Postmodern Times by Gene Edward Veith Jr.My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is good introduction to postmodernism. Veith wrote this book in 1994 so we are twenty years removed from his critique. But I enjoyed that aspect of the book. I can see how he was right in many areas, but also wrong in a few. The strengths of the book were:
He consistently showed how postmodern thinking can open doors for the Christian faith. For example, the idea of community and culture being central can make a church that has a solid community life influential on those around it. He also says that Christians can utilize the postmodern "hermeneutic of suspicion" to draw out sin.
He pointed out that postmodernism is built on power and desire. When there are no absolutes desire dominates and those who have power get what they desire. Thus the goal is to gain power so we can get what we want.
He calls Christians back to a confessional Christianity build on solid doctrinal truth and morality.
He does a good job of talking about technology and how it has helped usher in postmodernism without completely disparaging technology.
The idea that truth is determined by societies/cultures was helpful. It is not so much that truth is a construct of the individual, as it is a construct of the society in which the individual is a part of. Thus, every sub-group has it's own truth. There is no overarching group.
I enjoyed the book, but want to read a more recent treatment of postmodernism to gain more insight into it.
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