This is sermon #94 in the Luke series. In this sermon on Luke 22:54-62 Dave preaches on sin, grace, repentance, and a life of humble obedience to God.

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Part one of this series can be found here: "I. A Summary of Postmodernism from David Wells."

This is part 2 of our 13-part series over "Postmodernism: the Air we Breathe."  Today, we read a helpful, detailed description of postmodernism from Stephen Wellum.

 

I have completed 4 courses under Dr. Wellum, 2 in my M.Div. and 2 in my Th.M.  I must say that he has a sincere, consistent passion to know God, and to make Him known.  He stands unashamedly on the inerrant Word of God as he preaches and teaches from its pages God the Son incarnate.  I appreciate Dr. Wellum’s willingness to stand and defend the faith once delivered to the Saints.  He has always shown me Christ-like kindness.  I’m indebted to his ministry, as are the Southern Baptists I serve as Pastor.  As a result, I asked Dr. Wellum 4 questions concerning Postmodernism in hope that he could help shed some light on the subject for us.  His answers are outstanding!  So much so, that there are many sentences he writes below that are quote-worthy. 

Dr. Wellum, thank you for participating in this interview.

Bio from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Professor of Christian Theology (1999); Editor, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology

Dr. Wellum comes to Southern from Associated Canadian Theological Schools and Northwest Baptist Theological College and Seminary where he taught theology since 1996. He has also served as a senior pastor and interim pastor in South Dakota and Kentucky as well as a conference speaker at various engagements in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom. Dr. Wellum has written numerous journal articles and book reviews for various publications including the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, and the Reformation and Revival Journal.

1. What is Postmodernism?

The term “postmodernism” has become somewhat of a buzzword today, at least for the last twenty years. It is used across the academic disciplines, primarily in the humanities and especially now in the theological disciplines including the study of hermeneutics. Interestingly in recent days, there are some who are now saying that “postmodernism” is on the way out.[1] Before we agree with that assessment it is necessary first to define clearly what we mean by the term, even though postmoderns strongly resist the notion that any description or definition of it can be given! Let us think of what postmodernism is in two ways.

First, in terms of the schematizing of western intellectual history, postmodernism is what comes after or post- “modernism.” Of course, this raises the important question: What precisely is “modernism” that “postmodernism” is reacting to? Generally speaking, “modernism” is best identified with the spirit of the Enlightenment, or the “age of reason.” Even here we have to be careful since “modernism” is not monolithic and it spans a long period of time, but there are some features of it which allow us to speak of “modernism” as an overall viewpoint.

From a Christian view, modernism reflects the Enlightenment spirit that man has come of age, thrown off the shackles of the “dark ages” (associated with the medieval era and primarily a theological interpretation of reality), and now made himself the ultimate starting point in how to determine the true, the good, and the beautiful apart from direct dependence upon the Christian God and his Word-revelation. Instead of attempting to ground all knowledge in God, the “age of reason” walks the road of human autonomy as it famously “turns...

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