Re: question

*Full-blown postmodernism claims that such meta-narratives
are not even possible. *
**
Franke distinguishes between a "metanarrative" and a "meganarrative." A
"meganarrative" is a "grand story" such as the Christian narrative.
"Meganarratives" in themselves are fine, and Christian theology, whether
postmodern or not, affirms the Christian meganarrative.

A "metanarrative" is a narrative that entails both a meganarrative and a
claim to legitimate the meganarrative "by an appeal to universal, autonomous
reason." (Franke at p. 18). "Meta," Franke says, signals not the size or
scope of the narrative, but the level of discourse with which it deals. A
"meta" narrative deals both with second-level discourse about the world (the
Christian narrative or some other narrative) and first-level discourse about
how second-level discourse is justified (by "universal, autonomous reason").

Franke argues that the postmodern suspicion of metanarratives, understood
this way, can be a legitimate and welcome aspect of Christian faith. I
think this reflects his Reformed roots, which include a presuppositional
epistemic stance and its related critique of "universal, autonomous" human
reason (he mentions Plantinga and Wolterstorff approvingly in the same
section, p. 20). He says critics of postmodern theology who claim the
postmodern critique of "metanarratives" contradicts Christian faith --
because, they argue, Christianity is a "metanarrative" -- are missing the
more technical meaning of the term "metanarrative." This sounds reasonable
to me, but I'm not well-versed enough in Lyotard's and other pomo thinkers'
usage of "metanarrative" to know whether Franke's use of the term is
consistent with theirs.

On 6/7/06, Rich Blinne <rich.blinne@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/7/06, David Opderbeck <dopderbeck@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > Another interesting resource that I've just about finished: John
Franke's
> > "The Character of Theology: A Postconservative Evangelical Approach."
> > Franke writes from a Reformed perspective, but also as an evangelical
who
> > wishes to engage the "postmodern" turn. Interestingly, Franke's book
has a
> > back-cover blurb from Enns -- I wonder if Enns would identify with the
> > "postconservative" movement in evangelicalism. Franke and Enns
certainly
> > seem to make some similar arguments. Many I'm sure will disagree, but I
> > think the "postconservative" stream of evangelicalism is promising and
that
> > the rethinking of foundationalist epistemology is a good thing. So here
is
> > what Franke (a Prof. at Biblical Seminary) says about accomodation, with
a
> > "postmodern" twist:
> >
> >
> > We begin by asserting that God does not break through language and
> > situatedness. Rather, he enters into the linguistic setting and uses
> > languge in the act of revelation as a means of accomodation to the
situation
> > and situatedness of human beings This position arises out of
theological
> > commitments that are Christian and Reformed. The church has long
maintained
> > the distinction between finite human knowledge and divine
knowledge. Even
> > revelation does not provide human beings with a knowledge that
corresponds
> > to that of God. The infinite qualitative distinction between God and
human
> > beings suggests the accomodated character of all human knowledge of god.
> > For John Calivn, this means that in the process of revelation God
'adjusts'
> > and 'descends' to the capacties of human beings in order to reveal the
> > infinite mysteries of divine reality....
> >
>
> This appears to be moderately postmodern. Accomodationism presupposes
> that some of the so-called meta-narrative gets through because God
> makes it so. Full-blown postmodernism claims that such meta-narratives
> are not even possible. In such a scheme, God does not accomodate us at
> all and we are on our own trying to find truth. I agree that this has
> promise IF the postmodernism latent in this is as moderate as it
> appears at first blush. Some of the emerging church philosophies don't
> stop here so be looking for that in the book.
>
Received on Wed Jun 7 10:50:11 2006