A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies with Dr. James K. A. Smith

Our final episode of season 3 of Rector’s Cupboard!

We were honoured to speak with James K. A. Smith, professor of philosophy at Calvin University and editor-in-chief of Image Journal. 

The conversation is centred largely around a fantastic book that Jamie has written and that will be available in September. Jamie’s work demonstrates a hopeful view of faith. He skillfully and insightfully looks to the past for how it might positively shape and inform faith and life today. He does this with a strongly stated desire to move ahead. The conversation became one of great hope, that included inspiring reminders of the goodness, beauty and truth in our world.

We talk about modernism and post-modernism. We talk about philosophy and power and control and fear. We talk about these things because they (and misunderstandings around them) have been influential in many churches and ways of seeing faith, perhaps even in how you were taught to understand Christian faith.  

Some extended episode notes:

The names Derrida, Foucault, Bentham, and Lyotard may not be familiar to all or most readers, but these are writers whose work has had impact on our culture and our faith. Michel Foucault was a French Philosopher whose work was key in what became known as “post-modernism”. We speak about Foucault’s ideas around discipline and control. Foucault argued that power and punishment were once exercised in harsh and physical ways, but as these means of control became less physically forceful, they actually became more powerful and more pervasive in society.

Jacques Derrida, another contributor to post-modernism, spoke about deconstruction. This term has largely been adopted to define what very many people with religious backgrounds are doing now. Smith says that both those who embrace “deconstruction” and those who warn against it often have a distorted view of what deconstruction is. For Derrida, virtually everything is interpreted. Whether it is a Biblical text or a summer sunrise, you as the reader or viewer are part of interpreting the meaning. Deconstruction aims to see these layers of interpretation. 

In the episode we also mention Alain de Botton. He is a contemporary philosopher who though he frequently mentions that he is an atheist, has some tremendously helpful and appreciative things to say about faith and the church.  

Finally we mention the new Arcade Fire album, “We”. Art such as the music on that album demonstrates a thoughtful consideration of some of these important religious, cultural and philosophical themes.