Interview With "Pomo Timmy" Author Michael Ferber

October 13, 2008 Posted by David N

Teacher and youth pastor, Michael Ferber, has written a book that attempts to interact with current philosophical trends in Christianity and address them from a Biblical perspective, using Paul's first letter to Timothy as his guide. Part commentary, part theological guidebook, with a little philosophy thrown in, Pomo Timmy is sure to capture much interest and attention among Christians seeking a Biblical perspective on postmodernism (and modernism, for that matter). While I don't fully agree with all of Mr. Ferber's theological conclusions (he comes down on the egalitarian side of the gender debate, for example), I can heartily recommend this book!

I recently asked Mr. Ferber a few probing questions to help introduce us to the purpose and subject of his book:

1. ”Pomo Timmy” isn't exactly like a typical Bible
commentary. Briefly, what IS this book, and what do you hope to
accomplish with it?

Pomo Timmy is essentially a Biblical commentary with a strong
philosophical bend. My hope in writing the book was to mine I Timothy to
craft a response to some of the philosophical challenges present today,
particularly the contrast between the relativism of postmodernity and the
fundamentalism of approaches to faith rooted in more modern paradigms (modern in
a philosophical sense).

2. You've worked in youth ministry for a number of years.
Is “Pomo Timmy” geared more towards a youth audience, or do you
hope to reach all ages?

Pomo Timothy is definitely NOT geared to a youth audience. Some
of the later chapters are concrete enough to keep their attention, but most youth
get bogged down in the introduction. However, it is appropriate for youth
leaders and pastors who are trying to help youth and young adults navigate the
various meanings of “truth” in our society.

3. Many Christian leaders believe that the church needs to adopt
postmodernism wholesale or it will die. Others simply dismiss
postmodernism as an irrelevant fad. Why do you believe that
postmodern thought poses a real threat to the church, and how serious do you
think the threat is?

I believe the “wholesale” acceptance of the relativism of postmodernism
does indeed pose a threat to the church. However, I find it ridiculous to
argue that much of life is not relative. The distinction I try to draw in
Pomo Timmy is that there is some truth that is as real as real can be, while
other aspects of “reality” are undeniably socially
constructed. I Timothy is a helpful tool to work through this
complexity. The church does need to embrace and study postmodernism, but
it needs to chew the meat and spit out the bones, so to speak. I believe
postmodernism is a threat only to the degree that we allow the absolute truths
of the faith to be replaced by absolute relativity.

4. In the introduction to “Pomo Timmy” you distinguish
between knowledge and actual reality, and you suggest that both modernism and
postmodernism simply collapse these two into each other. If my knowledge
of reality is not the same as reality as it actually is, what is left of
objective truth? How can I, as a Christian, claim to know anything as
being actually true?

I would argue that the frameworks with which we view the world and reality
are constantly changing and that “reality” or “truth”
can be viewed from many situated perspectives, which therefore generate many
different kinds of descriptions of the same reality. Yet, changes in
perspective do not negate the reality of the observed object. To argue
that I am finite, limited, and situated in a specific context at a particular
time is to make an argument about me – not the reality I am
observing. If enough people, situated in many different times in many
different contexts, also describe what I am observing eventually there will be
enough understanding to move toward objectivity – this is what critical
realists would call aletheic truth. I personally believe that God has
revealed Himself to enough people consistently over enough time that we can
trust the Biblical account.

To purchase a copy of Pomo Timmy, or find out more information, simply click the amazon.com link above.

Michael Ferber has served as pastor, youth pastor, Christian school
administrator, college professor, and development director at
organizations including World Vision, Regent University, and West
Virginia University. He is a Ph.D. candidate studying geography of
religion at West Virginia University. He holds a Master of Arts in
Education from West Virginia University and a Master of Divinity from
Asbury Theological Seminary. Michael lives with his wife, Christina,
and their children, Leah and Brendan, in Clarksburg, West Virginia.