Pentecostalism,
Postmodernism, and
Reformed Epistemology

Pentecostalism,
Postmodernism, and
Reformed Epistemology

James K. A. Smith and
the Contours of a Postmodern
Christian Epistemology

Yoon Shin

Foreword by J. Aaron Simmons

LEXINGTON BOOKS

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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Shin, Yoon, author.

Title: Pentecostalism, postmodernism, and reformed epistemology : James K. A. Smith and the contours of a postmodern Christian epistemology / Yoon Shin ; foreword J. Aaron Simmons.

Description: Lanham, Maryland : Lexington Books, [2022] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2021043427 (print) | LCCN 2021043428 (ebook) | ISBN 9781793638748 (cloth) | ISBN 9781793638755 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Smith, James K. A., 1970- | Pentecostalism. | Philosophical theology. | Reformed epistemology. | Postmodernism—Religious aspects—Christianity. | Christian philosophy.

Classification: LCC BX4827.S577 S55 2021 (print) | LCC BX4827.S577 (ebook) | DDC 289.9/4—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021043427

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021043428

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.

To Esther, Ezra, Micah, and Sophia

Who have endured my absence with patience and love

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part 1: Smith’s Pentecostal Epistemology

1 Pentecostal Spirituality and Postmodernism

2 Pentecostal Epistemology

3 Pretheory, Theory, and Their Integrated Relationship

Part 2: Smith’s Postmodern Epistemology

4 Postmodern Hermeneutic Epistemology

5 Smith the Relativist?

6 Against Narrative, Affective Knowledge

Part 3: Reformed and Postmodern Epistemology

7 Plantinga’s Reformed Epistemology

8 Warranted Christian Belief

9 Reformed Epistemology, Postmodernism, and a Way Forward

Conclusion: Contours of a Postmodern Christian Epistemology

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Foreword

“The Views from Somewhere”

I once noted in a footnote somewhere that I thought there was important work to be done showing the ways in which Reformed Epistemology (RE) and postmodern philosophy were resources for each other. In that footnote, as I recall, I cited another footnote by James K. A. Smith who had said ...