July 2020

Faith Baptist Theological Seminary Biblical Hermeneutics and 1900 NW FOURTH STREET Postmodernism ANKENY, IOWA 50023 By Douglas Brown, PhD FAITH.EDU

In Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, Humpty Dumpty Dr. Jim Tillotson, President and Alice share this playful exchange: Dr. Douglas Brown, Seminary Dean “And only one for birthday presents, you know. There’s glory for you!” Upcoming Modules: “I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory’,” Alice said. August 10-14 Greek Exegesis I Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. “Of course you History of Fundamentalism don’t—till I tell you. I meant ‘there's a nice knock-down Contemporary Christianity argument for you!’”

August 17-21 “But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down Hermeneutics Introduction to Biblical Counseling argument’,” Alice objected. Prayer: Theology and Praxis “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a September 21-25 scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean— Old Testament Seminar neither more nor less.” Theology Seminar

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.” Upcoming Online Classes August 25-October 19 “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be Advanced Soteriology master—that’s all.” Theological Research

October 20-December 14 While Carroll wrote long before the rise of postmodernism, his Expositional Messages fictional dialogue anticipated the hermeneutical chaos raised in postmodern thinking. We see Alice’s confusion and January 13-March 8 Humpty Dumpty’s disdain. Alice can’t quite wrap her mind Denominational Theology Baptism: History, Theology, & Practice

Dr. Brown: Biblical Hermeneutics and Postmodernism around what Humpty Dumpty and trustworthy and therefore reconstruction. Kevin is saying; meanwhile Humpty authoritative. Truth was Vanhoozer affirms, “While Dumpty appears to enjoy the thought to exist “from modern historical critics may confusion his semantic above,” as revealed by God. not view the authors of the wordplay is causing. This is the It was objective and Bible as inspired, the original same kind of confusion knowable. In the area of meaning remains the object postmoderns champion. hermeneutics there was a of interpretation for them as Carroll’s fantasy has become variety of approaches toward well.”1 In relation to the Bible, reality. Postmodernism raises the Bible. Most premodern this led to the historical critical fundamental questions about theologians, however, shared method.2 Historical criticism the validity of a common understanding led to entrenched skepticism communication. Questions that the meaning of the text and anti-supernaturalism such as, where does meaning could be uncovered and about the Bible’s historicity. originate? Who (or what) understood. There was Historical critics demanded controls meaning? How do confidence that God’s that biblical miracles must be we know what truth is? Is truth authorial intent in Scripture interpreted with the objective and knowable? Is could be discovered though experience of today. In other communication even the study of God’s Word. words, since modernists did possible? not see or experience The Enlightenment marked miracles, they believed that The purpose of this article is to the beginning of the modern miracles simply are not help believers better era in Western thought. With possible. Vanhoozer understand postmodernism the rise of reason in religion summarizes the similarity and how postmodern thinking and philosophy, rationalism between the premodern and has affected the became the accepted the modern eras: “the pursuit interpretation of the Bible. authority. The supernaturalism of premodernity and After exploring the historical of the Bible came under modernity alike shared a roots of postmodernism, we attack as theologians began similar aim in interpretation: to will discuss what postmodern to doubt the miraculous. The recover the meaning of the hermeneutics looks like and miracles of the Bible were text, understood in terms of how it has crept into accounted for or explained the intention of the author. . . . Christianity. Finally, I will offer away through natural means. In short, the author’s intention some guidance for how Truth was still thought to be is the object of traditional followers of Christ should objective and knowable, but interpretation, the longed-for respond to postmodernism. instead of coming from God it ‘home of meaning’ where was found in the material the author’s will, words, and The Rise of Postmodernism world. Truth was thought to world coincide.”3 In order to understand be discovered primarily postmodernism, it is helpful to through rational and Many believe that survey its historical empirical means—the postmodernism, which arose background. Scholars scientific method. Generally, in the second half of the basically divide Western modernists believed they twentieth century, is the thought into three basic eras: could investigate and gather logical outcome of premodernism, modernism, data objectively without bias. modernism:4 “Postmodernism and postmodernism. In the Hermeneutically, modernism is a reaction (or perhaps more premodern worldview, there asserted that the meaning of appropriately, a disillusioned was a basic belief in God. The a text can be discovered response) to modernism’s Bible was accepted as true primarily through historical failed promise of using human Dr. Brown: Biblical Hermeneutics and Postmodernism

Dr. Douglas Brown

Doug Brown (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the academic dean and senior professor of Biblical Studies at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary. He has taught at Faith since 1999 and serves as an assistant pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Cambridge, Iowa.

