Editor Introduction: Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future  

Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future
A Pneuma Review discussion about how the church should respond to postmodernism

Suggestions for Further Reading

Ed Stetzer, “Writing on the Wall: The Future of the Church and Its Mission” Enrichment (Spring 2008), pages 36-41.

http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200802/200802_036_Writing.cfm  

Scot McKnight, “The Ironic Faith of Emergents: McLaren shows us not only where ‘post-evangelicals’ are going, but also how they get there.” Christianity Today (September 2008).

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/september/39.62.html  

Scot McKnight, “McLaren Emerging: In his last two books, Brian McLaren presents more clearly than ever his vision of the gospel” Christianity Today (September 2008).

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/september/38.59.html
 

Randall J. Stephens, The Fire Spreads: Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South (Cambridge: Harvard University, 2008), 393 pages, ISBN 9780674026728.

Classical Pentecostalism has often been described as a religion of the American South. Much of the story of the origins of Pentecostalism, however, and the precise influences of the South that shaped the Pentecostal faith and praxis in North America, remains untold. Stephens closes much of this gap by retelling the story of Pentecostals in the South following the post-Civil War holiness revival. Stephens follows in the footsteps of recent works that have unearthed the origins and formation of Pentecostalism in the American South, such as Grant Wacker’s Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture and Vinson Synan’s classic study, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition. In contrast to these broader survey’s, this book deals in particular with regional and chronological nuances that have shaped Pentecostalism in the southern culture, and as such it should make a fine addition to any library, personal or professional.

At the latest with Donald Dayton’s Theological Roots of Pentecostalism, the holiness movement has been established as the precursor of Classical Pentecostal faith and practice. Stephens, however, tells more of the socio-cultural history of Pentecostal origins in the South, using a rich array of sources that range from early Pentecostal publications to diaries, church records, and denominational histories. As a result, the book addresses the changing shape, growth, creativity, and arguments of the movement in the South over the last one hundred years. Stephens is not afraid to portray the frequent scandals and internal debates among Pentecostals, but he does so with the purpose of revealing the genuine enthusiasm as well as innovative and confrontational zeal that has often characterized Pentecostalism. The result is a highly readable book that is as informative as it is enjoyable.

The Fire Spreads is a solid contribution to an understanding of twentieth-century religions history in North America. In that regard, the reader gains at least two significant insights: first, that the South was fundamentally involved in the forming of American religion and, second, that Pentecostalism represents a major catalyst in that formation, ultimately beyond the confines of the American South and the heritage of the holiness revival. In six chapters, Stephens traces the story of Classical Pentecostalism from the roots of holiness revivalism to its entrance into the plain-folk, largely rural character of southern religion, the formation and organization of the Holiness Movement, the birth of Pentecostal fellowships and assemblies, and the institutionalization of Pentecostal churches. Readers find themselves in the company of G. B. Cashwell, L. L. Pickett, W. B. Godbey, William J. Seymour, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, and John Ashcroft. That this eclectic company is not mismatched lies largely in the fact that Stephens traces a cultural history that has developed from its southern origins to a mass movement of global proportions.

Donald R. Sunukjian, Invitation To Biblical Preaching: Proclaiming Truth with Clarity and Relevance (Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic & Professional, 2007), 375 pages, ISBN 9780825436666.

This book is about the application of the Biblical text—moving from the Biblical text to where people live today, “the take home truth.” This book is very good on pulpit speech and will benefit every minister. While the writer is more qualified as a communication specialist than a homiletican, I do plan to use his suggestions and thoughts on pulpit speech.

Sunukjian assumes the Biblical text is accurate and tries to make it relevant. He is well read on various methodologies of preaching but has problems including other theories of preaching into his writing. For example, he looks at blocks of thoughts in a narrative but outlines it inductively and deductively, instead of letting the blocks of thoughts form the outline of the sermon without a proposition.

The second section of the book, “Look on what God is saying …to us,” deals with pulpit speech and making the sermon flow. Sunukjian says application is taking the central truth and applying it to the audience, applying the take home truth to all age groups. He suggests that after each major point the sermon should have a transitional rhetorical question. The minister should introduce the sermon by summarizing the text before he preaches the sermon.

I like what Sunukjian says about the conclusion of the sermon: “End positively on a note of encouragement and hope” (251). Such a conclusion gives hope in a hopeless world; real hope rooted in the resurrection of Jesus.

His chapter on oral clarity suggests writing the way you talk, using the active voice rather than the passive and verbs rather than nouns, and using simple and similar words.

