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# Postmodernism: What Hath Paris to Do with Jerusalem?
- URL: https://mereorthodoxy.com/postmodernism-101/
- Published: 2010-07-16T12:00:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-20T21:05:38.000Z
- Description: Postmodernism: What Hath Paris to Do with Jerusalem?
- Author: Mere Orthodoxy
- Tags: Christopher Benson, Philosophy

[](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)If you are skeptical about postmodern thought, I encourage you to check out "[The Church and Postmodern Series](http://www.bakeracademic.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&AudId=16FAA98B9B4B4CBDAB1A1A7A4DBFE04C&tier=26&id=4A90F8E8A9FC402A8920F35E47ADC2B3&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)" by Baker Academic, which "features high-profile theorists in continental philosophy and contemporary theology writing for a broad, nonspecialist audience interested in the impact of postmodern theory on the faith and practice of the church." Five out of the scheduled seven books have been published. I have read the following:

- James K. A. Smith, *Who's Afraid of Postmodernism?: Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church*
- John D. Caputo, *What Would Jesus Deconstruct?: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church*
- Carl Raschke, *GloboChrist: The Great Commission Takes a Postmodern Turn*
- Merold Westphal, *Whose Community? Which Interpretation?: Philosophical Hermeneutics for the Church*.

Of these four titles, Caputo's was my least favorite and the most problematic. If I had to pick only one in the series, I suggest the Smith title but the Raschke and Westphal titles are close runners-up. I anticipate reading Graham Ward's *The Politics of Discipleship: Becoming Postmaterial Citizens* and Bruce Ellis Benson's forthcoming title on improvisation as a paradigm for thinking about worship and the arts. (Bruce is a former professor of mine at Wheaton College.)

I would like to share two of my published reviews with *Mere O* readers:

- *Books & Culture* (April 2009): "[The Message is the Messenger](http://www.booksandculture.com/articles/webexclusives/2009/april/090413.html?paging=off&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)" \[a review of Carl Raschke's *GloboChrist*\]*.*
- *Christian Scholar's Review* (Winter 2009): a [review](https://mereorthodoxy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Westphal.pdf) of Merold Westphal's *Whose Community? Which Interpretation?*

Here is my bibliography for all pomo-curious Christians.

**GENERAL PRIMARY SOURCES** (I regard Nietzsche and Kierkegaard as proto-postmodernists)  

- David Farrell Krell (ed.), [*Martin Heidegger: Basic Writings*](http://www.harpercollins.com/books/Basic-Writings-Martin-Heidegger?isbn=9780061627019&HCHP=TB%5FBasic+Writings&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Paul Rabinow (ed.), [*The Foucault Reader*](http://www.randomhouse.com/acmart/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780394713403&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John D. Caputo (ed.), [*Deconstruction in a Nutshell: A Conversation with Jacques Derrida*](http://www.fordhampress.com/detail.html?id=9780823217557&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Jean-Francois Lyotard, [*The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge*](http://www.upress.umn.edu/Books/L/lyotard%5Fpostmoderncon.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Hans-Georg Gadamer, [*Truth and Method*](http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=123519&SearchType=Basic&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Adriaan T. Peperzak (ed.), [*Emmanual Levinas: Basic Philosophical Writings*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=20761&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Christopher J. Voparil & Richard J. Bernstein (eds.), [*The Rorty Reader*](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-140519832X.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Mark Poster (ed.), [*Jean Baudrillard: Selected Writings: Second Edition*](http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=1827&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

**PRIMARY SOURCES ON CHRISTIANITY AND POSTMODERNISM**

- Graham Ward (ed.), [*The Postmodern God: A Theological Reader*](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0631201416.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John D. Caputo,[*On Religion*](http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415233330/?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Gianni Vattimo, [*After Christianity*](http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-10628-3/after-christianity?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Gianni Vattimo & Richard Rorty, [*The Future of Religion*](http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-13494-1/the-future-of-religion?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Gianni Vattimo & John D. Caputo, [*After the Death of God*](http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-14124-6/after-the-death-of-god?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Gianni Vattimo & Rene Girard, [*Christianity, Truth, and Weakening Faith: A Dialogue*](http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-14828-3/christianity-truth-and-weakening-faith?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Slavoj Zizek, [*The Puppet and the Dwarf: The Perverse Core of Christianity*](http://mitpress.mit.edu/catalog/item/default.asp?ttype=2&tid=9914&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Slavoj Zizek, [*The Fragile Absolute: Or, Why Is the Christian Legacy Worth Fighting For?*](http://www.versobooks.com/books/tuvwxyz/xyz-titles/zizek%5Ffragile%5Fabsolute%5Fessential%5Fedn.shtml?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

