Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

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192 Postmodern Assault on Time Finally, the postmodern assault on foundations also includes the intentional undermining of traditional connotations about time, something nearly all of us take for granted. Western epistemological foundations have long been founded upon the lineal notion of time -- that there is a beginning and ending, that life is un-repeatable and that death is somehow final -- notions that all originate in the biblical worldview. This attack on the long accepted notions of time is part of the postmodern, deconstructive and antifoundational character. Because postmodernity endorses an anti-historical and anti-linear historiography, it accords with pre-modern, animistic, Pagan and Eastern worldviews, which makes the postmodern, eclectic blending of beliefs and worldviews all the easier. Michel Foucault argued the modernist framework was a vain illusion, an invention of history and language -- all products of power relations. Postmodernists also argue that reality and time are not limited to the transcendental boundaries that Western metanarratives have imposed upon society, especially those derived from the Bible. Postmoderns (again) believe such notions require deconstruction, so the human mind may once again soar freely, and that after deconstruction, a better way of thinking may be established. For postmoderns, things like cyber reality are credible alternatives, where the bending and blending of different dimensions of time and reality, make fantasy and reality the same. This relativistic denigration and disorientation of time, opens wide the door for Westerners to embrace Eastern, and/or pre-biblical concept of cyclical time. The long-accepted notion of linear time originates in the Bible, which makes clear that time is not cyclical: rather, that time has a beginning and an ending. The Bible introduced the linear progressive notion, and has for millennia challenged and changed the cyclical time notion. Because postmoderns are incredulous toward traditional meta-narratives like the Bible, they seek to deconstruct them and the notions they promote. Postmoderns thus encourage the embrace of non-traditional notions, such as those found in Eastern philosophies and a host of other pre, and non-biblical notions, which are rooted in a time cyclical worldview. In a manner somewhat reminiscent of the medieval humanists, return University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, <strong>South</strong> Africa
to ancient Greek writings, the postmoderns encourage the deconstruction, and/or disestablishment of long-held traditions, especially via the re-visitation of ancient notions. This would include the Greeks, for example, who according to Ron Nash, did not promote reincarnation, but certainly did believe in the cyclical notion of history. The cyclical view of history and existence that underlies belief in reincarnation and karma was a staple of ancient thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. The cyclical view of history, reincarnation, and karma have been essential elements of several Eastern religions. The New Testament is clearly opposed to all such thinking. As the epistle to the Hebrews makes clear, Christianity supplants the pagan cyclical view of history with a linear view. History does not repeat itself; history has a beginning and an end. Christ dies once for the sins of the world. Human beings live but once. It is Appointed unto men once to die, and after this comes the judgment (Heb. 9:27) (Nash, 1992:136). The circular, or cyclical time notion is deeply rooted in the human psyche, and animistic beliefs, all of which seems to accord with natural seasonal patterns (i.e., crops), that were long ago systematized in a variety of philosophies and religions (e.g., Hindu). This circular time concept is sometimes symbolized by the uroboros, the snake chasing its own tail. Time, in this sense, leads back around to where it began and begins all over again. Eastern and various other cultures typically still do embrace a worldview rooted in the cyclical time notion, such as the Hindu doctrine of the yugas, or ages, teaches that the universe goes through never-ending cycles of creation and destruction. The Babylonians, ancient Chinese, Aztecs, Mayans, and the Norse, for example, had cyclical calendars. The wheel concept is common where the cyclical worldview of time is embraced. It is especially popular today among resurgent Pagans, Native American religionists, and other spiritualists. The cyclical notion of time differs substantially from the biblical notion, which is linear, or linear progressive, a view reflecting the repetitive traits of human history. 193 University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, <strong>South</strong> Africa
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1 POSTMODERNITY: IMPACT AND IMPLICA
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3 Key Terms Postmodern, postmoderni
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5 An Apologetic Response 115 Compro
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killed massively in the name of goo
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9 together in an eclectic, rather d
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11 Postmodernity: Impact and Implic
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13 heights” (Veith, 1994:30). For
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15 autonomy proper to human reason
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inviolability and Divine origin, th
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diminished” (Bosch, 2000:6). The
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‘god’ to keep and to save him.
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Occultism flourished among the Brit
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He was a passionate, powerful chara
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27 record reveals that the church o
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29 eliminating poverty, hunger and
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may simply transform the nature and
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Contrary to Christian notions that
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35 ‘modernize’ the nation. To b
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37 expression. This “first respon
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39 of his own awareness of God” (
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41 Existentialism understandably em
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depends upon our decision makes our
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group Socialisme et Liberte. During
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47 The Mind of Sartre Sartre’s vi
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ethical absolutes (Craig, 1994:67).
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51 Chapter II Postmodernity: The Es
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53 Postmoderns promote individualis
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meaning and language. The postmoder
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pointed out that science, far from
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59 Ferdinand de Saussure at the tur
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considers the Greek logos (i.e., λ
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63 models and then try not to subve
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marginalized and to the historical
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without essential foundations (Khan
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maximum voluntary community agreeme
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71 something akin to the virtual re
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73 During the 1960’s, Foucault wa
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generally agreed that his views wer
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had been trapped. Through Nietzsche
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Foucault also seemed to delight in
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elieve the conventions of modernity
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83 Will 'Po-Mod' Endure Ernst Gelln
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85 referentially incoherent. That i
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87 the second postmodern wave, whic
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action. During the colonial period,
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interpretation. It again gives sugg
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93 There are three basic forms of (
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diverse immigrant populations becom
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desperate population to believe tha
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99 but hardly in entirety. Keeping
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salvation. Here again we see how Go
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103 and sick, conquered ignorance t
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with relativism, pluralism and no a
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107 our first love -- Jesus Christ
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109 and the life. No one comes to t
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Those who truly know Jesus Christ a
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future was no longer heaven, but a
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115 An Apologetic Response Beyond t
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uilding constructed on a shifting s
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component of the overall package, b
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irrelevant. The postmodernist, like
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123 terminate this inquiry with the
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consider the spiritual truths the B
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people are to effectively participa
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witness among the Gentiles, by usin
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131 Chapter VI Postmodernity and th
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Postmodernism enhances the process
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135 Yet, with few exceptions, the W
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137 Rome, ‘The Way’ (i.e., Chri
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were the changes made to the clergy
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Page 171 and 172: 171 (Johnson, 2004). Contemporary n
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Page 201 and 202: Carson, D.A., ed. (2000). Telling t
Page 203 and 204: Grudem, W. (1994). Systematic Theol
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Page 207 and 208: 207 Riss, R. (1988). A Survey of 20
Page 209 and 210: 209 Bibliography of Electronic Sour
Page 211 and 212: 211 Foucault, M. (1982). Truth, Pow
Page 213 and 214: Montgomery, J.W. (2002). Defending
Page 215 and 216: 215 The University of Zululand Esta
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