reason alone to better postmodernism sees truth The ramifications of mankind and make the as relative and subjective. postmodernism have been world a better place.”5 Each interpreter creates his catastrophic not only in Postmodernism finds its or her own truth. What is hermeneutics but across roots in existential true for one may not be society. Morally, people philosophy as expressed in true for another. The have abandoned especially the writings of ultimate authority is not absolutes and opted for Martin Heidegger. One of found in God radical relativism. Right is its defining goals is the (premodernism), the world now wrong, and wrong is disavowal of objective (modernism), but the right. Culturally, society has truth.6 For postmoderns, individual. D. A. Carson plunged headlong into truth is not something to be states this well: radical pluralism.9 It is no found or discovered. This “Postmodernism is an longer acceptable to hold type of pursuit is impossible outlook that depends not a exclusive beliefs. In fact, for a couple of reasons. little on what are perceived one is expected to First, truth cannot be to be the fundamental approve others’ beliefs. discovered because every limitations on the power of Tolerance is now society’s interpreter is laden with pre- interpretation: that is, since greatest virtue. In relation to understanding and biases interpretation can never be religion, postmodernism that prevent him from more than my leads ultimately to seeing outside his own interpretation or our universalism. situation. Second, interpretation, no purely Hermeneutically, it has led postmoderns reject the objective stance is to the abandonment of existence of universal possible.”8 Truth is merely truth and the absence of metanarratives to explain how each individual meaning. As an absolute, the world—absolute truths perceives it. postmodernism espouses do not exist in postmodern the untenable conundrum thinking.7 Instead, that no one can claim the Dr. Brown: Biblical Hermeneutics and Postmodernism truth. Carson asserts, thinking, the reader not only meaning.16 Following Friedrich “Philosophical pluralism has controls the meaning but Nietzsche, he attacked generated many approaches actually creates it. The text is Western philosophy and in support of one stance: merely an opportunity to especially traditional views on namely, that any notion that explore the reader’s own epistemology—the theory of a particular ideological or perspectives. Vanhoozer knowledge and truth. In order religious claim is intrinsically explains: “Postmodernity is the to better grasp superior to another is triumph of situatedness—in postmodernism, one must necessarily wrong.”10 Abdu race, gender, class—over begin to wade into the Murray claims that the culture detached objectivity. . . . quagmire of epistemology, is now post-truth.11 The Oxford Postmoderns typically think of metaphysics, and theories of Dictionary, which selected interpretation as a political truth.17 Adu-Gyamfi “post-truth” as its 2016 word of act, a means of colonizing summarizes this well: the year, defines it as and capturing texts and “relating to or denoting whole fields of discourse.”14 “Postmodernism permits the circumstances in which reader unlimited freedom in objective facts are less The autonomy of the reader is reading, complete influential in shaping public seen in the field of autonomy, the liberty or opinion than appeals to poststructuralism, for license to interpret the text emotion and personal example. Poststructuralists see without restraint. Once the belief.”12 Murray explains that a text as a web of signs with text is empty of any objective in post-truth thinking facts are infinite possible meanings—a content, it is open to any subordinated to preferences. playground for playing number of readings. So the semantic games. Language is postmodern reader, critical The Hermeneutics of open-ended and detached and creative, takes on an Postmodernism from historical references. unprecedented significance The hermeneutics of Another common by subjectively constructing postmodernism are very postmodern approach is meaning.”18 diverse and difficult to reader-response, as understand.13 Written promoted by Stanley Fish.15 Postmodernism and communication has three Fish argues that since it is Christianity components: the author, the impossible to recover the Postmodern theology is very text, and the reader. As authorial intent, interpretive diverse and varied.19 Many of already noted, premodern communities should read its forms are extensions of and modern interpreters tried texts for their own benefit. So liberal theology within a to uncover the intention of interpretive communities postmodern worldview. What the author as expressed in the should legitimately read their postmodern theologians text. What is consistent in own meanings into texts. share is a rejection of any kind postmodern approaches of Perhaps the most radical of universal metanarratives, or interpretation is that the school of thought within absolute truths. author no longer controls the postmodernism is Consequently, they resist meaning of the text. Authorial deconstruction. The French systematic approaches to intention is irrelevant in philosopher Jacques Derrida, theology and the Bible. For postmodern interpretation. also known as the father of postmodern theologians, Further, the text itself does not philosophic postmodernism, theological systems exclude control meaning. The text is developed deconstruction to and marginalize to make devoid of meaning free the reader from things fit the system, and altogether. In postmodern philosophic restraints to find therefore, repress ideas and Dr. Brown: Biblical Hermeneutics and Postmodernism other interpreters. Instead movement. . . . they use the Bible to affirm Postconservatives have Furthermore, believers need their own situation or cause.20 abandoned foundationalism to understand postmodernism Interpreting the Bible is about and believe that the spiritual so that they are better contextualizing it for their experience of the church equipped to reach people respective context. community should take who are entrenched in a priority over propositional postmodern worldview. Some evangelicals have also truth—a relational Postmodern thinking has ventured into postmodernism theology.”22 They also take a greatly affected our culture. in an attempt for relevancy. much softer approach Relativism, skepticism, and Here are a couple of toward dialogue with pluralism are common. examples. First, the Emergent nonconservatives. Christians need to know how Church movement sprang up to answer postmoderns’ rapidly in the mid-2000s with Conclusion: A Call for questions and provide a national figures such as Rob Vigilance reasonable defense for their Bell, Brian McLaren, and Mark Christians need to understand faith. The church needs Driscoll. While emergent what postmodernism is and vigilance to share and church leaders promised how it affects hermeneutics. defend the faith. relevancy, the movement Postmodernism undercuts the ultimately has proved to very possibility of interpreting Finally, the church needs erode theological and moral and applying the Bible. vigilance to prepare the next foundations within Throughout church history, generation to face the Christianity.21 Second, and followers of Christ have challenges of postmodernism. more substantial, is believed that the Bible is Equipping youth with a postconservative theology as God’s Word—God’s revealed biblical worldview is essential represented by Stanley Grenz, truth about Himself and His if they are to avoid the moral Roger Olson, and Nancey works in written form. and philosophical relativism in Murphy. Osborne Postmodernism destroys the our culture. High school and characterizes their approach concept of objective truth college students are as follows: “They believe the and undermines the abandoning the church in emphasis must shift from interpretive process. The alarming numbers. Pastors battles over the Bible, church needs vigilance to and parents need to equip theological details and promote a high view of youth for the postmodern liberalism to a new Scripture and to handle the world they will encounter. constructive theology that is Word of God correctly. more open to innovation and

