Preaching After God: Derrida, Caputo, and the Language of Postmodern Homiletics

Synopsis: Even though the postmodern return of religion is dramatically shaping the future of twenty-first-century theology, its riches for preaching are rarely mined. Preaching After God highlights the trajectories of the postmodern return of religion by introducing readers to the positive theological themes stirring in the work of influential philosophers like Jacques Derrida, John Caputo, and Slavoj i ek. Phil Snider shows how engaging their thought provides possibilities for preaching that highly resonate with postmodern listeners. Preachers familiar with the postmodern return of religion will appreciate its homiletical appropriation, while those introduced to it for the first time will discover just how much it is helpful for the preaching task. Six lectionary-based sermons are included as examples. Endorsements: There is a growing industry of Christians attempting to domesticate the work of radical thinkers to fit them into an already existing theological system. Provocative writers are thus tied to a Procrustean bed by religionists seeking to make them fit within an already established religious dogma. Not so with Snider. Here he reads these vital thinkers seriously and subtly, pouring their new wine into the old wineskins. Why? So as to crack open the actually existing church and help prepare the way for a new reformation. --Pete Rollins, author of Insurrection In Preaching After God Snider adroitly shows that postmodern theology will preach He mounts an impressive argument that 'homiletics of the event' is the best way to reach a world . . . He has an ear for postmodern theory and the gift of telling us what preaching needs to be. A must read for theologians and preachers alike. --John D. Caputo, author of What Would Jesus Deconstruct? In this smart and readable book, Snider does the spadework for a theology of preaching after the death of the Christian God shaped by Western metaphysics. Influenced by John Caputo's reading of Derrida, Snider discovers a constructive homiletic emerging from the ashes of philosophical deconstruction . . . His relentlessly positive approach to Derrida is refreshing, and his homiletical ideas encourage a fundamental rethinking of both our reasons for preaching and the messages we preach. --John S. McClure, author of Otherwise Preaching In this grand-scale book, Snider takes on the enormous task of rethinking homiletics in light of postmodern thought, and comes up with a fresh and wonderful preacher-sized proposal for speaking of God in times like ours. His refreshing honesty and engaging style will kindle new hope in those who secretly fear that preaching may be impossible in progressive circles. His energy and delight in asking the big questions will inspire others to do the same. A lively conversation-starter of a book. --Anna Carter Florence, author of Preaching as Testimony There has been a lot of talk about preaching over the past number of years--debates about its viability and vitality in these post-secular, interactive times . . . Snider ups the conversation by inviting us to consider the influential and culture-shaping world of continental philosophy, and offers us ways to incorporate it into our communication. Snider doesn't want us to domesticate these ideas. He wants us to use them to inform and frame a new way of preaching, and a new way of thinking about life, God, church and everything in between. --Barry Taylor, author of Entertainment Theology Author Biography: Phil Snider is the Senior Minister of Brentwood Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Springfield, Missouri. His books include The Hyphenateds (2011) and Toward a Hopeful Future (2010).