**GENERAL SECONDARY SOURCES ON POSTMODERN**  

- Christopher Butler, [*Postmodernism: A Very Short Introduction*](http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/LiteratureEnglish/LiteraryTheory/?view=usa&ci=9780192802392&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Kevin Hart, [*Postmodernism: A Beginner's Guide*](http://www.oneworld-publications.com/cgi-bin/cart2/commerce.cgi?pid=226&log%5Fpid=yes&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Terry Eagleton, [*The Illusions of Postmodernism*](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0631203230.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Leszek Kolakowski, [*Modernity on Endless Trail*](http://www.press.uchicago.edu/presssite/metadata.epl?mode=synopsis&bookkey=60359&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Steven Connor (ed.), [*The Cambridge Companion to Postmodernism*](http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521648400&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Zygmunt Bauman, [*Liquid Modernity*](http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745624099)
- Charles Taylor, [*A Secular Age*](http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=28817&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Charles Taylor, [*Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity*](http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?recid=25604&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- David Harvey, [*The Conditions of Postmodernity: An Enquiry into the Origins of Cultural Change*](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0631162941.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

**SECONDARY SOURCES ON CHRISTIANITY AND POSTMODERNISM**  

- Carl R. Raschke, [*The Next Reformation: Why Evangelicals Must Embrace Postmodernity* ](http://www.bakeracademic.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=6FF2F1466BE14CB092258CE475FA7755&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Peter J. Leithart, [*Solomon Among the Postmoderns*](http://www.brazospress.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=C1D08EF9067542F3BBC816DC3CE8BEF6&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Myron B. Penner (ed.), [*Christianity and the Postmodern Turn: Six Views*](http://www.brazospress.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=32B4C6704B074B09924A22904B6352D4&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)(pay special attention to the essays by Kevin J. Vanhoozer, John R. Franke, James K. A. Smith, and Merold Westphal)
- Merold Westphal (ed.), [*Postmodern Philosophy and Christian Thought*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=21122&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Merold Westphal, [*Overcoming Onto-Theology: Toward a Postmodern Christian Faith*](http://www.fordhampress.com/detail.html?id=9780823221318&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Robert W. Webber, [*Ancient-Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelicalism for a Postmodern* World](http://www.brazospress.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=5B646B22B08A43B5AC043DA5478E4CF8&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Kevin J. Vanhoozer (ed.), [*The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology*](http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521793957&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Graham Ward (ed.),[*The Postmodern God: A Theological Reader*](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0631201416.html?ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Diogenes Allen, [*Christian Belief in a Postmodern World: The Full Wealth of Conviction*](http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Belief-Postmodern-World-Conviction/dp/0804206252/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1279239517&sr=1-1&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Frederiek Depoortere, [*Christ in Postmodern Philosophy: Gianni Vattimo, Rene Girard & Slavoj Zizek*](http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=131363&SearchType=Basic&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John D. Caputo & Linda Martin Alcoff (eds.), [*St. Paul Among the Philosophers*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=93167&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John Milbank, Slavoj Zizek & Creston Davis, [*Paul's New Moment: Philosophy and the Future of Christian Theology*](http://www.brazospress.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=ADFAD5A4E6444C54BA7481B53085B80B&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

**STUDIES OF POSTMODERN PHILOSOPHERS**  

- Bruce Ellis Benson, [*Graven Ideology: Nietzsche, Derrida & Marrion on Modern Idolatry*](http://www.amazon.com/Graven-Ideologies-Nietzsche-Derrida-Idolatry/dp/0830826793/ref=sr%5F1%5F1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279224572&sr=1-1&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Bruce Ellis Benson, [*Pious Nietzsche: Decadence and Dionysian Faith*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=51644&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John D. Caputo and Michael J. Scanlon (eds.), [*Augustine and Postmodernism: Confessions and Circumfession*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=22037&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Martin J. Matust'k and Merold Westphal (eds.), [*Kierkegaard in Post/Modernity*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=21397&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- Merold Westphal, [*Levinas and Kierkegaard in Dialogue*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=68411&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)
- John D. Caputo,[*The Prayers and Tears of Jacques Derrida: Religion without Religion*](http://www.iupress.indiana.edu/catalog/product%5Finfo.php?products%5Fid=20937&ref=mereorthodoxy.com)

\* Information on above image: Roy Lichtenstein, *Grrrrrrrrrrr!! (*1965)