James K.A. Smith: “Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism: Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church”

This video has absolutely nothing to do with the book. It’s quite obvious that both of these guys have never read it themselves, and that they are scrambling to find something relevant to say, which results in some unrefined discussion about what “postmodernism” is (which, of course, is very different than the definition Smith gives). Nonetheless, it is quite amusing. David Bruce, the main guy, seems incapable of not smiling, which made me smile the whole time myself. He seemed to find the book laughable. That’s funny, since I thought the same thing about the accuracy of the review.

The book itself is a really good primer for an introduction to the philosophical foundations of postmodernism. Unlike the reviewer in the video above, Smith makes the distinction between “postmodernism” (philosophical thought) and “postmodernity” (cultural ramifications). When David Bruce talks about being in more of a constructive era having moved on from postmodernism, he was right to say that postmodernism is a critique of modernism, and a deconstruction of it. However, regarding his views of being in the “creative era” that is beyond postmodernism, Smith would undoubtedly place those cultural exemplifications in the realm of postmodernity , which is truthfully “hyper-modernism” as just an extension of modernism. Smith also does not see it as helpful to pinpoint a historical time when postmodernism came about (which David Bruce would have known if he had read the book). Although it was not as quick of a read as Bruce seemed to suggest (how would he know anyway?), it does have accommodating language for the student who has never studied these things. It is particularly helpful that at the beginning of each chapter Smith takes the time to delve into a movie or book that illustrates the philosophical principles he’s explaining. The last chapter of the book presents a practical embodiment for the church to actively engage in the positive aspects of postmodern thought, ending with a narrative vision of what the church could look like.