1Kevin Vanhoozer, Is There a Meaning in This Text? The Bible, the Reader, and the Morality of Literary Knowledge (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998), 47.

2See Eta Linnemann, Historical Criticism of the Bible: Methodology or Ideology: Reflections of a Bultmannian Turned Evangelical (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2001).

3Kevin Vanhoozer, Is There a Meaning in This Text, 74.

4Robert McQuilkin and Bradford Mullen, “The Impact of Postmodern Thinking on Evangelical Hermeneutics,” Journal of Evangelical Theological Society 40 (1997): 69–71. Michael Adeyemi Adegbola, “Evangelical Critique of the Influence of Postmodern Worldview on Biblical Hermeneutics, Christian Theology and the Emerging Church Movement (ECM),” Ogbomoso Journal of Theology 20 (2015): 67–69. 5Yam Adu-Gyamfi, “Adverse Effects of Postmodernism on Interpretation of the Bible,” Ogbomoso Journal of Theology 20 (2015): 1. See Kevin Vanhoozer, “Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity: A Report on Knowledge (of God),” in The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology, ed. K. Vanhoozer (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2003), 6–9.

6Abdu Murray, Saving Truth: Finding Meaning and Clarity in a Post-Truth World (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018), 14.

7Vanhoozer, “Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity,” 9–10.

8D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism, 15th ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 57.

9Carson, The Gagging of God, 13–54.

10Carson, The Gagging of God, 19.

11Murray, Saving Truth, 12–15.

12Amy B. Wang, “‘Post-Truth’ Named 2016 Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionaries,” Washington Post, November 16, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/16/post-truth-named-2016- word-of-the-year-by-oxford-dictionaries/?noredirect=on.

13These titles provide helpful summaries of postmodernism’s hermeneutics: Grant R. Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, rev. and expanded 2nd ed. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 465–520; and John S. Feinberg, No One like Him: The Doctrine of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2001), 95–109.

14Kevin Vanhoozer, “Lost in Interpretation? Truth, Scripture, and Hermeneutics,” Journal of Evangelical Theological Society 48 (2005): 92.

15Stanley Fish, Is There a Text in This Class: The Authority of Interpretive Communities (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1982).

16Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, 482.

17See David K. Clark, To Know and Love God: Method for Theology (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2003).

18Adu-Gyamfi, “Adverse Effects of Postmodernism,” 7–8.

19Vanhoozer, “Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity,” 19–20.

20Vanhoozer, “Theology and the Condition of Postmodernity,” 16.

21See, for example, Brian McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006), and Rob Bell, Love Wins (New York: Harper Collins, 2011).

22Osborne, The Hermeneutical Spiral, 402.