Donald R. Sunukjian is Professor of Homiletics, Christian Ministry and Leadership at Talbot School of Theology.

The chapter on “Deliver with freedom” suggests we should emphasize the take home truth of the sermon that speaks to the needs of people. Preach without notes and use a small pulpit or a music stand. He suggests that if you write out your sermon in a manuscript, memorize your main points you will speak more clearly. “And you find that 80-90 percent of the words you wrote easily come to mind as you speak” (302).

Preachers that will benefit the most from this book are those who outline sermons propositionally. I have problems with propositional preaching because it uses a foreign methodology (to the biblical text) as a pre-supposition to interpret the Biblical text. Although Sunukjian seeks to make propositional preaching simpler, the methodology itself is the problem. Any sermon that uses the propositional method as a pre-supposition to interpret the Biblical text forces the text to say and do what things the author of the text never intended. Propositional preaching works against the ethos of the Pentecostalism.

Eric Redmond, Where Are All the Brothers?: Straight Answers to Men’s Questions about the Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2008), 112 pages, ISBN 9781433501784.

Where Are All The Brothers? Growing up in the Black church, I asked myself the question, more than once. The follow-on question is just as hard: “If there aren’t any men here, why am I here?”

Both questions should echo and reverberate through all Christian churches in America. There are not enough men in the pews. The men who are present should be more active for the Kingdom of God.

Where Are All The Brothers? is focused on the questions and concerns of African-American men, peering through the doors of African-American churches. It’s tone and purpose aims at men who have already been (at least somewhat) “snared” by the church. Pastor Eric C. Redmond makes a strong play to send questioning men down the road to becoming pillars of the congregation.

This book has a specialized audience and purpose. Where Are All The Brothers? specifically addresses the issues of Black men and Black churches. While not being a panacea for every American church, this book can be put to good use by other Christian traditions.

No church leader should expect to adopt a book or concept carte blanche. Still, make the effort to glean any kernel of truth or wisdom available. There is much wisdom and truth in this book.

Eric C. Redmond is senior pastor of Reformation Alive Baptist Church in Temple Hills, Maryland, and assistant professor of Bible and theology at Washington Bible College.

Where Are All The Brothers? includes thorough scriptural references and ample bibliographic citations. Still, the questions have deep and complex circumstances, and the answers are potentially explosive. It is a good book, but it should come pinned-to-the-shirt of a mature and prepared saint of God.

My impression is that the book is intended to be used as a soul winning tool or pressed into the hands of a new Christian. It is my suggestion that a Pastor or Men’s Leader lead men through this book as evangelism or discipleship training. This book is full of great ammunition, but it needs to be in the hands of spiritual veterans.

If used in this way, Where Are All The Brothers? serves the two-fold purpose of equipping men to be effective soul winners, and reminds Gospel-soldiers of the Kingdom work they should be pursuing. Any book capable of simultaneously equipping evangelists and empowering disciples is valuable indeed. I strongly encourage church leaders to pursue properly deploying this work in local ministry.

Why do we need to ask, and answer, the questions of this book? Because the questions are real to new converts and seasoned saints. The need to understand is valid for winning the lost and building the church.

Dean Merrill, Damage Control: How to Stop Making Jesus Look Bad (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2006), 174 pages, ISBN 9780801065651.

From the journalist and author of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Church (1997) comes yet another volume which speaks to the too often “narrow-minded, exclusionary, and pushy” (back cover) presentation of the Christian Gospel. Believing that Christians do not live as individuals, but that they are “viewed as a collective body and representation of their leader Jesus Christ”, Merrill is very quick to affirm that what Christians do “reflects on the entire group, including its leader, Jesus Christ.” For Merrill, Christians and Christ are “inseparable in the public mind” (Merrill, 16).

Far from being a negative critique of current Christian testimony, Merrill also affirms the positive ways many Christians live out their faith in today’s world. He describes the responses of many Christians he recently interviewed for this book. When asked this question: “What makes you proud to be a Christian?” his respondents were quick to share their delight with the “ongoing programs of help for the needy, the sick, and the disadvantaged”. They admired” the bravery and endurance [of many] in the face of persecution, especially among Christians in the developing world”. His interviewees believed that “there is less denominational partisanship these days than in times past”, and that the Christian effort was effectively reducing “racism in American life”. Respondents also extolled the seeker sensitivity of many churches (Merrill 17). In the main, these Christians were generally satisfied with what they perceived as the Christian impact on the world.

