Friday, December 7, 2007

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?

22 comments:

Brett, Julz, and Emma said...

C'mon!!

Oscar the Grouchy said...

Interesting thesis. Are your comments about evangelism and tracts fact or personal opinion? I probably don't witness as much as a Christian should, and certainly not as much as a pastor. But I have used several witnessing programs and different tracts over the years and nobody's ever got mad at me (except for one back-slidden Morman in Florda and I think he was already mad).

Q: What did the lifeguard get when he tried to "develop community" with the drowning man?

A: A dead buddy. lol

How is post modernism forcing us to explore what Jesus did? I thought Christians had always done that. I know Christians have been blessing, serving, and healing since the first century. How could you say that's because of post modernism?

On your second section, I'm in the same boat. Why do you think questioning is a result of postmodernism? Western society has been questioning things since the enlightenment. Haven't we? lol

Finally, I don't know Christians who are afraid of questioning. The issue that most Christians have with post moderns is, imho, that they refuse sound answers.

I think both the issues you raise are not so much about post modernism as they are about "goats" acting like goats. I don't figure sheep and goats are ever gonna understand each other. Aint no surprise.

secret spaces said...

Though I've witnessed the hopelessness of postmodernity myself, I have to add that I'm not sure modernity--the reliance on scientific fact to realize truth--was much better. I've got a couple good references on this topic I'll post later.

secret spaces said...

Clifford Williams' "Life of the Mind: A Christian Perspective" is a great basic text for thinking about the ways faith and various intellectual philosophies speak with and against one another.

LIFe - Matt said...

I think I'm a bit postmodern, but I'm still questioning that.

slothsrcool said...

he, he, he. You're so funny Matt-man.

And I am a good old fashioned modernist, aligned squarely in the Calminian camp, submerged in red tape and redundancy, unmerged with the emerged, too behind to be post-millenial, but with definite amillenial tendencies, and working hard to be saved by grace.

Billy Edwards said...

dnd,
Well, don't really know if the "tract" comment is fact or fiction, but there seem to be those in the know who I listen to on that - Reggie McNeal, David Kinnaman, and others. I'm figuring they know more than me.

If you think Christians have been blessing and serving and healing since the first century, I would want to know where? Yeah, we've built hospitals and orphanages, etc., but most of those are in years gone by or in other countries. Ask the people in your town/city what they think of believers. We've got a rotten reputation, and we deserve it. Most of us will throw a few bucks at our denomination and tell them to go do disaster relief in another state. But where are we when tragedy hits our hometown. And better, where are we in the day to day lives of the pre-Christians in our cities? Postmodernism didn't make us serve, bless, and heal, it just reminded us that that's our job.

I'll introduce you to some Christians who don't like being questioned. They abound in my neck of the woods. Why don't you ask this Wednesday night, "Give me the biblical support for revival meetings." Then maybe you'll find those folk who don't like to be questioned.

And the "goats"...those are the people we're still alive for. If there were no more "goats", you and I would be home now.

Billy Edwards said...

Secret,
Thanks for the book recommendation. I'll put it on my list. And like you, I think modernism was bad - probably worse than what we have today. Modernism tried it's dead level best to take the mystery out of Christ and the miracles out of the bible. I say, "Good riddance" to modernism.

Billy Edwards said...

YLife,
Ask Brett what you are. He'll know. Personally, I think you ought to be post-childbearing.

Billy Edwards said...

Sloth,
My suspicions have been confirmed.

secret spaces said...

In case anyone checks back, here's a tidy (and of course simplified) chart including the basics of modern and postmodern thought.

http://www.xenos.org/classes/papers/pomoch1.htm

LIFe - Matt said...

I'm definitely onboard with post-childbearing and definitely post-tired at this point.

secret spaces said...

Maybe post-childbearing people have more questions about the world than pre-childbearing people. Of course post-tired people will agree to almost anything.

Doorman-Priest said...

To me the whole issue is about whether there is a distinction between evangelism and witness.

When I talk about earning the right to speak I mean that others have to see the congruence in me before they can evaluate what I say. When I say that I get accused of promoting "friendship evangelism" which those same people claim takes months and years. Months and years of knowing someone and not sharing your faith? As if!

There are some folk in the blogging world who it is not worth debating with because it is no debate. They are right.

Doorman-Priest said...

(They think)

Billy Edwards said...

Door,
Agreed. It doesn't take years to build trust to earn the right to be heard. Thanks for your insight.

As to the folk who don't listen to any disagreement, for some reason I get sucked into arguments all too often. I'm trying to civily disagree with folks as long as it appears productive, then checking out when it gets personal and defensive.

Doorman-Priest said...

I did note your recent debate elsewhere. Don't waste your time there.

Doorman-Priest said...

Go have a look now and see what they did.

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Casey said...

Time for a new post Billy :)

LIFe - Matt said...

Ok Billy, it's been over a year since you posted. I think you're due...

beaconlight said...

Mr. Edwards, I had no idea you had blog until now! I'll have to leave a few edifying comments here and there.