In rounding off my selection of excerpts from the first chapter, I would like to first state that this section below is a good summary of why I am working on this project and where it is going. If you want to know what Beginning Conversations is all about, read this post.
The Postmodern Opportunity
Many in the Christian fold view the postmodern turn
in culture as more of a threat than a help. As this work is being composed, a
number of evangelical theologians have spoken against postmodern theologies in
scathing and, on occasion, uninformed terms.
With the presence of such critique within the ranks, it is essential for our
conversation that we clearly lay out the benefits of a discussion of
postmodernism in the church.
At the center of our discussion is the contextual
nature of Christianity. Just as the early church explained the Gospel in very
different ways to the Jews in Acts 2 and the Greeks in Acts 17, so too must the
church always seek to understand and express our faith within our own cultural
context. Whether Greek, Jewish, Polish, Native American, American, culture is
the water in which we live. Christ as the “word of God” was an apt way of
explaining Christ to Greeks around AD 100, while some Native Americans have
found the metaphor “white raven” to truly capture the essence of Christ.
One metaphor is no better than the other; it is only
out of an understanding of context and culture that these expressions find
their meaning. Since every culture has it’s own assumptions and customs, it is
the role of every disciple and messenger of Christ to understand culture. Our
culture reveals how we analyze information, communicate, view the world, etc.
In some ways our cultural setting will greatly benefit our relationship with
Christ, but in other ways it may act more like a fence, keeping us from seeing
some side of Christ that we are unable to view from our particular place in the
world. Interaction with our American, postmodern culture will provide
tremendous insight into our particular expression of Christianity, enabling us
to take steps closer to God that may have never been envisioned, creating an
awareness of potential pitfalls we were previously oblivious to, and moving us
into position to share the Gospel in a relevant manner.
With these benefits in mind, this exploration will
focus on the significance of the shift in American culture from modern to
postmodern. Since Christianity does not exist outside of a particular cultural
expression, the turn toward postmodernity provides a glimpse into the possible
ways that our modern context has affected our conception of the Christian
faith. The modern emphasis on individualism took the Bible out of the sole
control of the medieval church and into the hands of the people during the
Reformation. The postmodern shift now offers a critique of the radical
individualism that has marked modernism and the church. Biblical study and
spiritual growth may flourish when we combine small groups/discipleship
relationships and personal study surrounded by exegetical tools and commentaries.
The goal of Christians who interact with and
assimilate postmodernism is a critique that brings balance to our perspective.
Such reforming is a process that is never done. Humbly realizing that our
American Christianity will always have some bugs in it, whether modern or
postmodern, we constantly seek perspectives that will enable us to follow
Christ and make him known with integrity and authenticity. It is my perspective
that a shift into the postmodern provides us with a chance to introduce new categories
and views that will enable the church to accomplish both callings most
effectively in our changing world.
While modernism has advanced the cause of Christ in
monumental ways, it has also skewed our vision of Christianity and set
boundaries that we cannot overcome unless we interact with postmodernism. How
far one delves into the postmodern world must be determined through dialogue
with the Christian community and sensitivity to the Spirit of God. I will
provide a look at the modern and postmodern worlds that may cause some to cheer
and some to hiss. Whichever camp you fit in with, I would encourage each
traveler on this journey to keep three perspectives in mind.
There are some in the church who are against
postmodernism. I respect this position since I trust that it is held out of a
compulsion to listen to the Spirit of God. Such a stance only becomes
destructive to the church when those who hold it opt to argue and attack
instead of dialoguing in a spirit of love. I can agree to disagree with those who
reject postmodernism because we are united in Christ, not in our views of
modernism and postmodernism. My one plea is the same message as Gamaliel to the
Sanherdrin. “‘In the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them
go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if
it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find
yourselves fighting against God’” (Acts 5:38-39NIV).
Others may not be interested in the postmodern turn,
but do not want to isolate themselves from the cultural shifts around them. In
this case, it is perhaps most helpful for such people to encourage, disciple,
and pray for those who are in the middle of this postmodern plunge. It is
difficult to take the Christian faith into uncharted territory and there are
temptations such as pride, anger, and the adoption of questionable doctrines.
Younger generations will need mentors to keep them on track during these
culturally turbulent times.
Lastly, for those who truly resonate with this
exploration of postmodernism, I would advise caution and humility. The
postmodern shift is infinitely complex and it has yet to truly take form as a
cohesive movement, though it may never do so. There certainly are aspects of
postmodernism that cannot be accepted by the Christian faith, which makes
dialogue with other believers and prayerful meditation all the more crucial for
this journey. In addition, many within the church oppose anyone treading on the
postmodern turf, so there will be times in which attacks and insults will flow
from within the body of Christ. When zeal for protecting a particular form of
American Christianity overrides the love of Christ, Christians wrestling with
postmodernism must be on their knees, allowing God’s Spirit to work for the
unity of the body.
Once again, this book is not about describing the
destination. This is the supply station where you prepare for a journey. This
is a point of embarkation into our world: where we have come from, where we
stand, and where we are going. I hope you will learn to view this book as a
dry, ugly log. It is unattractive when you have it sitting by the fireplace,
but it can start a roaring fire that illuminates your room. This is a call to
the church to actively engage with the culture, stepping deeper into
relationship with Christ and increasing our commitment to incarnate Christ into
a world that desperately needs him.
Filed under: Chapter One