Dean Merrill

In light of all this, he concludes with encouragements for his Christian reader to “bridge build”, to be a “representative of a higher kingdom based on love [leading] to the Way, in the pursuit of shalom” (117). Christians, says Merrill, should be persons of “one-way kindness” (chapter 11), “engaging real difficulties in a real world [giving] substance to the faith [they] possess” (131). He, therefore, calls for a Christian to present a clear and attractive message (chapter 11, 12).

Ultimately, Christian readers could do well by including this book in their devotional reading; and Damage Control could also serve as a discussion guide for groups seeking to be even more authentic in their witness for Christ.

Reviewed by Carolyn D. Baker

Further Reading:

The Pentecostal Evangel from the Assemblies of God interviewed Dean Merrill in 2006: http://www.ag.org/pentecostal-evangel/conversations2006/4810_Merrill.cfm

There seems to be a move by some Evangelicals to engage more effectively today’s culture and society. This has been building for some time. Neither do these appear to be isolated incidents. Several Evangelicals are moving in similar directions. “An Evangelical Manifesto: A Declaration of Evangelical Identity and Public Commitment” (see www.evangelicalmanifesto.com) is an especially significant example. First, several stalwart Evangelical leaders and thinkers, including Richard Mouw (Fuller Theological Seminary), Timothy George (Samford University), Dallas Willard (Southern California University), and others not only signed it but also helped shape it. Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals, was one of the charter signatories. Other notable signatories include Kay Arthur, Stuart Briscoe, Leighton Ford, Justo Gonzalez, Mark Noll, and Alvin Plantinga. Pentecostals will notice names like Jack Hayford, Cheryl Bridges Johns, Mel Robeck, Amos Yong, and others. (I just now signed it myself, and I encourage others to do so too.)

Second, among other things, “An Evangelical Manifesto” enumerates concerns for political and social action, ecological awareness, and ecumenical openness and even interreligious engagement – all without sacrificing or apologizing for continuing commitment to historic Evangelical principles regarding Christ, the Bible, or the Church and its mission. Its tone is quite positive, though perhaps just a bit defensive at times, but overall well balanced. Most of all, it is an intelligent and articulate presentation of Evangelical concerns for a wider arena of issues than previously typical. Additionally, it steadfastly resists and repudiates attempts to stereotype Evangelicals, maintaining a firm grip on a moderate posture between reactionary fundamentalism and reductionist liberalism, viewing both as undesirable, avoidable extremes. These Evangelicals see themselves, though perhaps not as “mainline,” yet as moderates, that is, as members of a movement more in the middle rather than to the far left or far right. Significantly, “An Evangelical Manifesto” is biblically and theologically sound while being culturally engaged. The steering committee and participants are to be commended for courageous work of exceptional quality. (NPR also has an interview about this with Mouw that is interesting. See http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90252763.)

Interestingly, there appears to be an expanding and, at times, energetic move among some Pentecostals toward cultural and social engagement that gels well with “An Evangelical Manifesto”. For example, Jerry Redman has written persuasively on “A Theology of Social Action” (http://www.faithnews.cc/articles.cfm?sid=8827) designed for Evangelicals and Pentecostals. Furthermore, Fleming Rutledge, in “When God Disturbs the Peace” (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/june/13.30.html), has connected Pentecostal and Charismatic understandings of the supernatural dimension and spiritual deliverance with social dynamics. Internationally known Charismatic speaker and writer Cindy Jacobs’s emphasis on working to achieve social transformation through intercession and prophetic ministry (The Reformation Manifesto: Your Part in God’s Plan to Change Nations Today [Bethany House, 2008]) comes to mind as well. From a sociological standpoint, the significance of the move toward Pentecostal social engagement has been studied by Donald Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori in Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2007).

“An Evangelical Manifesto” is apparently an emphatic attempt to address contemporary concerns without abdicating traditional commitments. Likeminded Pentecostals can say “Amen!” Faith in Christ and life in the Spirit propels one beyond the borders of individual experience and interest into the wider arena of a needy if sometimes nasty world. Yet one does not forsake the former in favor of the other. Personal piety and social activity are, or ought to be, partners in Christ-centered, Spirit-filled living.

Paul Elbert, Pastoral Letter to Theo: An Introduction to Interpretation and Women’s Ministries (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2008), xxiv + 97 pages, ISBN 9781556355462.

