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?