Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 17:32 (Spring 2004)
Article: Periodical Reviews
Author: Anonymous

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JOTGES 17:32 (Spring 2004) p. 105

Periodical Reviews

By the Members of the Grace Evangelical Society

“The Hermeneutics of Noncessationism,” Robert L. Thomas, The Master’s Seminary Journal (Fall 2003): 287-310.

While this article is ostensibly dealing with the interpretive methods of those who believe the signs gifts continue today, it is quite helpful in dealing with modern hermeneutics practiced in most “traditions.” His discussion of the ideas of community hermeneutics, preunderstandings, single versus multiple meanings, and reader-response hermeneutics are extremely helpful.

This article is well worth reading in order to better understand hermeneutics in general, the hermeneutics of noncessationism, and the theology of noncessationism. I highly recommend it.

Robert N. Wilkin
Editor
Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Irving, TX

“Rethinking an Evangelical Response to Postmodernism: A Critique and Proposal,” Rodrigo de Sousa, Presbyterion (Fall 2003): 94-102.

When the terrorist attacks occurred in 2001, many hailed 9/11 as the death of postmodernity. This belief was born out of the fact that many believe that the twentieth century was in fact its genesis. For this reason, De Sousa wrote this article in order to “challenge, to some extent, these assumptions” for he believes “they reveal a failure to understand postmodernism and to provide a response that would enable the church to interact meaningfully with our culture” (p. 94). Thus, his thesis is that “in order to engage properly in the postmodern debate, we must recognize and reject the Nietzschean concept of genealogy and, at the same time, we must develop a clearer understanding of the hermeneutical nature of theology” (p. 95).

JOTGES 17:32 (Spring 2004) p. 106

De Sousa does not believe that pluralism is at the heart of the debate. For “if philosophical pluralism were the real enemy, postmodernism could easily be dismissed” (p. 96). He believes that pluralism and relativism are major problems, but the heart of the issue is “the existence (or non-existence) of something upon which truth can stand, of an overarching metaphysical reality that goes beyond the boundaries of human perception and gives coherence and meaning to reality” (p. 97). De Sousa attributes this philosophy to Nietzsche’s death of God movement. He writes, “Nietzsche saw that if God is dead, there is no ground for truth, for then we are left with no ultimate metaphysical reality, no basis for determining what is right or wrong…what we are left with is the responsibility of construing our own truth” (p. 99). Thus, “a proper evangelical response...

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