Download or read book Religion without Belief written by Jeanne Ellen Petrolle and published by State University of New York Press. This book was released on 2008-06-05 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In our present cultural moment, when God is supposed to be dead and metaphysical speculation unfashionable, why does postmodern fiction—in a variety of genres—make such frequent use of the ancient rhetorical form of allegory? In Religion without Belief, Jean Ellen Petrolle argues that contrary to popular understandings of postmodernism as an irreligious and amoral climate, postmodern allegory remains deeply engaged in the quest for religious insight. Examining a range of films and novels, this book shows that postmodern fiction, despite its posturing about the unverifiable nature of truth and reality, routinely offers theological and cosmological speculation. Works considered include virtual-reality films such as The Matrix and The Truman Show, avant-garde films, and Amerindian and feminist novels.