Is it possible that basic hermeneutical principles are violated in an effort to be politically correct in modern society? Some women have felt betrayed or underutilized in the church due to the interpretation of some NT texts that seem to some to teach that their role is relatively minute in comparison to the role of men. Is it in response to women’s liberation that scholars now contend these verses are mere “cultural statements” and thus no longer apply to today’s society? Can one stay true to a historical-grammatical method of hermeneutics and still prove the validity of women in ministry through the very scriptures that some claim to be stating otherwise? Elbert, employing what he has called a narrative-rhetorical hermeneutical method that is charismatically sensitive and not indebted to the historic presuppositional filter of an “apostolic age,” carefully argues that women do have an equal role of ministry and spiritual gifts in the church. This is the essence of the exegesis set out in Pastoral Letter to Theo: An Introduction to Interpretation and Women’s Ministries.

Elbert opens the book stating the importance of good hermeneutical background and methodology. His intention here is to seek the original meaning and authorial intent on key passages in order to promote a more sustained understanding. He further contends that an interpretive method must respectfully account for the cohesive manner of scripture in its entirety. His purpose, therefore, is to prove that “the Spirit retarding claims, artificially devised epochs, and temporal chasm between original and later New Testament readers as a whole, which have been imposed by Protestant scholarship and formally incorporated within some Evangelical faith traditions since the mid-nineteenth century, are inappropriate and need to be considered for retirement” (xvii).

Elbert goes on to state that one of the major hindrances for an acceptable understanding of key passages is due to poor hermeneutics, particularly in “Bible Belt” zones. He contends that some Evangelical groups, in particular, tend to make “bold and textually untested and unconsidered claims based on proof-texting” (4). While Evangelicals themselves are fine people, some have continued for a long time to dogmatically repeat unreflective claims without giving due consideration to a critical contextual interpretation of the texts they repeatedly tout. The historical result has been to uphold an “apostolic-age” style of interpretation stemming from the male-dominated culture of the Protestant Reformation. In so doing, many of these well-intentioned ministers have focused on what is “doctrinally acceptable and thus keep the tradition of proof-texting alive” (5).

Editor Introduction: Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future

Pastor Tony Richie wraps up our discussion on how the church should respond to postmodernism.

Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future
A Pneuma Review discussion about how the church should respond to postmodernism

Introduction and Overview

The editorial staff of Pneuma Review (PR) is to be commended for its facilitation of this conversation about “Postmodernism, the Church and the Future” through a series of interactive articles (Winter 2007 through Winter 2009). It shows their continuing commitment to PR’s original visionary mission “To lead Pentecostal/charismatic believers to a greater understanding of God’s Word” and assist “church leaders in equipping the saints for the work of the ministry.” It also generates “greater dialogue between Evangelicals” and fosters “an open forum”.¹ As they opened up the discussion, PR editors explained their rationale. Some Christian leaders and thinkers see the shift toward postmodernism as a threat, others as an opportunity. PR feels its readership “needs to hear from today’s theologians and practitioners to get a well-rounded perspective.”² They intentionally assembled a diversely representative panel for that very reason. As I share their initial supposition, and as a member of that original panel, I am excited at their gracious invitation to do a kind of “wrap up” of the conversation that has now been going on for about two years. I am further motivated by general agreement with Stanley Grenz that, “the emerging task of evangelical theology is that of coming to grips with the postmodern condition.”³ Arguably, PR has put its finger one of the most urgent needs for discussion today.

So far, the PR postmodernism conversation has included some notable contributions. In “Emerge or Submerge” Dave Livermore asks “Is ‘cultural relevance’ an effective and theologically sound wineskin for the emergent church or is it moving Christianity toward oblivion?”⁴ Next Winfield Bevins wrote “Retro Faith: A Christian Response to Postmodernism,”⁵ and B. Keith Putt “From Babel to Pentecost: Proclamation, Translation, and the Risk of the Spirit”.⁶ My own prior contribution to the postmodernism conversation was “Effectively Engaging Pluralism and Postmodernism in a So-Called Post Christian Culture: A Review Essay of Lesslie Newbigin’s The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.”⁷ Craig A. Carter contributed “The Myth of Relativism: Christianity in a Postmodern World,”⁸ and Philip Graham Ryken, “Answers to Questions.”⁹ Finally, Frank Viola wrote “A New Kind of Church for a New Kind of World.”¹⁰

I will return later to these thinkers and their ideas. For now, I begin taking a closer look at the topic at hand: postmodern culture and a Christian engagement of and/or response to it. Throughout, I exhort us to bear in mind Hal Knight’s comment that “what is central is a concern to proclaim the truth of the gospel in a postmodern world” because “whatever hope we have rests firmly and ultimately in the risen and living Jesus Christ and in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.”¹¹ Now I will discuss to what extent or in what way we ought to engage postmodern culture as Christians.
 

