Postmodernism and the Christian Faith

Introduction

Personal Testimony at University of Wisconsin

Beliefs• God• Jesus lived, taught, and died on the cross• Bible had authority• Absolute Right and Wrong• Truth could be discovered• Apostles Creed and the 10 commandments• Heaven and Hell

What is Postmodernism?

We need to ask the expert, the master, the preeminent scholar and icon of postmodern thought!

Bart Simpson

What is Postmodernism?

Duh!

What is Postmodernism?

Who Cares!

What is Postmodernism?

It means what you

want it to mean!

What is Postmodernism?

There isn’t really

an certain answer

to that question!

What is Postmodernism?

Actually the

answer does not

exist!

What is Postmodernism?

Whatever!

What is Postmodernism?

At first it seems that Bart did not help us out that much but maybe

he did.

The Three Major Periods Related to Modernity (General)

Pre-Modern: NT up to Enlightenment. Questions

concerning the truth were addressed directly to Bible and/or Church. An

atmosphere of confidence governed the expectation that agreement in understanding could be reached. Belief in the supernatural and that

God was acting in history..

The Three Major Periods Related to Modernity (General)

Modernity: Enlightenment through most of 20th century.

Most begin it in 1641 A.D. by French Philosopher Rene Descartes’ famous statement, cogito ergo sum = I

think therefore I am.

An atmosphere of trust remained in the individual’s rational capacity, but everything else was submitted

to doubt especially matters related to church and church belief. Truth and the greater good was to be pursued and obtained intellectually through human reason and science. The stories of the supernatural

(Bible) was relegated to purely naturalistic explanations. Since God did not act in history man

was responsible for his own fate.

Modernity: The Triumph of Reason

The Tenets of ModernityThe Tenets of ModernityTrue knowledge is determined with certainty by reasonTwo levels of knowledge: objective/scientific (open to debate) and subjective/spiritual/moral (only personal conviction) World exists in cause-effect relationshipKnowledge is good; facts are “value-free”Progress and scientific discovery will lead to better world and happinessHumanity basically good and reason can solve all problemsIndividuals are autonomous in society and have rights society must honor

Graham Johnston, Preaching to a Post-Modern World, Baker, 2001, pp. 25-26

The Three Major Periods related to modernity (General)

Post-Modern: 1980s to Present: There is a suspicion that any understanding is achievable through rational methods. Questions the objectivity of the modern

method and assumes biases in any modern method. It is a rejection a reaction against modernism.

Ideas were around after WWII but the theory gained some of its strongest ground early on in French academia. In 1979 Jean-François Lyotard

wrote a short but influential work The Postmodern Condition : a report on knowledge. Jean Baudrillard, Michel Foucault, and Roland

Barthes are also strongly influential in postmodern theory.

The Three Major Periods related to modernity (General)

Wikipedia formal definition: the condition of Western society after modernity. . . .in the era of postmodern culture, people have rejected

the grand, supposedly universal stories and paradigms such as religion, conventional philosophy, capitalism and gender that have defined culture and behavior in the past, and have instead begun to

organize their cultural life around a variety of more local and subcultural ideologies, myths and stories. Furthermore, it promotes the idea that all . . . paradigms are stable only while they fit the available evidence, and can potentially be overturned when phenomena occur that the paradigm cannot account for, and a better explanatory model

(itself subject to the same fate) is found.

Welcome to Our Post-Modern World

Pilate’s Question Lives Pilate’s Question Lives ON!!ON!!

““What IS the truth?”What IS the truth?”

The Postmodern answers with:The Postmodern answers with:““The Truth Is The Truth Is Out ThereOut There” ”

Never “Never “in herein here.” You will never know it even if it .” You will never know it even if it is there.is there.

Post-Modernity: The Triumph of Ignorance

The Tenets of Post-Modernity The Tenets of Post-Modernity (Johnston, 26)(Johnston, 26)

Reacting to the all the tenets of ModernityReject idea of objective truthSuspicious and skeptical of authority (family, government and society)In search of identity apart from knowledge but through relationshipNo morality, only expediencyIn search of transcendence, to experience otherness

Post-Modernity: The Triumph of Ignorance

Material and media-driven girls and boysIn quest of meaningful communityThe “knowing smirk” at anyone who says they know the truth

Modernism vs. Post-Modernism

Modernity’s View of Life

Romantic view of lifeHave a purpose DesignHierarchyWord-orientedA completed workAnalysis from a distanceCreation/synthesisMetaphysics (philosophy that deals with first principles to explain the nature of reality)“Father Knows Best”

Post-Modernity’s View of Life

Absurd view of lifePlay insteadChanceAnarchySilence-orientedWork in processAnalysis thru participatingDeconstruction/antithesisIrony

“The Simpsons”

The modernist umpire says: “There’s balls and there’s strikes, and I call ‘em the way they are!”

