The "Blight" of Postmodernity

It seems that from every conservative, evangelical corner, there is one clarion call: postmodernism is bad for Christianity. This postmodern world does not hold to absolute truth; it questions everything, including all we hold dear. Unless the blight of postmodernism is stemmed, our faith may be lost. Really?

Admittedly, I'm not an expert in postmodernity. In fact, I don't know much about it. But I won't let that stop me from making a few observations. These aren't complete (they may not even be correct!), so I may give this another go later.

My thesis: what we call postmodernism may be the best thing that's happened to Christianity. Here's why...

1. It is forcing us to get back to what it means to be witnesses in the world. For too long, we have relied on mass evangelism, gospel tracts, and canned presentations to share the good news. Now, I'm not knocking mass evangelism, but I am knocking gospel tracts and canned presentations. They turn far more people away than they positively affect. Postmodernism is forcing us to examine what Jesus did and what the New Testament teaches as it concerns sharing the gospel. And that has to be a wonderful thing. We are now seeing that, to be a witness, we have to first earn trust. Maybe that takes a while, maybe it comes quickly - circumstances will dictate that. Postmodernism is forcing us to serve, bless, and heal those around us because we have spent far too long asking something from people rather than giving to them. And as a result, our reputation with them stinks. We are being forced to see people as people, not as spiritual scalps.
2. Questioning is not a bad thing. We have entire generations who have accepted the facts of Christianity, but may not have accepted the Truth of Christianity. That's why Billy Graham says that at least 50% our church members are not saved. The facts of Christianity are the virgin birth of Jesus, His atoning, sacrificial, substitutionary death, His bodily resurrection, and His soon return. Those are the facts. Many hold to them. But the Truth of Christianity is Jesus - following Him, letting Him shape you, believing He is who He says He is and can do what He says He can do to the point that it changes you. What I'm saying is this: there must be a time where your faith moves from a mere body of facts that you give mental assent to and becomes sum and substance of who you are. It's not your parent's faith or your youth pastor's faith or your spouse's faith - you have owned it because you have internalied it. Postmodernism is forcing us to examine what Scripture says it means to be saved. That's a good deal. And BTW, why are we afraid of questioning? Are we unsure of the Truth of what we believe?

We need a little Christmas

My wife and I went to our local community college's Christmas concert last night - choir and orchestra. It was really good...lots of talent. The choir did a medley of Christmas songs, among them "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" and "We need a little Christmas". I really like those songs - catchy tunes.

So anyway, as they sang "We need a little Christmas", the thought that's been running around in my head for years resurfaces. You see, I agree that we need a little Christmas. But the question is, "Whose Christmas?"

Main Street tells us that a "little Christmas" is buying your family more than they need and more than you can afford, then buying presents for extended family - presents they will regift at the next party they go to, and then buying gifts for your office. I don't need that "little Christmas.

Hallmark tells us that a "little Christmas" is a huge family, all dressed to the nines, sitting around a roaring fireplace, sipping cider, a mammoth tree decorated by Martha Stewart surrounded by amazingly wrapped presents in the background, smells of a meal cooked by Rachel Ray wafting through the room, and all looking out a huge picture window as snow falls on the horse-drawn carriage. Now, I could stand a bit of that "little Christmas", but come on, that is as unrealistic as the Baylor Bears in a bowl game.

From the more "spiritual" and charitable among us, we hear that Christmas is a time for peace, or that it's a time to buy toys for kids who won't get any, or that it's the time to volunteer at a soup kitchen, or to invite a lonely family over for Christmas dinner. I think that's getting closer to the correct idea of a "little Christmas", but why are those things just a once-a-year deal?

So here's the thought running around in my head. A "little Christmas" must be tied to the original one. You remember, right? Simple. Smelly. An unwed teenage mother. A birth among sheep dung (this is a family blog), flies from cows, and dirty hay. A feed trough that doubles as a crib. Shepherds who were told far more than they could grasp. And a baby. THE baby. Not, "Awwww, isn't he cute? He's got his mother's eyes. How much did he weigh? Aren't those dimples just precious? Can I hold him?" No, not that at all.

It's like this. Awe. Staggering, mind-numbing, speechless awe. God. God not just as a man, but God as a baby. The infinite becomes as infant. The omnipotent becomes breakable. When you do speak, you break out in praise. It's all you can do.

No wonder Mary "pondered those things in her heart." So should we. We need a little Christmas.