god is not elsewhere / some conversation about movies, art, politics and spirituality with gareth higgins

About Me

I’m from Belfast, northern Ireland, but now live in North Carolina. I’m a writer involved in peace and justice issues, and art & spirituality (especially cinema). I’m writing here because I care about good conversation, and postmodern theology has changed my life. What are we here to talk about? Let’s start with god, movies, and politics, and see where we go from here…

12 Comments

12 responses so far ↓

  • silverseason // April 7, 2009 at 8:25 pm | Reply

    How has postmodern theology changed your life? For better or worse. I’m not being sarcastic :-) , I would really like to know.

    • garethihiggins // April 8, 2009 at 1:39 pm | Reply

      Hi there – thanks for the question. I think that it’s impossible to give a short answer – and in reality, the whole of my blog is a response, but I’ll try to be as succinct as possible:
      Postmodern theology (and postmodernist ideas in general) made it possible for me to imagine faith without fundamentalism. Growing up in northern Ireland made that a necessity. If, as Derrida says, the only thing that cannot be deconstructed is justice (or love, depending on who quotes him), then deconstructionism has at its heart one thing: the wellbeing of humankind as part of good stewardship of the whole of life. And we get to talk about it too!

  • silverseason // April 8, 2009 at 10:24 am | Reply

    The only faith I can have is the one without fundamentalism. Fundamentalism rests, at its base, on authority. It may be the authority of church doctrine or a particular interpretation of a particular text. Fundamentalism does not rest on your own experience and reaction to experience. If you don’t have that, what are you!

    Here is a link http://silverseason.wordpress.com/?s=perplexed+part+i&searchbutton=Go! to my blog entry on Maimonides. The Jewish fundamentalists (there are such people) emphasize Maimonides’ principles of faith, but when you read his actual commentary, he is much better than that.

  • Janeth // April 29, 2009 at 6:46 am | Reply

    Good Morning,

    Having spoken to you at last years Greenbelt, I thought you would be the right person to ask about this.
    I saw Bill Maher’s documentary “Religious” at the cinema last night. Have you seen it and if so what did you think of it ? I am still gobsmacked.

  • garethihiggins // April 29, 2009 at 10:11 am | Reply

    Hi there – Thanks for the question. I wrote an article about ‘Religulous’ when it opened in the US last October – you can find it here:

    http://blog.sojo.net/2008/10/13/bill-mahers-religulous-an-infuriating-attack-based-on-cynical-preconceptions/comment-page-1/

  • Frank Schaeffer // June 3, 2009 at 12:00 pm | Reply

    Gareth: Frank Schaeffer here. I read your sane and wonderful article in Sojo re the Tiller murder. I wanted to contact you to say a big thank you for the way you view what I wrote for Huff Post. More than that though I think your take on the issues is spot on. Thanks.
    Very Best,
    Frank

  • claudia kirk // June 5, 2009 at 9:42 pm | Reply

    I am so glad I found this blog site from sojourners. I read every blog posted 0n june 5 and will be back again. i am the mail lady of paradise and i believe your communications are much more worth reading than the commercial catalogs that weigh down my mail car every day. but I do get thinking time while out on the route. please have a good moment of unexplained happiness on me.

  • Ellen Jakes // August 13, 2009 at 8:51 am | Reply

    Gareth, thing is there is no God, no gods. The three main Middle East religions that the West inherited sort of, they are all cockamie myths and legends. There never was a Jesus. He was no son of no god. Why do you still insist on calling this stuff postmodern theology. God is dead, mate. theology is pure BS. go beyond what you inherited and are programmed to believe. you still need to go one step further. but you have a sense of humor, so i salute you sir. DANNY, age 60 deep deep agnostician!

  • Justice and Mercy « TheoPublic // October 1, 2009 at 10:36 am | Reply

    [...] and Mercy This blog post by Gareth Higgins on the Sojourners website is probably the best analysis of the Roman Polanski fiasco I have [...]

  • Cheryl // October 12, 2009 at 5:51 pm | Reply

    Am interested in the trip… more details, please (cost, etc.)

  • Victoria Field // November 5, 2009 at 7:10 am | Reply

    I found your blog through looking up John O’Donohue and enjoyed your postings. My own interest is very much in art and spirituality and I was formerly writer in residence at Truro Cathedral.

    One question – What is post-modern theology?

    • garethihiggins // November 5, 2009 at 7:55 am | Reply

      Hi Victoria, and welcome to the blog. Great question – I think the best way to answer that would be in a conversation – which is what this blog is for. But it has prompted me to think about writing a post next week in response – so please be patient and I’ll get back to you. All the best.

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