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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Apologetics Application Paper on Postmodernism
Submitted to Dr. John Knox, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the completion of the course,
APOL 500-B06
Introduction to Apologetics
by
Jeremiah Beard
July 3, 2020
Contents
Introduction… ................................................................................................................. 1
Summary of the Postmodern Worldview ..................................................................... 2
Ultimate Reality… .............................................................................................. 2
Source of Authority… .......................................................................................... 3
Human Beings ..................................................................................................... 3
Source of Morality… .......................................................................................... 4
Evaluation of the Postmodern Worldview ....................................................................4
The Purpose to Be Explained ............................................................................... 5
The Factual Adequacy… ...................................................................................... 5
Existential Viability… ......................................................................................... 6
Internal Logic Consistency .................................................................................. 6
Evaluation of Christianity ............................................................................................. 7
Logical Consistency… ......................................................................................... 8
The Factual Adequacy… ...................................................................................... 8
Existential Viability… ......................................................................................... 9
Explanation of What Is-Ought to Be Explained… ................................................ 9
Defense of Christianity .................................................................................................. 9
Defense of the Issue of Evil ...............................................................................10
Defense of the Jesus Resurrection… .................................................................. 11
Conclusion… ................................................................................................................ 11
Bibliography….............................................................................................................. 13
1
Introduction
Postmodernism is a counteraction of the known philosophies that at one point
determined the nature and reality. The philosophical viewpoint of postmodernism offers a
specific way through which the developers of the movement would be able to reject all
that accepted and assumed to be the reality and nature. In all dimensions, it would be an
easy act in a specific way in complete contrast with what would be seen as a source of
truth. The exploration of postmodernism is not possible without creating a common
ground through which the specific attributes would be recognized in the philosophical
viewpoints. The biggest goals that are adopted at any point in time that shows a common
view of a negative contrast of the general comprehension of normal life in society. There
are varied arguments that make up the level of influence on how things have to be staged
in the explanation of why things have to be the way they are oriented in the contemplation
in the incorporation of the specific instruments of nature at any level of interacting with
knowledge.
The incorporation of all the necessary aspects of interest in the definition of the
specific contributions of instrumenting a new way of reasoning to argue against the norms
in society. The paper explores the worldview of postmodernism by creating a defense
line on how effective it is defining reality and nature. After that, the paper will explore the
Christianity view of postmodernism.1 The last will explore the defense of Christianity on
the impossibilities brought by postmodernism and its benefits. Postmodernism is one of
the philosophical viewpoints that asserts to reject developments of art, since and any other
aspect of reality to make them useless irrelevant in the way culture is optimized to follow
a particular school of thinking from the ordinary.
1 Dana BADULESCU, "The Hybrids Of Postmodernism", Postmodern Openings 5, no. 3 (2014):
9-20, doi:10.18662/po/2014.0503.01.
2
Summary of the Postmodern Worldview
The worldview of postmodernism shows a specific alienation from the support of
truth and facts that are developed through science and objectivity of nature. There are
varied viewpoints that are set to explain why things have to be the way they are at any
point in time. The conceptual thinking of what reality is all about is the course of
interaction between reality and nature that is a different assertion from the once held
perceptions about the same ideologies. The assertions of the worldview on
postmodernism are an explanation of why somethings have to take place in a specific but
rejecting the facts that tell more about the scientific or reality proves about the same.2
The worldview shows there is nothing that is controlled by other powers other than what
is found inside the specific objectives in the platforms of interest. The way things take
place is determined by a power that is found within the reality and not from supernatural
powers. The postmodernism exalts the fact that there is no existence of God in society.
The role played by every element in the world today is not defined by a supernatural
power vested in God.3 Postmodernism rejects all foundation's truth and facts that build on
the specific aspects of explaining reality and nature. Creating the definition of
postmodernism would only be possible through the use of the summary developed below.
Ultimate Reality
There is nothing defined as the ultimate reality and it is a hard task to explain
postmodernism in the worldview. The lack of meaning of reality gives the contestation of
if the ultimate nature of reality exists in the first place. Developing the insights of
2 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
3 Anna Kostikova, "Postmodernism: A Feminist Critique", Metaphilosophy 44, no. 1-2 (2013): 24-
28, doi:10.1111/meta.12008.
3
postmodernism shows the lack of truth in an elementary scope of the ideas about reality.
