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

Editor Introduction (Winter 2007)
Editor Introduction: Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future

David Livermore (Winter 2007)
Emerge or Submerge

Is “cultural relevance” an effective and theologically sound wineskin for the emergent church or is it moving Christianity toward oblivion?

Suggested Reading (Spring 2007)
Spring 2007: Suggested Reading

Winfield Bevins (Spring 2007)
Retro Faith: A Christian Response to Postmodernism

Dony Donev (Spring 2007)
Postmodern Rebels

Suggested Reading (Summer 2007)
Summer 2007: Suggested Reading

B. Keith Putt (Summer 2007)
From Babel to Pentecost:
Proclamation, Translation, and the Risk of the Spirit

Suggested Reading (Fall 2007)
Fall 2007: Suggested Reading

Tony Richie (Fall 2007)
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

Suggested Reading (Winter 2008)
Winter 2008: Suggested Reading

Craig A. Carter (Winter 2008)
The Myth of Relativism: Christianity in a Postmodern World
Professor Carter unpacks what relativism is to give us a better understanding of what postmodernism really is.

Suggested Reading (Spring 2008)
Spring 2008: Suggested Reading

Philip G. Ryken (Spring 2008)
Answers to Questions with Philip Ryken

Suggested Reading (Summer 2008)
Summer 2008: Suggested Reading

Frank Viola (Summer 2008)
A New Kind of Church for a New Kind of World

Winfield Bevins (Summer 2008)
Response from Winfield Bevins

Suggested Reading (Fall 2008)
Fall 2008: Suggested Reading

Suggested Reading (Winter 2009)
Winter 2009: Suggested Reading

Tony Richie (Winter 2009)
Becoming All Things, Spoiling the Egyptians,
and Occupying Culture till Christ Comes
Reflections on the Recent Postmodernism Conversation: Pastor Tony Richie wraps up our discussion on how the church should respond to postmodernism.

Has Christianity ever found itself in a world full of competing religions and cultures? What can we learn from how those followers of Jesus acted in their times? Should we hope for the same kinds of outcomes?

We are presently concerned with the relationship of our faith to the other religions of the world, especially with Islam and a newly radicalized Hinduism. Except for Islam and a radicalized Hinduism, this is nothing new for Christians. Jesus was born into a religiously pluralistic world; much more, the first Christians, as acknowledged by D.A. Carson in his The Gagging of God, “not only lived in a pluralistic world, but they operated from a base of perceived inferiority.”¹

For a visitor from the middle of the third century, it is déjà vu. All of the religions of that time are here and every one touting tolerance while displaying an intolerance of its own. There is an added feature not around in the third century, Islam and its Moslem adherents.

One of the Severan emperors, Alexander Severus, went one step further in the pluralist direction. In his own private chapel, he placed busts or statues of Apollonius, Abraham, Jupiter, Jesus, and Orpheus side-by-side.² Whatever his intent, it suggested that he saw Jesus and Abraham on a par with Orpheus and Apollonius. That parity attitude exists in the 21st century when pluralists suggest that Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism are just different ways of approaching the same God and, therefore, are of equal value. The ghost of Alexander Severus hovers over this postmodern 21st century. Back in 1993 Richard Unds assessed the postmodern golden rule as “Grant to all religions the same presumption of truth as you grant to your own religion. All religions are created equal.”³ Evidently, Severus thought that way himself; same situation, different century.

With the fourth century, a new order came with a triumphant Christianity—almost. With Julian’s ascension to the throne persecution against Christians broke out anew. Julian, in a gesture toward the Jews, started rebuilding the Temple on their behalf. Natural calamities hampered the project and it was abandoned in A.D. 363 upon Julian’s death. Jovian, Julian’s successor, restored to the Church its privileges. His successor, Constantius, closed all pagan temples.

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!

Brian D. McLaren, A Generous Orthodoxy: Why I am a missional +evangelical +post/protestant +liberal/conservative +mystical/poetic +biblical +charismatic/contemplative +fundamentalist/calvinist +anabaptist/anglican +methodist +catholic +green +international +depressed-yet-hopeful +emergent +unfinished Christian (Zondervan/Youth Specialties, 2004), 297 pages, ISBN 0310257476

No reader of this book will finish it unaffected. Critics of McLaren or the emergent conversation will have more disdain and “ammunition” for their polemics. Leaders—especially those aware of the shift from modernity, colonialism, Enlightenment thought to a pluralistic culture—will be informed and challenged by the contrast of values he identifies with.

