By: Jean de Dieu Ndahiriwe on October 29, 2023
Introduction In his book “Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault,” author Stephen R. C. Hicks explores the philosophy of postmodernism and its effects on politics, cultural practices, and individual lives. Hicks argues that postmodernism, with its emphasis on skepticism and rejection of objective Truth, has its roots in the philosophical and political ideas of…
By: Michael O'Neill on October 27, 2023
Traffic is probable on a commute that I make each week, both ways. My two ridiculous-looking dogs (see below) and I leave consistently on Tuesdays in the evening, just as rush hour is in full throttle. I add to the congestion the next morning right on cue with thousands of other metro-Detroit, Ann Arbor, and…
By: Alana Hayes on October 27, 2023
Explaining Postmodernism: What is he talking about anyway? In his book “Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault,” author Stephen R. C. Hicks explores the philosophy of postmodernism and its effects on politics, cultural practices, and individual lives. His book takes a dive into the history, major figures, and contemporary ramifications of postmodernism.…
By: Chad McSwain on October 27, 2023
It is the moment that I can’t stop thinking about. It occurred during my ordination interviews in the dreaded Theology Room. I had written about the temptations of Jesus and offered an interpretation of Jesus struggling with self-reliance, power, and self-preservation. The critique came: “Being middle-class, would you read this story differently if you were…
By: Caleb Lu on October 27, 2023
There was a general hush over the room as our ultrasound technician took measurements for our first “growth scan”. The chipper answering of questions became a more muted “we’ll have to wait for the doctor to answer that”. We would discover in the following hour that the baby’s abdominal circumference was measuring small, an indicator…
By: Shonell Dillon on October 26, 2023
French lawyer, politician, and famous gastronome, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin became famous for the words‘‘Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es’’. These words were equivalent to what we now mimic when we say “you are what you eat” (‘Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are’).…
By: Jenny Steinbrenner Hale on October 26, 2023
My Mom’s eightieth birthday is this weekend. It will be the first time our extended family has been together since Christmas 2019, due to significant rifts that developed over Covid and political and cultural tensions. My family “derailed.”[1] Our postmodern climate, under pressure, created the perfect storm for a family clash between experience, reason, and…
By: Tonette Kellett on October 26, 2023
Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault by Stephen Hicks, to be honest, was a difficult book for me to read this week. It was long, and the print was tiny, and the topic was not one of my favorites to read about, to be perfectly frank. [1] To help me along the…
By: David Beavis on October 26, 2023
When you are in the boarding line behind your new transgender Icelandic witch friend waiting to board the plane, the conversation is far from boring. My wife and I were leaving Iceland after a vacation. As we were in line, we struck up a conversation with the person in front of us. Conversation with them[1]…
By: Sara Taylor Lattimore on October 26, 2023
Postmodernism and the history of thought could seem like a distant discussion from leadership, a more critical look is a reminder that our history and our development of identity and thought play a role in many parts of society including leadership. Questions As I picked up this book by Hicks, Explaining Postmodernism, I thought to…
By: Kristy Newport on October 25, 2023
Steven Hicks in Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault, takes his readers on a philosophical journey. The following is a conclusion the author makes about postmodernism: In postmodernism we find metaphysical antirealism, epistemological subjectivity, the placing of feeling at the root of all value issues, the consequent relativism of both knowledge and…
By: Becca Hald on October 25, 2023
My husband and I love going to the theater. Every year for our anniversary, we get season tickets. Last year, I was so excited to see Oklahoma! On the roster. I remember watching the movie of this musical growing up. I loved the fun, upbeat songs and cheerful melodies. We arrived at the theater for…
By: Laura Fleetwood on October 22, 2023
It was May 2020, the world was in lock down, and I watched the television in horror as news broke about a police man pressing a knee to George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 20 seconds. To have an authority figure who is supposed to protect you needlessly destroy you is a horror that…
By: Chad McSwain on October 22, 2023
“Our struggles are not only external, against laws and institution, but internal, against our own malformed habits, feelings, and values. In this sense, we all participate in dignity because we all struggle against domination.”[1] We all struggle. We struggle externally or internally, but we are struggling against something that seeks to dominate us.…
By: Daron George on October 21, 2023
Introduction: In a world of divisions and hierarchies, the quest for dignity and joy becomes a collective endeavor transcending color lines. Vincent Lloyd’s ‘Black Dignity’ is a philosophical exploration of racial justice and human dignity, revealing how affirming black dignity is intrinsic to recognizing inherent human worth. As we navigate nuanced terrains of racial activism…
By: Michael O'Neill on October 20, 2023
Black Dignity by Vincent Lloyd is a powerful and thought-provoking book that addresses the struggle against domination in a world marked by anti-Blackness.[1] As leaders in the Christian community, we find that this work offers valuable insights and lessons for understanding and participating in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and dignity. Lloyd’s exploration of domination…
By: Becca Hald on October 19, 2023
Two weeks before we got married, my husband and I drove to Sacramento to see his father, David. Andrew’s parents divorced when he was eight and he had not seen his dad in ten years. We went to church with David that weekend. Had we not been going to meet Andrew’s father; I likely would…
By: Jenny Steinbrenner Hale on October 19, 2023
“You may disagree on this point or that, but I invite you into the rough and tumble of ideas, guided by the call of justice.”[1] The Struggle Against Domination Author Vincent Lloyd boldly extends this invitation to readers in the preface of his book Black Dignity: The Struggle Against Domination. What follows is a multilayered…
By: Shonell Dillon on October 19, 2023
Black Dignity dig·ni·ty [ˈdiɡnədē] NOUN: the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect: similiar: stateliness, nobleness, nobility, majesty, regality a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect: similar: self-esteem, self-worth, self-respect, pride, morale The author opens with how poorly several African American heroes were treated. He noted names such as Paul Roberson and…
By: Caleb Lu on October 19, 2023
“Just take a look at the menu, that’s not authentic, it’s not real Chinese food”. I hear this from my friends (Chinese and oddly non-Chinese), I hear this from family, I hear my own voice echo this sentiment about certain Chinese restaurants. One such restaurant, China Town, is in the town my wife went to…