The postmodernist umpire says: “There’s balls and there’s strikes, and I call ‘em the way I see ‘em!”

The radical postmodernist umpire says: “There’s balls and there’s strikes, and

they ain’t nothing until I call ‘em!”

Walter Truett Anderson, Reality is not what it used to be.

The Introduction to a “Simpsons”(Quoted in Johnston, p. 30)

“Hello, I am Leonard Nimoy. The following tale of alien encounters is true, and by true I mean false. It’s all lies, but they are entertaining lies and, in the end, isn’t that

the real truth? The answer is . . . No.”

The Attacks of Post-Modernity

The attack on communicationThe attack on objectivityThe attack on veracityThe attack on meaning and understandingThe attack on the idea of “truth”

Modern and Postmodern Approaches to the Bible

Things We Sometimes Hear“Well, that’s just your interpretation.”“The Bible can be made to say anything you want.”“You can’t really understand the Bible. It is full of contradictions.”“People can justify anything from the Bible.” “No one can understand the true meaning of anything anyone says.”This is what the Bible means to me.What works for you is fine; what works for me is fine, whatever.

Thought Questions

How can I effectively communicate the gospel in a post-modern environment?

How can I communicate the gospel in a pluralistic environment?

If I make a change in my approach or what I say am I being faithful to God’s word?

Suggested General Method

Have to use different starting points in introducing spiritual truth to people.Have to start where they at and are ready to accept.We have to get into their world; bridge the gap by introducing spiritual truth into their world in a way they can accept.Thus friendship evangelism would seem to me to be the best way to reach the postmodern generation.Crusades, Church, Bible thumping, tract distribution are for many with the postmodern mind just a turn off to be rejected with all other forms premodernism and modernism.

Suggested General Method

We still cannot compromise the basic message of the gospel: Saved by faith alone in Christ alone.

However, God is sovereign and he does and is using many methods.

Not all people even young people are postmodern.

Suggested General Method for Postmodern Evangelism

Different starting points\same ending point

The Example of Paul in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-6)

Starting PointSynagogue OT ScripturesJewish people, Devout Greeks (worshipped the God of Israel)

Finishing PointChrist suffered and rose from the dead

ResultSome Jews many Greeks responded in faith: Church plantedOpposition and persecution by Jewish leaders

The Example of Paul in Athens (Acts 17:16-34)

Starting Point (Acts 17: 16-29)Synagogue: Jewish people, Devout GreeksMarketplace with Greek philosophers

• Epicureanism: Epicurus (341-270 BC) sensible pleasure and happiness (not self indulging hedonism) is the beginning and end of living the good life.

• Stocism (Zeno of Cyprus, 336-263 BC) People should be self sufficient and individualistic. Most dominant view of 1st century.

• Altar to the Unknown GodGod as creator (24-25)God has determined our times and where we live (e.g., he is sovereign, (26)).God as sustainer and provider (28)He wants us to seek him (27)Poet and Stoic Philosopher (We are God’s offspring, 28-29) (the Stoic Cleanthes (331-232 BC, Hymn to Zeus).Don’t think his nature is silver or gold or stone (29).

The Example of Paul in Athens (Acts 17:16-34)

Finishing Point (Acts 17:30-31)Repentance

An “Appointed Man” whom God raised from the dead

Result (Acts 17:33-34)Sneering, mocking

Some believed

Postmodern Starting Points

Getting into their world. What are their interests and current life experiences?

Studies Work Music Sports Relationships

• Good• Broken or Bad• Deaths

Perceived needs that they have

Postmodern Starting Points

Johnston’s Suggestions Use dialogue not one way conversation Use the inductive method of teaching; do not get to the main point until the end. Let them discover spiritual truth with you. Use story telling more Use personal testimony how the truth affects you Use Audiovisuals, drama, artUse humor to greater degrees, irony, paradoxSpeak in terms of spirituality not religion and church

Concluding Thoughts from J.I. Packer, Evangelism

and the Sovereignty of God.

Humanly speaking evangelism is a hopeless task. The sovereignty of God in grace gives us our only hope.It is not right when we regard ourselves as responsible for securing converts, and to look to our own enterprise and techniques to accomplish what only God can accomplish. The terms of our calling are to be faithful not successful.

Sowing and Reaping

Matt 13:3

Behold the sower went out to sow . . . . .