Solomon Among the Postmoderns: A Summary and Review

Solomon among the Postmoderns by Peter Leithart

Overview

Solomon among the postmoderns is a short book written as an examination of the  historical/political/sociological/theoretical phenomena known as “postmodernism,” and  its correlation with Solomon’s discourse in the book of Ecclesiastics” ( the phrase, “there  is nothing new under the sun” seems quite fitting). What makes Leithart’s book distinct  from the plethora of literature already written on the matter is his particular approach to  the subject, commenting, “i increasingly found that eschatology is far more central to  postmodernism, and to the Christian response to postmodernism, than epistemology” (p.12).

The author’s thesis is in-fact Solomon’s thesis, “…vanity of vanity! All is vanity.” However Leithart’s translation of this well known phrase slightly differs from the traditional reading. “The Hebrew word ‘hebel,’ often translated as ‘vanity’ or–absurdly–as ‘meaninglessness’ (NIV), literally means ‘vapor’ or ‘mist’ (pg. 66.).” “When Solomon describes ‘everything’ as vapor, he’s not saying that everything is meaningless or pointless. He’s highlighting the elusiveness of the world, which slips through our fingers and escapes all our efforts to manage it” (pg.67). This theme/thesis will run throughout the book, as the author highlights each historical movement (modernity and postmodernity) in light of the “vapor.” The story of vapor is a historical one, and as all good stories must have a beginning, for Leithart, this story begins with the Renaissance.

While many project the beginning of modernism with the renaissance, the humanist uprising, the “return to the sources,” this present author (interesting phrase coming form a book about postmodernism) disagrees. “Modernity is the messianism of the contemporary, and it took form in the Enlightenment and after, not in the Renaissance” (pg.22). While the 14th century did mark a turn toward to autonomous, it likewise felt itself in the midst of turmoil; religious and political life fused, and disunity prevailed. One could look, for instance, at Shakespeare’s writings. Not the type of writing one would find of a clever modernist who files away experiences into certain and predisposed categories. Instead, Shakespeare presents fluidity, concreteness and transparence; irony, tragedy, and comedy, all mixed into one act. This is not the stable certainty and machinism of the Enlightenment, but represents a time-period marked by “vapor,” midst, uncertainty, elusiveness.

Arising in response to the vaporous life, Modernism, tired of the religious and political turmoil, sought to control the troublesome vapor. “Modernity set out to tame the chaos, to shepherd the wind. Modernity was not a response to religious war but a counter-Renaissance movement, an effort to correct the errors of Renaissance humanism and to tame and control the disordered creative energies the Renaissance had unleashed” (pg. 26.). It was not only a philosophy that launched modernity on its path toward utopia (foundationalism), but the mere effort to control, manage, and produce that gave rise to the modern notion of “progress” and systematization, so says Leithart.

While Modernism sought control and certainty, vapor will have its revenge (the title of chapter 1); and so the authors story comes to a historical end with the rise of postmodernity. Leithart identifies postmodernism as being “post” “modern” in three senses of the word. 1.) Intensifications, 2.) Inversion, and 3.) Unmaskings. Not only is postmodernism “post” the period of modernism, but is “hyper” modernism, self-critical modernism, and suspicious modernism (my own words). The Modern attempt at critical appraisal of the various loci of experience, in the end, turns in upon itself. The vapor, after all, turns out to be untamable. Foundationalism fails, faith in unrelenting mechanic progress destroys the aesthetic life, and the division between “us” and “them” becomes harder to identify when economic and communicative life turn global. Vapor returns.

The conclusion of the authors historical sketch leaves the reader in the current situation: postmodernism. The rest of the book traces the themes of language (hermeneutics), the self (”who am I,” ones self identity), and Power (institutionalism), through the twin poles of modern and postmodern perspectives, ending each chapter with “Solomon’s own understanding of language, the self, and power.

Concluding with an exhortation toward the Christian to recognize the “iron cage” of Modernity, and the “noneschatology” of postmodernism, we must take a stance, the stance of Solomon. “…Solomon recommends in Ecclesiastes, a stance of faith, joy, and worship. In the midst of postmodern mist and vapor, Christians are called to be Christians” (pg. 165). As Leithart points out throughout the book, while the world struggles between the binary poles of unity and diversity, monism and pluralism, trancedence and immanence, presence and absence, stability and change, the Christian, in thoroughly Trinitarian logic overcomes the either/or ditch (one could say Lessing’s ditch). One can accept the vaporous life, a life of uncertainty and rapid change, but also that there is “nothing new under the sun,” for we await the world after the world under the sun (pg. 101). “In the New testament terms, life under the sun is life before the messianic moment when the Lord will rend the veil of the heavens and the sun will give way to the light of the Lamb (Rev. 21:23)” (pg. 100).

Conclusion

Peter Leitharts book represents a gem in Christian literature regarding postmodernism. Preferring “postmodern provisionalism,” instead of “postmodern relativism,” Leithart provides the reader with reasons to embrace aspects of postmodernity, and reasons to distance one’s self from it… Over all the book is fair in its undertaking, and not prone to reductionism’s. Interacting with Descartes, Nietzsche, Foucault, Marx, Derrida, and Solomon, Leithart proves to be both well read, and conversant with the literature. In the end i hope this book will, as the author wishes, clear up many misunderstandings  anti-postmodern Christians hold, and knock pro-postmoderns off the band-wagon.

About the Author

Dr. Leithart holds a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Theology from Westminster Theological Seminary Philadelphia. In 1998 he recieved his Ph.D. at the University of Cambridge.