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Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture (Turning Point Christian Worldview Series) [Paperback]

Gene Edward Veith Jr. , Marvin Olasky
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 15, 1994 Turning Point Christian Worldview Series

The modern era is over. Assumptions that shaped twentieth-century thought and culture, the bridges we crossed to this present moment, have blown up. The postmodern age has begun.

Just what is postmodernism? The average person would be shocked by its creed: Truth, meaning, and individual identity do not exist. These are social constructs. Human life has no special significance, no more value than animal or plant life. All social relationships, all institutions, all moral values are expressions and masks of the primal will to power.

Alarmingly, these ideas have gripped the nation's universities, which turn out today's lawyers, judges, writers, journalists, teachers, and other culture-shapers. Through society's influences, postmodernist ideas have seeped into films, television, art, literature, politics; and, without his knowing it, into the head of the average person on the street.

Christ has called us to proclaim the gospel to a culture grappling with postmodernism. We must understand our times. Then, through the power that Christ gives, we can counter the prevailing culture and proclaim His sufficiency to our society's very points of need.

"While pundits wring their hands over the radicalism of political correctness, speech codes, and outrageous art, Gene Edward Veith takes unerring aim at the intellectual roots of it all. The most important book for anyone who wants to know what's behind the political correctness movement." --Chuck Colson, founder, Prison Fellowship

"An ideal guide for Christians who don't want to be like the notorious military strategist preparing to fight the last war instead of the next one." --Herbert Schlossberg, author, Idols for Destruction

"Pinpoints the strengths and weaknesses of postmodern thought and points the way for Christians to take advantage of both." --E. Calvin Beisner, Covenant College


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Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture (Turning Point Christian Worldview Series) + How Should We Then Live? (L'Abri 50th Anniversary Edition): The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 256 pages
  • Publisher: Crossway; First Edition edition (February 15, 1994)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0891077685
  • ISBN-13: 978-0891077688
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.7 x 8.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

It's a good introduction to postmodern time from a Christian point of view. William Liu  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
I have read and re-read this book, referenced it countless times, and it has aged well on my shelf. Quena Gonzalez  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
It's entertaining as well! Matthew R. McCulloch  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 30 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars The rise and influence of postmodernism today February 28, 2002
Format:Paperback
An important history of thought is provided in the first part of this book, which briefly outlines the transistion from Modernism to Postmodernism. Essentially the modern era began with the Enlightenment, and claimed human reason and science could determine all truth. Postmodernism does not have such a clearcut starting point in history, although Veith gives examples of when various stages of postmodernism began. Postmodernism essentially abandons the modernist ideology of rationalism, and the existence of objective truths. He then makes an important distinction between the postmodern era and postmodernISM. He identifies postmodernism primarily as relativism, which is the philosophy that truth is relative to the individual, and therefore there are no objective truths.

Although few people are conscious of this belief system in today's society, it is subtly pervasive. Veith's four part analysis of Postmodern Thought, Art, Society, and Religion ranges from interesting to startling to mildly cynical. While I found his discussion of postmodernism to be very revealing and largely accurate, I question whether modernism is as "dead" as he suspects. Perhaps the best example I see of an extant modernist philosophy is that of methodological naturalism: a necessity for evolution. (Philip Johnson does a great job of explaining methodological naturalism in his book "The Wedge of Truth).

However, for the most part, Veith hits the nail on the head in his diagnosis of postmodernism, especially with recognizing the trend in Christianity (but perhaps in religion in general) toward consumerism and empty spirituality (lack of truth). At times the book is repetitive and somewhat pessimistic, yet Veith also has hope for the postmodern age. Christians can build their thinking and live their lives on the foundation of Christ, and share this with society, as the postmodernism's self-contradictory relativism will inevitably collapse.

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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A provocative look at our relevant faith May 31, 2000
Format:Paperback
Like other reviewers, I experienced quite a bit of frustration the first time I read this book; I was looking for a much more specific methodology to apply in communicating my faith relevantly to my generation. Instead, Veith gives us a synopsis of the major features of the postmodern worldview (or system of thought and belief) within the context of the premodern and modern worldviews, shows how it influences the general populace's perspective of historic Christianity, and challenges us to find the cultural opportunities it presents.

Vieth is cautiously hopeful. He recognizes postmodernism's potential weakness for despair; when a person believes that all truth is relative and indiscoverable, they will quickly loose hope. He also correctly identifies the dogma of absolute tolerance as intolerant.

