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Title: Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in a Postmodern Context by Stanley J. Grenz, John R. Franke ISBN: 0664257690 Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press Pub. Date: November, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3.5

Rating: 2
Summary: Not What I Hoped
Comment: This was a tough read-- very theoretical and philosophical and sometimes convoluted. I found the lines of reasoning confusing and sometimes contradictory. Although many sections of the discussion are very well done, conclusions often do not seem to follow from the arguments.

Authors are attempting to arrive at a set of principles for doing theology in the present "postmodern" era, but stop at articulating the principles without really offering concrete examples of how those principles would be properly applied. That is, they give no examples of the final theological ideas that would emerge from applying these principles. Thus, although I sensed they are laying the groundwork for a further agenda, it is not clear to me what it is. The devil is in the details-- the specifics-- and this book is short on specific applications of the principles it offers. I found myself agreeing on many of their broadly stated summary points, but suspicious at many other points that they are simply preparing to repackage conservative, evangelical, "Bible-believing" dogma in some new lingo-wrapping the old in a lot of smoke-and-mirrors talk about the new.

I found value in the surveys of recent and current theological perspectives and conceptual development presented with each topic.

Rather than moving "beyond foundationalism"-- a proposition I find somewhat dubious-- the authors might actually just be offering a new set of foundations that are not all that different from some of the old ones. In particular, they seem to accord the Bible ultimate authority. While I think they make some good points, I don't think they have identified the principles that can move Christian thought toward more integrity and relevance. Too much head and not enough heart and soul.

Rating: 5
Summary: Up-to-date(ing) Evangelical theology
Comment: As a pastor (from a fundamentalist and Neo-orthodox background) who tries to keep up with what is going on in theology, I found this a fascinating read. Written from an evangelical point of view, it is a very sophisticated engagement with a wide range of theology, past and present. Each chapter has excellent historical background to introduce present theological engagements, as a prelude to the authors' own development of the topic. There is a stead critique of the failure of the Enlightment project and of foundationalisms, including evangelical foundationalisms regarded as inadequate in the post-modern context. The discussion of epistemology was very interesting, especially Reformed epistemology. (I have already ordered W. Jay Wood's Epistemology: Becoming Intellectually Virtuous; part of the value of the book to me is new leads to explore). There is also much dialogue with Pannenberg, about whom Grenz has written a great deal. The discussions of the Trinity and of the place of community are very well done. The book is well written and has helped bring me to date on what I think will be an ongoing area of theological work, (more especially by evangelicals?) It would be interesting to see these authors' evaluation of Milbank and Radical Orthodoxy. However I can imagine that a lot of evangelicals are a bit alarmed as to where all this is going.

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