Haase_UZ_x007E_DTh (2).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

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50 If one assumes the inherent goodness of man, moral relativism is theoretical possible. If man’s inherent goodness were true, humanity could and perhaps would rise to the challenge -- freely doing what was good, and respecting the sovereignty of others. However, if humans are born inherently good, or without ‘nature,’ as Sartre puts it, where does all the evil in the world come from Why is man so incessantly evil If all are free to do as they want, will not the expression of these freedoms at some point impinge upon the freedoms of others Therefore true and absolute freedom -- the moral subjectivity Sartre espouses -- is irrational, and a fiction that produces anarchy (or lawlessness). Sartre, Joseph Fletcher, A.J. Ayer and others, are of the opinion that moral boundaries are of little, or no ultimate value. Yet, Sartre calls man self and even neighbour responsible. Absolute ethical relativity is impossible according to these criteria. Worldviews need to be rational and consistent, meaning they must be based upon absolutes. For Nietzsche the absolute was the “will-to-power,” or “eternal recurrence.” John Dewey made ‘progress’ his absolute. As Paul Tillich observed, “everyone has an ultimate commitment, an unconditional centre of his life. Without this centre he would not be a person” (Feinberg, 1980:408). Sartre’s absolute was freedom, but his construct is not consistent, and what he builds is an inconsistent ‘house of cards’ that cannot stand. If truth is a social construct, and if all moral boundaries are relative, why should people be ‘good’ Even further, what is ‘good’ If there are no absolutes, no metaphysical realities, no God, no ‘hereafter,’ and no final judgment, then we might just as well live for the moment and get all we can out our brief, miserable lives, as so many people do anyway. Is life worth living Is there no more Does Sartre provide answers, or just add to the uncertainties mankind already feels University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, <strong>South</strong> Africa
51 Chapter II Postmodernity: The Essentials Postmodernity is perhaps more accurately called ultra, or hyper-modernity. Depending upon whom you ask, postmodernity is either the worst thing that has ever happened, or a long overdo challenge and corrective to the modernist, or Enlightenment, Western worldview. It is a widely used concept and terminology originally used by artists, philosophers and social scientists. It speaks to cultural changes that have taken place over the past several decades, beginning in the early 20th Century. It is not ‘pro’ anything, but it is thoroughly anti-modern. Ernst Gellner believes postmodernity is not just a culture shift in the West, but the product of a larger global shift -- a landslide if you will -- begun by the collapse of Colonialism. The first wave of colonial contraction began (c.1947) with the European states, and was followed a few decades later with the collapse of the Soviet bloc (c.1989). Several prominent postmodernists were deeply, personally influenced by colonialism, especially by French involvement in Algeria (e.g., Sartre, Foucault). As such, we find that postmodernity, post-colonialism, and post-Christendom, are all more inter-related than they initially seem to be, and the reason why each needs to be considered herein. Postmodernism -- the philosophical dimension of this anti-modern cultural wave -- is anti-foundationalist, especially in its post-structuralist stream. Postmoderns do not believe in absolutes, claiming that objective and absolute truths are practically impossible. The postmodern challenge to modernity manifests itself in two separate but equally devastating, forms. One is cultural and the other is philosophical (epistemological). On the cultural front, postmodern manifestations in the form of new social movements whether in art forms, politics or lifestyles, are joyously disrupting the neat University of Zululand, KwaZulu-Natal, <strong>South</strong> Africa
Page 1 and 2: 1 POSTMODERNITY: IMPACT AND IMPLICA
Page 3 and 4: 3 Key Terms Postmodern, postmoderni
Page 5 and 6: 5 An Apologetic Response 115 Compro
Page 7 and 8: killed massively in the name of goo
Page 9 and 10: 9 together in an eclectic, rather d
Page 11 and 12: 11 Postmodernity: Impact and Implic
Page 13 and 14: 13 heights” (Veith, 1994:30). For
Page 15 and 16: 15 autonomy proper to human reason
Page 17 and 18: inviolability and Divine origin, th
Page 19 and 20: diminished” (Bosch, 2000:6). The
Page 21 and 22: ‘god’ to keep and to save him.
Page 23 and 24: Occultism flourished among the Brit
Page 25 and 26: He was a passionate, powerful chara
Page 27 and 28: 27 record reveals that the church o
Page 29 and 30: 29 eliminating poverty, hunger and
Page 31 and 32: may simply transform the nature and
Page 33 and 34: Contrary to Christian notions that
Page 35 and 36: 35 ‘modernize’ the nation. To b
Page 37 and 38: 37 expression. This “first respon
Page 39 and 40: 39 of his own awareness of God” (
Page 41 and 42: 41 Existentialism understandably em
Page 43 and 44: depends upon our decision makes our
Page 45 and 46: group Socialisme et Liberte. During
Page 47 and 48: 47 The Mind of Sartre Sartre’s vi
Page 49: ethical absolutes (Craig, 1994:67).
Page 53 and 54: 53 Postmoderns promote individualis
Page 55 and 56: meaning and language. The postmoder
Page 57 and 58: pointed out that science, far from
Page 59 and 60: 59 Ferdinand de Saussure at the tur
Page 61 and 62: considers the Greek logos (i.e., λ
Page 63 and 64: 63 models and then try not to subve
Page 65 and 66: marginalized and to the historical
Page 67 and 68: without essential foundations (Khan
Page 69 and 70: maximum voluntary community agreeme
Page 71 and 72: 71 something akin to the virtual re
Page 73 and 74: 73 During the 1960’s, Foucault wa
Page 75 and 76: generally agreed that his views wer
Page 77 and 78: had been trapped. Through Nietzsche
Page 79 and 80: Foucault also seemed to delight in
Page 81 and 82: elieve the conventions of modernity
Page 83 and 84: 83 Will 'Po-Mod' Endure Ernst Gelln
Page 85 and 86: 85 referentially incoherent. That i
Page 87 and 88: 87 the second postmodern wave, whic
Page 89 and 90: action. During the colonial period,
Page 91 and 92: interpretation. It again gives sugg
Page 93 and 94: 93 There are three basic forms of (
Page 95 and 96: diverse immigrant populations becom
Page 97 and 98: desperate population to believe tha
Page 99 and 100: 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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of transforming it... Christendom i
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society. State authorities quite of
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“The subtle assumption of Western
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The church should instead take a Ch
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149 Christendom West. For example i
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not know what it means to be indepe
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creative times has been, about doin
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155 Ours is not a faith rooted in i
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157 of Washington, D.C., have now d
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says, “Homosexual practice is inc
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the position held by the non-Wester
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163 Chapter VII Postmodern Spiritua
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With the dawn of the Enlightenment,
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contemporary West look not to the c
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adherence overall declined from 86.
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171 (Johnson, 2004). Contemporary n
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173 The postmodernists undertook th
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deconstruction leads to a foundatio
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177 postmodernity has opened the do
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Pagans are usually worshippers of t
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most Catholics in Brazil. Many Musl
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which is one of the key factors tha
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185 1980:viii). For example, when t
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187 the higher religions. The pleth
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whose wrath has been and will be di
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in the movies, further fulfilling t
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to ancient Greek writings, the post
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195 more, the atoning work of Jesus
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197 to develop. Even after several
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199 excesses of scientism and reduc
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Carson, D.A., ed. (2000). Telling t
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Grudem, W. (1994). Systematic Theol
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McMichael, P. (2004). Development a
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207 Riss, R. (1988). A Survey of 20
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209 Bibliography of Electronic Sour
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211 Foucault, M. (1982). Truth, Pow
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Montgomery, J.W. (2002). Defending
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215 The University of Zululand Esta
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