Bradford McCall writes:

Differing from most theologians of this postmodern age, I appreciate Wright once more, regarding his assertion that God is a covenant God.

Bradford, very nicely done. I'm happy to see you found the book helpful. This is a little bit off the beaten path, but your comment above caught my attention. Do you see a correlation between "postmodernism" and a widespread denial of a covenantal view of God? This is not a correlation that I have noticed (but perhaps should have?). Would you mind explaining a little bit? Thanks.

Woody

____________________________________________________________________

Garwood P. Anderson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Biblical Studies

Asbury Theological Seminary - Florida

8401 Valencia College Lane

Orlando, FL 32825

(407) 482-7645

garwood_anderson@asburyseminary.edu

Bradford McCall writes:

>Knowing Jesus Through the OT Reflection

>Bradford McCall

>NT520

>9/21/04

>I detest strongly the apathy >that modern Christendom expresses in their “Christianity”. This apathy,note, is expressly revealed in the postmodern pursuit of knowledge, or

>rather, the lack thereof. It is both comical and saddening at once the

>marked ignorance that we modern people of God possess regarding our

>supposed God. We claim to know God, but then deny Him by our actions,

>because we know not how to act in the proper manner.

Missy comments: Bradford I think you make a good point here that our actions do not often match our faith. Is it solely knowledge that will help us in this aspect? I was wondering if community also plays a role in helping shape proper responses to God's grace in our lives. How is our obedient response shaped by the Gospel?

Re postmodernism: I find that many books that I read today dismiss postmodernism without properly defining it. As a postmodernist (and Democrat- I wonder if a modernist statician has researched the correlation?) I love knowledge and think it plays a huge role in the Gospel message. (Although I can't speak for all postmodernists-it is against our club rules :)). However, I do see that the power of knowledge only goes so far in communicating about our faith. Therefore, I am always looking to come into relationship with people to discuss their traditions, experiences and rationales and then try to dialogue about the gospel. That gospel message is primarily shaped by Scripture. I actually think that postmodernism looks very much like Wesleyan theology! Also because relationship is so important, the covenant message of Scripture is one of my key hermeneutics. I hope this helps.

Bradford writes: Jesus was not white, and Wright rightfully

>acknowledges this fact. He was a Jew, and to properly understand Him, we

>must recreate Him in the light of His Jewish-ness, and abolish the

>Anglo-Saxon idol.

Missy comments: Bradford I really like that you make this point. What do you think it says about the human condition that we need to make God into our own image? Do you find that we also tend to worship with people that think and look like us? I wonder if our images of God would change if we worshiped with people that come from different backgrounds?

>Bradford writes: America is not the new Israel, no matter how much to the contrary

>it may be thought. However, we who do believe in His Son do become a part

>of the Israel of God by being grafted into the root (cf. Romans 11), but

>we must not become haughty in our position in Christ.

Missy writes: Bradford I like your points here as well, thank you for sharing.

Missy Hart writes:

I find that many books that I read today dismiss postmodernism without properly defining it.

Missy, I think you are quite right here. I also think the opposite happens as well, embracing "postmodernism" without defining it. Christians who reject postmodernism tend either (a) to be reactionary but have minimal first-hand engagement with the topic or (b) are deeply aware of the issues but define postmodernism by reference to its secular prophets: Lyotard, Foucault, Derrida, Rorty, Fish, etc. If these latter define postmodernism, there would be good reason to reject it, and Christians who embrace postmodernism proudly seem to be surprisingly unaware of the heritage of the ideas. My struggle with the term is that I never know what people using the term mean and don't mean by it. Does that ring a bell at all?

Woody

____________________________________________________________________

Garwood P. Anderson, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Biblical Studies

Asbury Theological Seminary - Florida

8401 Valencia College Lane

Orlando, FL 32825

(407) 482-7645

garwood_anderson@asburyseminary.edu

Garwood Anderson writes:

Do you see a correlation between "postmodernism" and a widespread denial of a covenantal view of God? This is not a correlation that I have noticed (but perhaps should have?). Would you mind explaining a little bit? Thanks.

I do see a correlation. In my interpretation of postmodernism (stress on the my aspect, as postmodernism defies true definition), the past is reduced to an ancillary, or even non-important position to what is presently at hand. The past is inconsequential to the reality of the day at hand. Thus, history is irrelelavant and rendered impotent in explanatory power.

In contrast, covenental theology stresses the historic aspect of God's actions with His people, and promises that His relationship with them shall not be denied, which necessarily involves a historical aspect. Because history is dismissed readily in postmodernism, the very foundation of a covenant is belied, and by extension covenantal theology is also. If not totallt dismissed, note, the idea of a covenanet is nonetheless weakened. But thats just my peonic thoughts.

Garwood Anderson writes:

>Missy Hart writes:

> I find that many books that I read today dismiss postmodernism without

>properly defining it.

>

>Missy, I think you are quite right here. I also think the opposite

>happens as well, embracing "postmodernism" without defining it.

>Christians who reject postmodernism tend either (a) to be reactionary but

>have minimal first-hand engagement with the topic or (b) are deeply aware

>of the issues but define postmodernism by reference to its secular

>prophets: Lyotard, Foucault, Derrida, Rorty, Fish, etc. If these latter

>define postmodernism, there would be good reason to reject it, and

>Christians who embrace postmodernism proudly seem to be surprisingly

>unaware of the heritage of the ideas. My struggle with the term is that

>I never know what people using the term mean and don't mean by it. Does

>that ring a bell at all?

>

>Woody

>

>____________________________________________________________________

>Garwood P. Anderson, Ph.D.

>Assistant Professor, Biblical Studies

>Asbury Theological Seminary - Florida

>8401 Valencia College Lane

>Orlando, FL 32825

>(407) 482-7645

>garwood_anderson@asburyseminary.edu

>

>Garwood Anderson writes: