a doctrine of conversion in which conversion is the emergence of new mode of life occasioned by a self-involving participation in the shared life, language, and paradigm of the believing community. If MacIntyre's analysis is correct, doctrinal formulations are never finished because the context in which reflection upon original texts is done is constantly changing. A tradition grows as it overcomes obstacles both from within as well as from without. While conceiving evangelism as a postmodern practice avoids epistemological, metaphysical, and linguistic reductionisms of modern philosophy, to do so will no doubt encounter threats from other quarters in the near future. (p. 363)
see also:
'Evangelism in a Postmodern World' by James Emery White in Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) pp 359-373
Erickson, M.J., Christian Theology (2nd edition) (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998) pp 53-6, 105-112, 135-157, 158-174
Martin R.P. and Peter H. Davids, (eds) Dictionary of the Later New Testament and its Developments (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1997) pp 471ff, 1041ff, 1129ff.
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (JETS):-
37:4 (Dec 1994) 511-528, 'Insights from Postmodernism's emphasis on interpretive communities in the interpretation of Romans 7' by Walt Russell.
38:2 (June 1995) 219-230, 'The truth about truth' by Vernon Grounds.
39:4 (Dec 1996) 616-630, 'Abusing Wittgenstein: the misuse of the concept of language games in contemporary theology' by Michael W. Nicholson.
Session 2 (22 Feb 99)
Topics
Reading
'Conversion Converted: a Postmodern Formulation of the Doctrine of Conversion' by Brad J. Kallenberg Evangelical Quarterly 67:335-364 Oct 1995 and Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) chapter 21 (see outline above as distributed in class)
Grenz, Primer on Postmodernism ch 1 or same material in Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) chapter 6
McCallum Dennis (ed.), The Death of Truth: Responding to Multi-Culturalism, the Rejection of Reason and the New Postmodern Diversity (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996) chaps 2,3 esp chart p.21
Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) chapter 22
Clements, Roy 'Expository preaching in a postmodern world' (forthcoming) Evangelical Review of Theology April 1999 (to be available in library)
Topics:
Reading
Corrie, John, 'A new way of being the church?' Evangel Vol 14 No 2 Summer 1996, 50-54
Shaw, R. Daniel, 'In Search of Post-Modern Salvation' Evangelical Review of Theology Jan 1998 22/1, 48-60 Reprint from Stimulus Aug 1995
Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) Call No: 230.046 DOC ch 18
Grenz, Stanley J., A Primer On Postmodernism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) Call No: 149 GRE pp 117f, 147-150.
McCallum Dennis (ed.), The Death of Truth: Responding to Multi-Culturalism, the Rejection of Reason and the New Postmodern Diversity (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996) . Call No: 261 MCC chaps 1, 4
Veith, Gene Edward, Jr., Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide To Contemporary Thought and Culture (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bks, 1994 Turning Point Christian Worldview Series) Call No: 261 VEI ch 10 and passim
Note:
Class presentations begin in Session 4
Topics:
Reading
Erickson, Millard J., Postmodernizing The Faith: Evangelical Responses To The Challenge Of Postmodernism (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998) ch 8
McCallum Dennis (ed.), The Death of Truth: Responding to Multi-Culturalism, the Rejection of Reason and the New Postmodern Diversity (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996) . Call No: 261 MCC chap 8
Topics:
Reading
Grenz, Stanley J., A Primer On Postmodernism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) ch 3
Middleton, J. Richard, and Walsh, Brian J., Truth Is Stranger Than It Used To Be: Biblical Faith In a Postmodern Age (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Pr, 1995) pp 69-79 ch 4
Some Lyotard URLs
http://werple.net.au/~gaffcam/phil/lyotard.htm
http://sun3.lib.uci.edu/~scctr/Wellek/lyotard/
http://www.heartfield.demon.co.uk/lyotard.htm
Topics:
Reading
Veith, Gene Edward, Jr., Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide To Contemporary Thought and Culture (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bks, 1994) ch 4