Wondering about a Worldview on the Rise: Orientation

By way of explanation, this “wrap up” will revolve around certain presuppositions that I will present here. An important Early Church Father, Origen, taught that Christians, like the ancient Israelites, are right and wise to “spoil the Egyptians,” that is, to take from their treasures of knowledge whatever is valuable for divine service in the journey of faith and life. Herein Origen also warned those who “sojourn” in Egypt that, “not many take away … only the useful”. He strongly recommends prayerful study as a safeguard.¹² Therefore, non-Christian culture, according to this perspective, may have something positive to contribute to Christian belief and practice but we must approach it circumspectly. Perhaps, as Thielicke suggested, we can enlist the wisdom of this world as an ally of faith but we must listen carefully to the instinct of the children of God.¹³

I don’t think you have defined postmodernism or modernism well. You say that “postmodernism counters modernism as its antithesis.”  Knowing that you did not have space for an exhaustive definition, in your summary of postmodernism and modernism you indulge in an oversimplification that distorts rather than illuminates. Postmodernism is not a monolithic belief that merely stands as some opposite to modernism. I appreciated your review, but would have liked to see better clarity in your terms.

— EE

Response from Robert Huckleberry:

Dear EE, I can’t agree with you more and do appreciate your response. My use of the word ‘antithesis’ is purely academic and not meant to be taken that postmodernism’s position is opposite on all points to modernism. When one introduces a thesis (as in modernism’s stance that science can answer humankind’s ills), someone else counters with an antithesis to point out exceptions and other thoughts for consideration.  Ideally, a thesis and an antithesis create a dialogue in order to form a better conclusion through synthesis.  Consequently, thesis + antithesis = synthesis.  My attempt to introduce Rob Bell’s book as a point to consider (antithesis) in Church’s transformational methodology to preach the Good News in a postmodern context was apparently missed due to my curt statement. Again, thank you for presenting an antithesis of your own to my thesis so we can produce a clearer synthesis!

Blessings!

Daniel Harrell, “The 30-Day Leviticus Challenge: One church’s experiment in living the most arcane book of the Bible” Christianity Today (August 2008), pages 30-33.

Many years ago I had the rich experience of visiting the historic Park Street Congregational Church in Boston, Massachusetts. I was amazed to sit in one of America’s early churches with such a sense of legacy. The cemetery outside—the final resting place for such notables as Benjamin Franklin, Mother Goose, and other names—would make the pages of high school civics class come to life.

Two decades later I find myself writing about another historic civics lesson: this time about God’s constitution with his people, Israel—or more specifically—the book of Leviticus. What does a church in Boston have to do with Moses’ Leviticus?

Curiously, they intersect at something called the “The 30-Day Leviticus Challenge” as Pastor Daniel Harrell and Park Street Congregational attempted to spiritually touch what the ancient Israelites lived.

Fundamentally, to better grasp the realities of such everyday Christian themes as “sacrifice, atonement, holiness,” and more—the very essence of the book of Leviticus—Harrell challenged the members of his church to not merely read the words of this book of the Pentateuch, but to become engaged in living its pages, to participate in what he refers to as an “interpretive challenge.”

As New Testament believers, there were some givens: namely that the sacrifices and high priestly duties were “fulfilled” by the Messiah’s atoning work on the cross. Other than that, the congregants were at liberty to live Leviticus as they saw fit. In the article you’ll read some interesting stories of how they interpreted what Moses had written and how to apply it literally, symbolically, and more importantly—spiritually—all these thousands of years later.

These brave few volunteers, about 21 in all, lived Leviticus for the rest of the church to see, and opened a social network account to support one another, bounce ideas around, and form a community. This began to spread the Word—and its practice—all around the world as other Facebook members read and experienced this 30-Day Challenge through the eyes of those participating.

A natural concern is that “all this Leviticus going on” would lead people down the path toward legalism. Apparently that was not the case. Approaching the book with a clearly held belief in Jesus only served to enrich the living-text experience, drew the men and woman engaged in the challenge closer to God and His Word, and had the unexpected result of drawing out curious onlookers. In short, their faith became more vivid and their organic opportunities to witness increased.