One of the best definitions of postmodernism I have seen comes from Jean-François Lyotard, who described it as "incredulity toward metanarratives."

Metanarratives were at the center of the Enlightenment project, and many postmodernists (and poststructuralists) have challenged their omnibus character. Indeed, fundamentalist Christianity and conservative evangelicalism have bought into the propositional model of truth put forth by many Enlightenment thinkers, such that the Bible is assumed to inerrantly convey authentic historical and scientific information about "real" things, such as origins (creationism) and events (such as a literal resurrection). Some evangelicals go far as to portray prophecy as history written in advance. Of course, these evangelicals cannot agree among themselves on this advance history (viz., debates on the eschaton from premillennialists, postmillennialists, and amillennialists of various stripes).

I would suggest that interested persons look into postliberal theology (also called the Yale school). Proponents present an alternative narrative (postmodern or poststructural) approach to understanding the biblical texts which avoids the experientialism of classical liberal theologies and the propositionalism of the evangelicals.

Copyright © 2002- Mark A. Foster, Ph.D. All rights reserved.