Synopsis
The author, a
professor of religion and philosophy, offers a "critiqueof theology
and science in the postmodern world (i.e., the 20th century). . .. {His
thesis} is that modernity is characterized by a loss of faith in
transcendence, rendering the modern mind misshapen, dwarfed and flat. .
. . {He} challenges the value-free assumptions and easy forswearing of
metaphysics {he finds} so common throughout academe. Smith uses his
thesis to show what has happened to ethical thought in the 20th century
and . . . to modern art, which hefeels is without any subject matter and
without any integrative vision." (Christ Century) Index.
Publisher
How to transcend
materialistic psychology and science. Updated edition.
Jean Fritz -
Choice
Although
individually very interesting, well written, and (in part) valuable, the
chapters were not adequately edited into a collection, and there is a
great deal of repetition. . . . The last chapter reprints a 1961 sermon
in which Smith suggested that beyond the post-modern mind lies a
rediscovery of the importance of religion, using religion in a way that
was novel and appropriate 20 years ago. That is, he seeks a common
denominator among all the world religions and finds it in love. . . . In
addition, Smith views world religions from the perspective of a
Buddhist-Hindu eclecticism. . . . Possibly useful forgeneral readers . .
. knowledgeable about Indian religion.
Barry L.
Whitney - Journal of the American Academy of Religion
This book may be
regarded as a companion to the author's Forgotten Truth {BRD 1977}, for
much of the present book is a reworking (or better, a review and running
commentary) of its key points. There is, furthermore, despite the fluid
and often poetic nature of the present book, much irritating repetition
and a distinct lack of ordered wholeness.
Walter D.
Wagoner - The Christian Century
This volume is
composed of 11 chapters, each written as a separate article over the
past 20 years, with eight written in the past three years. Although they
overlap slightly, the reader doesn't feel that the collection is a
miscellany. The thesis is approached from a variety of engaging avenues.
. . . Smith, with his close and informed knowledge of modern science and
scientism, does not lapse into making them scapegoats. . . . While he is
very sharp in thisportrayal of the empty universe that is being produced
by post-modern thought, he is even more concerned to argue for the
validity of a transcendent theology, with all that that means for
intrinsic values, purpose, universal meaning,quality and imagination.
Beyond
the Post-Modern Mind