Postmodern and Wesleyan?: Exploring the Boundaries and Possibilities [Paperback]

Jay Richard Akkerman (Editor), Thomas J. Oord (Editor), Brent D. Peterson (Editor), Leonard I. Sweet (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

Change is in the air and it may entail a radically different way of looking at life. The most common word to describe this change is postmodernism.

Postmodern and Wesleyan? is both an exploration and an internal dialogue. Essays written by differing voices explore various dimensions of postmodernism as they relate to theology, church, practices, communities, and missions.

Each section includes a critical response by a respected Wesleyan leader to the ideas expressed. Dr. Leonard Sweet concludes each section with comments to continue the conversation.

This important conversation piece invites churches, pastors, and laity to explore together how the Christian faith might shape both the present and the future.

By providing a forum for engaging issues, both important and difficult, Postmodern and Wesleyan? offers a voice to some of the most creative thinkers in the movement and a help to Christians deciding the direction they must go in order to share the good news of God s love.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Postmodern and Wesleyan? is an excellent resource for your small group or Sunday School class. The essays provide stimulating insights from the past and investigate possibilities for our tomorrows. Any class that enjoys meaningful conversation will find a broad range of perspectives on why we live as we do and how we can adapt to a rapidly changing world. The probing questions at the end of each chapter will penetrate your assumptions and engage your class in life-shaping discussions. --Woodie Stevens, SDMI Director, Church of the Nazarene

The writers in this volume are postmoderns or those who are uniquely positioned to understand postmodernism. This volume gives us an opportunity to hear their voices and dialog with their ideas so that we can better discern what the church might look like in our changing culture. I encourage you to read this volume with a spirit of curiosity and expectation. --Vickie Copp, Professor, Nazarene Theological Seminary

This book models what the Church should practice in an often tumultuous culture. It suggests constructive ways for the church to navigate the promises and perils of living in a postmodern culture, it welcomes those with differing views to join in the conversation, and each chapter closes with good, critical questions that draw the reader into the dialogue. --James Hampton, Professor, Asbury Theological Seminary

The writers in this volume are postmoderns or those who are uniquely positioned to understand postmodernism. This volume gives us an opportunity to hear their voices and dialog with their ideas so that we can better discern what the church might look like in our changing culture. I encourage you to read this volume with a spirit of curiosity and expectation. --Vickie Copp, Professor, Nazarene Theological Seminary

Postmodern and Wesleyan? is an excellent resource for your small group or Sunday School class. The essays provide stimulating insights from the past and investigate possibilities for our tomorrows. Any class that enjoys meaningful conversation will find a broad range of perspectives on why we live as we do and how we can adapt to a rapidly changing world. The probing questions at the end of each chapter will penetrate your assumptions and engage your class in life-shaping discussions. --Woodie Stevens, SDMI Director, Church of the Nazarene

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0834124580
• ISBN-13: 978-0834124585
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,028,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good thoughts but slightly disjointed, September 27, 2010

By 

C. Huckins (Northwest Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Postmodern and Wesleyan?: Exploring the Boundaries and Possibilities (Paperback)

First let me say that this book contained very, very relevent thoughts. With that in tact, some of the articles needed more thought and did not consider the full theological implications of their conculusions. The book was easy to read and very "postmodern", no chapter was more than four pages long! Overall I would strongly recommend this book for an overview but would caution you to think through each of the conculusions, especially those refecting on truth and Biblical truth.

Good read!

7 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Another Emergent Book Simply With Another Title, November 12, 2009

By 

Roy Ingle "The Seeking Disciple" (Lexington, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Postmodern and Wesleyan?: Exploring the Boundaries and Possibilities (Paperback)

I am all for change in the Church. I don't believe that the Church is meant to simply be an organization and not the Bride of Christ, His living organism as He moves through His people by His Spirit and through His Word (1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Ephesians 4:11-16). Yet I believe that the way to transformation in the Church is not found in the broken words of postmodernism or any other human traditions. I believe the answer for true, radical, and lasting transformation is found in the preaching and teaching of the Bible to the people of God in truth.

Therefore, based on my views I knew that I would not enjoy reading another postmodern view of the Church but I was intrigued since the writers were appealing to Wesleyan tradition and though I am not a Nazarene or Wesleyan, I am Arminian and I do agree with much of what Wesley wrote and lived for. I was wondering what emergents would have to say to conservative Arminians. Yet once again I was disappointed by the direction that this book believes the Church should take.

As typical with emergent books, the book attacks the organizational church but instead of correcting the modern church through the Scriptures, the writers believe that the Church should avoid the Scriptures. No doubt the writers believe the Bible has its place but they believe that since truth is not knowable, we should not defend the inerrancy of the Bible or try to hold to a literal six-day creation as found in Genesis 1-2. The writers believe that the main problem with the Church is that we have come to "worship" the Bible instead of being a loving community. Perhaps but I found their arguments weak for casting aside the Bible in favor of postmodernism or infallible science.

Overall this was simply another typical emergent work. Nothing new. Same old story lines are found here: the Bible is okay but not special, science holds promises, and we should move away from conservative thinking toward being more postmodern and liberal. I would not recommend this book. It would be a waste of money.