When the definition of truth is not well-established shows there is a common ground that
is instrumental in the realization of the concerns that ensure all that is required in the
creation of reality about truth or absolute reality.4 Absolute reality is usually a delusion in
the worldview. Given the issues of postmodernism about science and modern philosophy,
it is easy to conclude that worldview suggests there is no link to the facts provided by the
duo. Postmodernism asserts that it is not possible to prove the truth about reality it is an
illusion. The development of the ways to prove reality will only complicate the idea being
proven in the process. It is not possible to explain the truth about reality with the
worldview of postmodernism.
Source of Authority
Postmodernism concludes that the only source of power is relative and situational.
Everything that happens in nature is driven by relative power that is devised inside the
elements in context.5 It is only possible to realize situational energy that is made factual
by the realization of the contextual way of relying on the source of power that is found
within. It seems impossible to have the ultimate authority to exist in reality as the truth is
also non-existent.
Human Beings
Naturalism lies in the ability of humans to interpret and reason about materials as
per their quest. Modern philosophy and science form a ground through which reality and
4 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
5 Anna Kostikova, "Postmodernism: A Feminist Critique", Metaphilosophy 44, no. 1-2 (2013): 24-
28, doi:10.1111/meta.12008.
4
its absolute truth exist but postmodernism rejects them.6 The incorporation of a varied
way of communication through which the nature of reality is attributed gives a more
complex way to express the nature of absolute truth in its factual way of explanation as a
new viewpoint. Human nature is only limited to the individuality of life and not an
element of nature. Truth does not exist so is the human power in the specific elements of
interest.
Source of Morality
One major challenge in the explanation of what morality is in
postmodernism is the fact that there is no reference point to the truth. Based on the fact
that truth is relative the cause and influence of every element of communication are based
on the fact that there is no possible existence of a varied way of the commitment of
humans in accepting divine source of morality.7 The biggest dilemma is the way
postmodernism is unable to offer a solution to the existence of a source of power to relate
morality and human existence.
Evaluation of the Postmodern Worldview
The worldview of postmodernism is limited in that it does not offer a common
ground through which operations of reality would be accounted for in the specific levels
of comprehension. The interaction between human and material is limited in terms of the
epistemological perspective in the given levels of postmodernism. The way things are
viewed is not the way they are in reality. Using Douglas Groothuis's explanation of the
6 Anna Kostikova, "Postmodernism: A Feminist Critique", Metaphilosophy 44, no. 1-2 (2013): 24-
28, doi:10.1111/meta.12008.
7 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
5
worldview of postmodernism it will be easy to dissect the evaluation of the issue.8 The
most important aspect explained through Douglas attributes are.
The Purpose to Be Explained
Postmodernism fails to have an exact explanation of its existence. All adaptations
of the core developments have to score a modest way of evaluating the elementary way of
perception of what forms the worldview of things. There is always a level of commitment
through which the different parameters of interest evolve in the correlation of the core
views about the ultimate source of authority that in the first place is not existent.9 If there
is no source of power, it means the viewpoint of the world in terms of postmodernism is
an expression of blurred cause and effect of elements in existence. The biggest limitation
is the fact that most of the arguments are not straightforward to explain why and how
things ought to be in the same orientations in life.
The Factual Adequacy
The facts developed in the postmodernism offers no solution to the exact
contributions of interest in the specific levels of communicating its purpose. The
worldview exhibits some limitations on the idea of relying on a specific form of influence
through which specific attributes of God that are not recognized at any point.10 As per the
postmodernism worldview, it is possible to rule out that God is not part of the equation
reality and nature that does not exist in the first place. The controversy evident makes it
8 Douglas R Groothuis, Christian Apologetics, n.d.
9 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
10 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
6
hard to come up with an overall explanation as to why it will be hard to assert reality is
and has an impact on what happens in nature. The ideal way to define truth is by stating
it does not exist. The postmodernism worldview does not explain how things take place
at every point as there is no power that is not impactful in the reality of life. The
assertions from the postmodernist arguments are not factual to stand the test of time on
what they ought to support in the first place.
Existential Viability
Postmodernism has left everyone out without answers on the reality and truth
about the things that matter most in human life. There are big gaps that have been evident
in the explanation of the things that matter most. The issue is that all the elements of
influence in every point in time show there is a level of communication that lacks the
philosophical argument. The lack of explanation of the meaning of morality, mortality,
and reality makes it hard to achieve the ultimate goals of postmodernism.11 It means that
the arguments are void of any explanation of the most important aspects of life in society.
