Postmodernism

Challenges and Opportunities

What is Postmodernism?

Premodern thinking (Ancient / Medieval world)

Everyone could understand the world by looking at it the way the Church did – God, or the gods, is/are in control of everything

Everyone should see it the same way, if not, they need to accept it anyway (sometimes coerced)

Modernism (Enlightenment, Scientific Revolution, etc.)

Science brought a new understanding of the world and how it came to exist

Everyone needs to accept this perspective – it’s obvious – look at the evidence, the world.

If not, then they were choosing to live in ignorance.

We know how the world works and how it came about.

Postmodernism

Reaction to the overconfidence of modernistic science.

Says there is no perspective that can give. everyone the same view of reality, the world, etc.

Neither science nor religion can give us a way to view the world that makes sense of it.

So we all see the world differently; thus we have different values, morals, etc.

And that’s alright; the only thing everyone should do is to acknowledge everyone else’s values and morals are right for them.

Challenges

A broad backlash against reason

Questioning of authority

Rejection of objective (absolute) truth

Thinking is contextual, so is morality/ethics

It’s all about interpretation, not about what’s real or true.

Objective truth excludes others, dominates them

Thus, we should accept all beliefs as equally valid

Reaction to Modernism

Rationalism

Science

Dogmatism

Individualism

Pragmatism

Capitalism

Nationalism

Veneered religiosity

Postmodernism rejects:

“metanarratives” – accepts “local narratives” (stories that work for local communities, but not for others)

Autonomous individualism

Values of Postmodernism

Spirituality (not religion)

Pluralism (respect others who are different than you)

Relativity

Community

Globality

Holism

Authenticity

Opportunities

Spiritual quests

Sense of community

Openness to all people

Affirmation of our diversity; rather than the majority exploiting the minority

Openness to dialog

Questions for Christianity

Why should I trust you?

All authority is in question, esp. religious

Isn’t that just your reality?

What good is Christianity?

Does it really work?

Does your belief really change lives, or is it just another self-serving group trying to control the world?

Did you know you are a theologian?

Life makes us all theologians.

You may not realize it or think about it, but you are and have been since early in life.

Television, movies, music especially make us theologians.

To think about what is the most important things in life, reality, God, relationships is to be a theologian.

Postmodern society tells us who our gods should be.

Good looks, success, excess, health, wealth, ambition, position

All these things will supposedly save us

From insignificance, normality, boredom, pain of relationships, etc.

But not from ourselves or each other.

When we think about these things and the challenges society throws at us – we are doing theology.

What is Theology?

Theology is thinking about God.

Theology is thinking about the world and its relationship to God as its creator.

Theology is thinking about being human and our relationship with God.

Theology is thinking about other humans and your relationship with them – helping them.

Theology is thinking about how you should live in a world that doesn’t really care about you.

Where do you go to find meaning?

significance?

kindness?

Healing?