Nevertheless, his hope springs in part from the fact that Christ was no stranger to the use of image and story to communicate the Gospel; living (as Vieth contends that we do) in an increasingly post-Christian culture, we are able once again to communicate the fundamental tenets of Christianity through allegories, parables, and pictures. Postmodern thought's ability to embrace paradox without tension leads postmodernists to instinctively understand certain aspects of our faith which the material, clinical mindset of the modern era has failed to adequately illuminate.

This book is no condemnation of postmodern thought, nor is it a postmodernist's apology; Vieth makes the distinction, for instance, between postmodernism and postmodern thought patterns, and posits that the latter lends itself to authentic, historic Christianity. He begins with the premise that the Christian faith is a timelessly relevant embodiment of truth (not the exclusive domain of modern Western thought), meaning that it will speak relevantly to any system of thought, and concludes that postmodern thought is no more alien to Christ's message than is the receding modern worldview. I have read and re-read this book, referenced it countless times, and it has aged well on my shelf. While the first third of the book has proven to be the most helpful section (as of yet), five years of re-reading and a brief encounter with the author leads me to conclude that "Postmodern Times" is offered without agenda as a well-informed perspective on the challenges and opportunities postmodern thought poses for Christ's followers today.

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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent Turning Point title. October 23, 2000
Format:Paperback
In daily conversation I notice the tenets of postmodernism cropping up all the time. People who have no idea what "postmodernism" is are nonetheless deeply influenced by it, mouthing its words, speaking its assumptions, believing its claims because they have been so deeply inculcated with it without even realizing it. I don't think people realize just how distinctively different a philosophy of epistemology it really is, compared to historical norms.

That said, Veith's book is a good introduction to the subject, and worthy reading for every person who is seeking a well-rounded education. From a Christian perspective (more specifically a Lutheran, not protestant, one) Veith traces the rise of Modernism from a biblical worldview, and the inevitable transformation from Modernism's empty claims to certainty to Postmodernism's notorious uncertainty and relativism. Between the two Veith charts a path that seeks to avoid the errors both of pompous Modernist dogmatism and Postmodernist denial that truth can be reasonably ascertained.

Veith's book conveys understanding and insight, if not a straightforward guide to helping others out of the morass of Postmodernism. Ultimately Postmodernism fails because it is so internally inconsistent (how can one argue rationally for it if rationality itself is suspect?) Rather than point to the internal inconsistencies, I suspect a better route will be to present a positive epistemology that is more consistent than the Modernist ideology that Postmodernists abandoned; in short, the biblical worldview.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars book
Came in great condition, haven't read it yet, but it looks good. We ordered it for our highschool reading course.
Published 4 months ago by Tammy Enns
4.0 out of 5 stars a bit simplistic but good
Veith provides a very accessible book on postmodernism in Postmodern Times, explaining postmodern thought, art, society, and religion from the perspective of a historically and... Read more
Published on August 21, 2010 by Joe P. McAdams
1.0 out of 5 stars A Response to Postmodern Times
In every time of transition, there will be found those who lead by assuming a revolutionary position and, in response, those who resist change through a more reactionary posture. Read more
Published on December 14, 2009 by L. Carey
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Summary of Postmodernism and Christianity
I read this book due to its being one of the textbooks for the course "Introduction to Pastoral and Theological Studies" at Reformed Theological Seminary, which I am studying on my... Read more
Published on December 25, 2008 by Robert French
4.0 out of 5 stars A Clear Overall Picture
It's a good introduction to postmodern time from a Christian point of view.
It stimulates my thinking and creates an urge to read more books in one of the specific areas (the... Read more
Published on October 13, 2008 by William Liu
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Overview
This book is informative for someone (such as myself) who wishes to get a workable understanding of the pervasive cultural attitude of our times. Read more
Published on February 28, 2008 by Martha Bajema
5.0 out of 5 stars The book that makes you say, "Ahhh! I get it!"
Our culture today is basically an "anything goes," your-truth my-truth system. How are we as Christians to deal with the confusion and overload of information and media? Read more
Published on May 6, 2007 by Matthew R. McCulloch
5.0 out of 5 stars Good criticism of the Pstmodernism
Great book from Evangelical perspective.

This is a must read to understand and resist contemporary destructive pop culture. Society is heading in wrong direction. Read more
Published on December 27, 2006 by Konstantin
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Schaefferesque Analysis of Culture
This is the best and most incisive introduction to criticism on postmodernism I have come across. I won't go into his arguments as other reviewers already have, but I will point... Read more
Published on August 10, 2006 by Ben Hodges
4.0 out of 5 stars Optimistic Outlook in Postmodern Times
I learned from his interesting summaries and commentary on modern and postmodern thought, art, society, and religion. Read more
Published on January 16, 2004 by Jim Liston
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