--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By calling into question the very ideal…" description: "\"“By calling into question the very ideal of a universal, autonomous reason (which was, in the Enlightenment, the basis for rejecting religious thought)..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/james-k-a-smith-11405_bias_by-calling-into-question-the-very-ideal_3044414.jpg" --- # By calling into question the very ideal of a universal… ![“By calling into question the very ideal of a universal, autonomous reason (which was, in the Enlightenment, the basis for rejecting religious thought) and further demonstrating that all knowledge is grounded in narrative or myth, Lyotard relativizes (secular) philosophy's claim to autonomy and so…” quote by James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/james-k-a-smith-11405_bias_by-calling-into-question-the-very-ideal_3044414.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/james-k-a-smith-11405_bias_by-calling-into-question-the-very-ideal_3044414.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4c9/james-k-a-smith-11405_bias_by-calling-into-question-the-very-ideal_3044414.jpg) > ““By calling into question the very ideal of a universal, autonomous reason (which was, in the Enlightenment, the basis for rejecting religious thought) and further demonstrating that all knowledge is grounded in narrative or myth, Lyotard relativizes (secular) philosophy's claim to autonomy and so grants the legitimacy of a philosophy that grounds itself in Christian faith. Previously such a distinctly Christian philosophy would have been exiled from the 'pure' arena of philosophy because of its 'infection' with bias and prejudice. Lyotard's critique, however, demonstrates that no philosophy - indeed, no knowledge - is untainted by prejudice or faith commitments. In this way the playing field is leveled, and new opportunities to voice a Christian philosophy are created. Thus Lyotard's postmodern critique of metanarratives, rather than being a formidable foe of Christian faith and thought, can in fact be enlisted as an ally in the construction of a Christian philosophy.”” [James K.A. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-a-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lyotard’s postmodern critique shows that all knowledge is narrative‑based, so philosophy cannot claim pure autonomy, opening space for Christian perspectives within philosophical discourse. **In simple terms:** All knowledge is shaped by stories, so no philosophy is completely unbiased. Key Takeaway Recognize narrative bias and engage Christian thought in philosophical debates. Themes philosophy postmodernism religion epistemology bias Mood reflective critical hopeful Type theoretical inspirational analytical When to use this quote - academic conferences - interfaith dialogues - theology seminars - philosophy curricula - public policy debates Key Concepts metanarratives secularism faith commitments prejudice narrative grounding Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance narrative awareness with rigorous philosophical analysis? - What risks arise when all claims are seen as equally biased? A Different Perspective Lyotard’s critique may be used to dismiss religious insights as merely narrative, limiting their perceived authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias/) [Bias and prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bias-and-prejudice-19536/) [Christian faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-faith/) [Christian philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-philosophy/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Lyotard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyotard-115130/) [Lyotard Critique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyotard-critique-5034322/) [Lyotard Relativizes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyotard-relativizes-5034321/) [Metanarrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metanarrative-121409/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [New Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-opportunities/) [Objectivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectivity/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Prejudice Lyotard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice-lyotard-5034323/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Secular Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular-philosophy-5034324/) ## Related quotes > [“She spun the car through a right turn that would have killed us all had we been minor characters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-handler/she-spun-the-car-through-a-right-turn-that-would-have-killed-us-all/) [Daniel Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-handler/) > [“For many scientists, as Lyotard concedes, scientific knowledge is the only form of knowledge there is, but if so, how then do we understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watson/for-many-scientists-as-lyotard-concedes-scientific-knowledge-is-the/) [Peter Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watson/) > [ “The time of the photograph is \[always\] after. 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Lyotard's critique, however, demonstrates that no philosophy - indeed, no knowledge - is untainted by prejudice or faith commitments. In this way the playing field is leveled, and new opportunities to voice a Christian philosophy are created. Thus Lyotard's postmodern critique of metanarratives, rather than being a formidable foe of Christian faith and thought, can in fact be enlisted as an ally in the construction of a Christian philosophy.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James K.A. 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