Postmodern views of religion To express an understanding

Postmodern views of religion. To express an understanding of ‘postmodernism’. To explore postmodern interpretations of religion. To evaluate the postmodern threat to religion. Meta Narrative: One account of reality which is objectively true whether you believe it or not. Modernism: In every area of life there is a single truth which can be discovered by reason and experience. Modernists claim there is a single correct meta narrative be it a theist one or an atheist one. • Do Now: Come up with some examples of Meta Narratives within religions. Every religion has multiple. • What is the Meta Narrative for Atheism? • What could be two modernist approaches to religion?

Post Modernism – ‘After modernism’. • Now you know what modernism is, what might postmodernism? • From the quote below do you think postmodernism is a friendly environment for atheism? • What challenges might this approach have for traditional religious belief? • What benefits might this have for traditional religious belief? “For postmodernists every society is in a state of constant change; there are no absolute values, only relative ones; nor are there any absolute truths. ” Add to your answers using p. 61 in your reading pack.

Emile Durkheim: ‘religion is the product of the society in which it developed’. Alister Mc. Grath: ‘There is no truth, only truths, there is no grand reason only reasons’. There is no grand narrative of human progress only countless stories of where people and their cultures are now’. John Caputo: ‘Religion cannot be proven, it has a deep seated agnostic element. Religion must be expressed through actions rather than doctrine. A Christian must express what they believe about love for their neighbour, there is no point telling people about it, rather it must be acted out. Don Cupitt: “The best we can do fulfil our desires by exploring imaginatively a wide variety of approaches to a spiritual life”. The four postmodern views of religion are: 1. Religion as a spiritual search. 2. Religion as a cultural construct. 3. No right or wrong religion. 4. Living religion rather than intellectual faith Match each one of these to the quotes.

Task 1: Complete this sheet with postmodern approaches to religion. Task 2: Colour code the points on the grid into: 1. Reasons why postmodern approaches can be seen to support religion. 2. Reasons why postmodern approaches threaten traditional religion.

Assess the view that Postmodernism is a threat to religion. 12 marks Evaluate the view that Postmodernism is an affirmation of religion. (30 Marks). In your response to this question, you must include how developments in Philosophy of Religion have been influenced by one of the following: • Religion and Ethics. • New Testament Studies. • The study of Religion.