Middleton, J. Richard, and Walsh, Brian J., Truth Is Stranger Than It Used To Be: Biblical Faith In a Postmodern Age (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Pr, 1995) pp 69-79 ch 3
Grenz, Stanley J., A Primer On Postmodernism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) ch 2
Topics:
Reading
McCallum Dennis (ed.), The Death of Truth: Responding to Multi-Culturalism, the Rejection of Reason and the New Postmodern Diversity (Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1996) ch 13, 14, chart p 21
Grenz, Stanley J., A Primer On Postmodernism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996) ch 7
Veith, Gene Edward, Jr., Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide To Contemporary Thought and Culture (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bks, 1994) second part of chaps 2-4, ch 12,13
Middleton, J. Richard, and Walsh, Brian J., Truth Is Stranger Than It Used To Be: Biblical Faith In a Postmodern Age (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Pr, 1995) Part II
Dockery, David S. (Ed.), The Challenge Of Postmodernism: An Evangelical Engagement (Wheaton, Illinois: Bridgepoint, 1995) chaps 14-22
Some web sites about Postmodernism
Toward a theological understanding of Postmodernism by Daniel J. Adams http://www.crosscurrents.org/adams.htm
Schematic differences between modernism and postmodernism http://briet.berkeley.edu/phil/postmodern.html
The Postmodernism Generator. http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/cgi-bin/postmodern,
How To Deconstruct Almost Anything http://www.communities.com/paper/deconstr.html
How to Speak and Write Postmodern by Stephen Katz http://home.pix.za/gc/gc12/papers/p3008.htm
http://www.physics.nyu.edu/faculty/sokal/lingua_franca_v4/lingua_franca_v4.html
http://www.physics.nyu.edu/faculty/sokal/transgress_v2/transgress_v2_singlefile.html
Topics:
The Nature of Christian Ministry (cont)
Impact of Postmodernism on Christian Ministry (cont)
Class presentations
Topics:
Class presentations - Analysis of a Christian ministry
Christian Ministry in a Postmodern context (cont.)
http://ftp.utas.edu.au/docs/focus/June97/June97.html
http://www.focus.org.uk/webarts.htm
Zadok Papers A94 Autumn 1998, "Nietzsche: insight and immorality" by Greg Restall
Zadok Perspectives No. 60, Autumn 98 "Deconstructing the death of God" - (on Derrida) by Kevin Hart
Stimulus 7/1 Feb 99, Feature on Post-evangelicalism pp 22-33 including "Deconstructing Dave" (ie, Dave Tomlinson, The Post-Evangelical (London: SPCK Triangle, 1995)
Alive Magazine April 1999, "The Post-Evangelical Debate" by Graham Cray (ed.) SPCK, 1997 (review by Kim Hawtrey)
Christianity Today Jan 11, 1999, "Are you tolerant? (Should you be?)" by Daniel Taylor pp 43-52
Heelas, Paul, (editor), Religion, Modernity and Postmodernity (Oxford: Blackwell, 1998) esp. Introduction, pp 1-18 and "From Pre- to postmodernity in Latin America: the case of Pentecostalism" by Bernice Martin, pp 102-146 (Call Number 200 HEE)
Komesaroff, Paul A. (editor), Troubled Bodies: critical perspectives on postmodernism, medical ethics, and the body (Melbourne: MUP, 1995) (Call Number 174.2 KOM)
Fretheim, Terence E. and Karlfried Froehlich, The Bible as the Word of God in a Postmodern Age (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998)
Session 10 (10 May 99)
Topics:
Class presentations - Analysis of a Christian ministry (cont)
Christian Ministry in a Postmodern context (cont.):
Church and Scripture - Incarnation, Community and Story
Reading:
Corrie, John, 'A new way of being the church?' Evangel Vol 14 No 2 Summer 1996, 50-54
Middleton, J. Richard, and Walsh, Brian J., Truth Is Stranger Than It Used To Be: Biblical Faith In a Postmodern Age (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity Pr, 1995) Part II
Shaw, R. Daniel, 'In Search of Post-Modern Salvation' Evangelical Review of Theology Jan 1998 22/1, 48-60 Reprint from Stimulus Aug 1995
Tomlinson, Dave, The Post-Evangelical (London: SPCK Triangle, 1995)
For a little bit of fun, see L'Isle de Gilligan by Brian Morton http://www.anatomy.usyd.edu.au/danny/danny/humour/Gilligan
Topics:
Christian Ministry in a Postmodern context (cont.):
Church and Scripture - Incarnation, Community and Story
Topics:
Christian Ministry in a Postmodern context (cont.):
Church and Scripture - Incarnation, Community and Story
Plenary Seminar: On major essay topic