The moment there is a problem of ideological differences it means all the other ideas are
not of any value. The things that define human and nature are rejected in postmodernism
stripping off it of its relevance in society. When what is believed to be true is not
supported it will be hard to have a baseline of defining reality and truth which is an issue
evident in the worldview of postmodernism.
Internal Logic Consistency
11 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
7
The lack of logical consistency is one limitation that makes postmodernism to fail
to explain its purpose in the first place.12 The moment the arguments brought forward are
not supported by the right aspects of communication it is impossible to link the situation
to any possible meaning in the particular areas of interest. Postmodernism is based on
relativism and truth based on the situation and culture. It means that there is no particular
definition of truth and reality. The introduction of a different viewpoint makes it hard to
achieve an explanation of why things are the way they are in the world. It is absurd in that
every level of communication in the postmodernism makes it hard to understand its
primary goal in its development. The definitions provided in the current aspects of
postmodernism gives no possible solution to the ideologies at every point in time.13 There
is always a need to explain the cause of alarm in the creation of a philosophical argument
of which is lacking in this context.
Evaluation of Christianity
Christianity is evaluated about the way the worldviews of postmodernism are
evaluated. The baseline of Christianity is a solid faith and trust is the supreme God who
owns and controls the universe. At any point in life, the truth and facts about life are all
based on the existence of one supreme God.14 The development of Christianity
apologetics is all about the utilization of factual and real explanations about the issues of
worldview in a Christian way. All perceptions that have been deduced about human
12 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
13 Karys Harbour, "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And Postmodernism-Is
Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?", Motifs : An International Journal Of English
Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7, doi:10.5958/2454-1753.2017.00002.2.
14 Toby F. Coley, "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word, Image, And
Beyond", Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559, doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
8
existence are in line with the characteristic way of unification of living abilities. The
Christianity view of defining postmodernism gives an actual reference point that would
be used in the realization of all necessary attributes through which the existence of
humans is based.15 The following analysis offers a good starting point in the development
of the correct viewpoint in Christianity.
Logical Consistency
Logical consistency is well established in the Christianity view of human
existence and reality. According to Christianity, there is a reason why things are oriented
the way they are all the time as per the divine cause of defining God’s plan for
humanity.16 Everything that takes place in nature is controlled and determined by truth
and in line with the known truth and facts. There is always a consistent way through
which things can be explained. The postmodernist arguments are all developed and
accounted for by what humans know and controlled by the truth. According to Genesis 1
NKJV, the order that God had in creation is what defines how things happen in society.
Factual Adequacy
Factual adequacy in the Christianity view is well established through the bible. All
evidence why the existence of humans is the way it is well provided. The truth is well
outlined in the bible and people have to act according to the set reality. There are definite
boundaries that humans have to adhere to all the time for things to work the way they are
supposed. The narration in the bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament is
proof of how things have come to be in a specific way.17 The attribute that has to be
15 Douglas R Groothuis, Christian Apologetics, n.d.
16 Toby F. Coley, "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word, Image, And
Beyond", Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559, doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
17 Douglas R Groothuis, Christian Apologetics, n.d.
9
managed at every point in time. The orientation of information in the Bible gives support
to support what is known about reality, truth, and facts about humanity.
Existential Viability
Human existence as well as nature is based on the story of creation that is viable
as per the Christianity doctrines. The most important element in the development of
nature is all about the realization of the core standards in particular schemes.18 The course
of life is outlined in the bible and accomplished through Jesus' mission to save humanity
in every level of commitment. There is always a level of communication aids in the
utilization of the story of redemption. The truth is based on Jesus Christ's redemption in
the level of communication that the bible offers in a specific manner.
Explanation of What Is-Ought to Be Explained
Christianity apologetics offers a way of explaining all aspects of interest in the
utilization of the code of commitment at any point in time. The idea is that all ideas are
explained well through the use of the bible. Christianity explains the way things happen is
in line with the adoption of the specific concepts of reality.19 The guide on what to do and
why things take place in nature is known and explained succinctly.
Defense of Christianity
Christians face major struggles in the explanation of why some things like evil
exist when they claim the existence of a good God. The level of defending the reality of
18 Liran Razinsky, "Psychoanalysis And Postmodernism: A Response To Dr. Jon Mills’S
“Challenging Relational Psychoanalysis: A Critique Of Postmodernism And Analyst
Selfdisclosure”", Psychoanalytic Perspectives 14, no. 3 (2017): 356-363,
doi:10.1080/1551806x.2017.1342417.
