Let me say up front that I'm a big fan of the author's Weblog. He's first on my blogroll by the accident of alphabetism, but he's also at the top of my list of must-read bloggers. So don't expect this book review to be impartial or anything.
AKMA, aka A.K.M. Adam, is Associate Professor of New Testament at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary. He has too many letters after his name, writes prolifically, blogs beautifully and is a cofounder of the aptly named "Disseminary."
He's also a postmodern kind of guy--but please don't hold that against him.
In the institutional-evangelical-churchy world, "postmodern" isn't exactly a term of endearment. Depending upon one's level of conservatism and awareness, "postmodern" could mean anything from the utter decline of Western civilization to one of the most exciting times for Christians to be alive. I lean to the latter interpretation, and so does AKMA.
The truth is, however, that when you hear the word "postmodern" bandied about in church circles, it's likely no one really knows what they mean. Even postmodern scholars don't know exactly what it means--if they'll even dignify the use of the word. But there are some broad movements that fall into the generally-accepted "postmodern" camp--and herein begins the book review.
AKMA did the world a tremendous favor when he wrote "What is Postmodern Biblical Criticism?" Note that I said "the world," not just "Christians." For despite its title, WPBC is an astoundingly clear introduction to postmodern thought in general.
Writing with his characteristic wit and thoughtfulness, AKMA explores and explains such initially terrifying concepts as antifoundationalism, deconstruction and bricolage. These topics promise heavy going, so don't expect this to be "The Reader's Digest Guide to Postmodernism." AKMA's writing is beautifully challenging. It demands your attention as it must, yet often at the end of a lengthy sentence or paragraph you find yourself smiling at how well everything came together. (Watch carefully for wordplay!) And when you pay attention, you discover that, lo and behold, you are beginning to understand what postmodernism is all about.
What about the "Biblical" part of the title? Yes, it's there, woven neatly into the text and providing examples of key points. But this isn't a Bible study or "purpose-driven" guide to making Scripture relevant to post-Christian society. Make no mistake.
I experienced WPBC as something like a good tramp through Ireland in the company of AKMA--one of those journeys of good company, good talk and good ale at the end of the day that you'll long remember. I was stretched, refreshed and improved. There's not much more you can ask for from a book.
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