Ep 13 - Postmodernism & Islamic Theism

This is part five of a six part series through James Sire’s classic book, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. This episode features a conversation with my friend Monique Duson from the Center for Biblical Unity. In this episode we unpack Postmodernism & Islamic Theism and their connection to Critical Theories. One of the big application questions we ask throughout the series is this, “how does each worldviews impact our view of race and racism."

REFERENCES

• James W.. Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog.

All Episodes in the James Sire Series

What in the World Is Your View?

Today’s Guest

Today’s show features a conversation with Monique Duson who is the President and co-founder, alongside Krista Bontrager, of the Center for Biblical Unity. Monique has a background in social service and children’s ministry. She has worked with a diverse array of under-served communities. She worked as a Missionary to South Africa for over four years, serving children and teachers impacted by drugs, violence, and trauma. She spent two decades advocating for Critical Race Theory (CRT), but through a series of events, began to clearly see the contradictions of CRT with the historic Christian worldview. Monique is now convinced that CRT is not the best way to achieve racial unity and actively speaks out against the use of CRT within the church.

Monique has appeared on shows such as Relatable (with Allie Beth Stuckey), the Alisa Childers podcast, and Breakpoint (with John Stonestreet). Monique has a BA in Sociology from Biola University. She is working on a MA in Public Theology at Birmingham Theological Seminary.

DISCUSSION POINTS

Below is a list of just a few of the big ideas discussed in this episode. Subscribers, feel free to weigh in with your own ideas and join me in the conversation.

Postmodernism

1. How did postmodernism originate, and what role does language play in its development?

2. What is the postmodernist view of truth and reality?

3. In postmodernism, how is the concepts of "my truth" and “synthetic truth” contrasted with objective truth?

4. How does postmodernism challenge the idea of science and objective facts?

Islamic Theism

1. What is Islamic theism, and how does it differentiate from Christian theism?

2. How does Islamic theism view the human person and human value?

3. How does Islamic theism approach the afterlife, specifically the concepts of heaven and hell?

Critical Theories

1. What are critical theories, and how do they relate to race and power structures in society?

2. How does Marxism influence critical theory, and what is the connection to postmodernism?

3. What is the role of critical Muslim theory or critical Islamic theory in the current cultural and academic landscape?

Comparative Questions

1. In what ways do postmodernism and Islamic theism intersect in modern discussions on race and religion?

2. How does the discussion address the current geopolitical conflicts involving Islam, the West, and Israel?

3. What are some of the ethical and moral debates raised by postmodernism and Islamic theism regarding oppression and liberation?

4. How does postmodernism’s rejection of absolute truth impact its interaction with religious worldviews like Islamic theism?

5. In what ways has your worldview (or the worldview of a Christian friend) been shaped by these two views? What biblical truth might help correct your thinking?

6. How can your knowledge of these two views prepare you to share the Good News of Jesus Christ?