19 Toby F. Coley, "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word, Image, And
Beyond", Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559, doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
10
Christianity is an aspect that has to offer an adequate claim about the onset of evil and
why it exists in the same time with good God.20 On the same platform, there are any
issues to have answers to like the truth about Jesus’ resurrection.
Defense of the Issue of Evil
The conflict between the worldview and Christianity on the existence of evil in
the presence of a good God is only possible through the use of Biblical arguments. The
answer to the question about the existence of evil is the onset of sin that humans brought
to themselves in the garden of Eden after disobeying God. The initiation of sin as evident
in Genesis 3:14-19 is the primary source of evil that rules the world. However, the
redemption of humans from evil was possible through Jesus Christ who is God and took
human flesh to die for the sin and reconcile humanity to God. The reconciliation of
humans with God is the answer to fighting evil and stay away and be good as God as
evident in Romans 5:17.
Christians should adopt an apologetic gesture and defend the truth about the
existence of evil while God is good in the first place. The main point is all about the
realization of a specific scope of defining the way God allows humans to choose the way
to follow in society. The contributions of sin to the definition of evil is the key element
that will prevent one from being a subject of evil. At each point, the requirements of
human behavior are all about the need to create a level of informed and confident way to
rebuke sin in a specific manner. Evil is a choice humans have control over by accepting
the salvation that Jesus brought in context.21 The optimization of the course of
20 Douglas R Groothuis, Christian Apologetics, n.d.
21 Toby F. Coley, "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word, Image, And
Beyond", Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559, doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
11
communication in every avenue is all about the incorporation of the set schemes of
informing the key players in the context.
Defense to Jesus Resurrection
Christianity is void without the death and resurrection as outlined in the New
Testament at different instances about the conformity of Jesus to redeem humanity from
sin. In Mathew 16:21 gives the testimony of Jesus to his disciples that death is inevitable
for him and resurrect in the third to save humans from sin. The development of the
resurrection analogy is possible given there are needs of requirements in Christianity life.
The birth of Jesus as a man and death was a plan to save humans from sin. As a Christian,
it is usually important to address all arguments against the resurrection of Jesus as it is the
basis of Christianity. The development of Christianity apologetics is all about the
utilization of factual and real explanations about the issues of worldview in a Christian
way.22 All perceptions that have been deduced about human existence are in line with the
characteristic way of unification of living abilities. The only way to explain Christianity
is through the use of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
Postmodernism is one of the philosophical viewpoints that asserts to reject
developments of art, since and any other aspect of reality to make them useless irrelevant
in the way culture is optimized to follow a particular school of thinking from the ordinary.
The worldview does not explain the way things are oriented. However, the Christianity
view on postmodernism offers an accurate way of communication concerning the true
nature of human existence and why things have to be the way they are at any point in
22 Toby F. Coley, "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word, Image, And
Beyond", Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559, doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
12
time. The overall explanation of why things have to be the way they are through science
and Christianity view offers the solution. The main issue that is explained through the
optimization of the reality about nature and human existence. The use of Christianity
apologetics offers a modest way through which information is outlined at any point in
time. Postmodernism alone is unable to offer a solution in explaining what, why, when
and how things are the way they are questions.
Bibliography
13
BADULESCU, Dana. "The Hybrids Of Postmodernism". Postmodern
Openings 5, no. 3 (2014): 9-20. doi:10.18662/po/2014.0503.01.
Coley, Toby F. "Kyoko Yuasa, C. S. Lewis And Christian Postmodernism: Word,
Image, And Beyond". Christianity & Literature 66, no. 3 (2017): 556-559.
doi:10.1177/0148333117692860.
Groothuis, Douglas R. Christian Apologetics, n.d.
Harbour, Karys. "A Comparison And Contrast Between Modernism And
Postmodernism-Is Postmodernism A Logical Outcome Of Modernism?". Motifs : An
International Journal Of English Studies 3, no. 1 (2017): 7. doi:10.5958/2454-
1753.2017.00002.2.
Kostikova, Anna. "Postmodernism: A Feminist Critique". Metaphilosophy 44, no.
1-2 (2013): 24-28. doi:10.1111/meta.12008.
Razinsky, Liran. "Psychoanalysis And Postmodernism: A Response To Dr. Jon
Mills’S “Challenging Relational Psychoanalysis: A Critique Of Postmodernism And
Analyst Selfdisclosure”". Psychoanalytic Perspectives 14, no. 3 (2017): 356-363.
doi:10.1080/1551806x.2017.1342417.