More clearly presenting his beliefs here than in his narrative trilogy that started with A New Kind of Christian, McLaren draws out the strengths and biblical emphasis he finds in the breadth of Christian traditions—giving us one of the longest subtitles since the 18^th Century. Or to put it another way, this book provides an answer for many criticisms fielded against McLaren’s emergent views while offering a more generous expression of orthodoxy.

In the chapter “Jesus: Savior of What?” McLaren writes, “Salvation is what happens when we experience both judgment and forgiveness, both justice (exposing the truth about our wrong) and mercy (forgiving the negative consequences we deserve). Without both we don’t end up with true salvation. … Forgiveness without conviction is not forgiveness: it is irresponsible toleration. It doesn’t lead to reconciliation and peace; it leads to chaos” (95, emphasis and parenthesis are his). In “Why I Am Emergent,” McLaren addresses relativism, “… I and others, while we aren’t ‘for’ pluralistic relativism, do see it as a kind of needed chemotherapy. We see modernity with its absolutisms and colonialisms and totalitarianisms as a kind of static dream, a desire to abide in timeless abstractions and extract humanity from the ongoing flow of history and emergence, a naïve hope to make now the end of history (which sounds like a kind of death wish or millennialism)” (256, emphasis and parenthesis are his). Of course, many Christians remain unconvinced that absolutism is a cancer to be expunged from the body of Christ.

“Jesus debated the Pharisees not so that his super-orthodoxy of the exclusively right could finally prevail over theirs, but so that his generous orthodoxy of God’s saving love for all could open wide the doors to God’s house, with a special welcome for the poor, the brokenhearted, the prisoners, the sick, and yes, even the mistaken” (295, emphasis his). Therefore McLaren’s lengthy subtitle may also be a symbol of challenge to all, especially those who value distinctions that set them apart from other Christians.

While I disagree with McLaren over some points, I deeply appreciate the generous invitation he has extended to join the conversation about what it means to be telling the story of Jesus with our whole lives.

Reviewed by Raul Mock

Preview this book in GoogleBooks: http://books.google.com/books?id=MUtyY3jweI0C

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

A Review Essay of Lesslie Newbigin’s The Gospel in a Pluralist Society.

“Pluralist!” “Postmodern!” Lately these two terms are increasingly, and sometimes carelessly, bandied about as especially descriptive of the present age. They signify such complex concepts that sometimes even defining the terminology can be difficult. To make matters even more intimidating for many of us, pluralism and postmodernism also exist in both religious and secular forms with widely variant philosophical, political, and theological schools of thought and levels of radicality. In fact, they may be descriptive of an even deeper seated condition of being post-Christian. “Post-Christian” describes a personal or societal world view no longer rooted in the language and assumptions of Christianity, though it previously originated and existed in, and thus emerged from, that environment. Importantly, a wide range of continuing attitudes from open embrace to complete exclusion exist toward Christianity itself.¹ Yet the basic meaning of pluralism and postmodernism is understood easily enough. “Pluralism” at its most fundamental level simply observes the fact “that there is an actual plurality of religious and other beliefs, practices, and so on in the world.” It proceeds from that point to varying degrees of representation either embracing or eschewing implications of that acknowledgment.² “Postmodernism” essentially identifies a disposition questioning the Enlightenment/Modernist argument for the sovereignty and ubiquity of reason as being reductionist at best and dismissive of or skewed against other important elements of reality (e.g., imagination, intuition, tradition) at worst. Again, it proceeds from that point to varying degrees of representation either embracing or eschewing implications of that acknowledgment.³ Christians are currently divided about the consequences of these paradigmatic developments. Some are hopeful about possibilities while others are fearful of pitfalls.⁴ At this point, humbly admitting that I’m not an expert or authority in these matters may be helpful; at least, it will certainly be honest. I’m more or less a typical pastor and preacher struggling to make sense out of today’s world. I suppose that is why I find Newbigin so challenging and stimulating.

Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (Eerdmans, 1989), 264 pages, ISBN 9780802804266.

Lesslie Newbigin (1909-98) was truly one of the towering figures of the twentieth century when it comes to the theory and practice of Christian mission. And this book is his now classic contribution to that increasingly complex and controversial endeavor. A native of Great Britain educated at Cambridge, as a young man he was converted from agnosticism to Christianity when he saw a vision of a huge cross touching heaven and earth. A man of boundless energy and profound intellect, Newbigin then spent nearly four decades as a missionary in India, also building a lasting reputation as a great ecumenical leader. Although he himself humbly claims to be only “a pastor and preacher” he is often hailed by others as a scholar and thinker.⁵ The Gospel in a Pluralist Society is in fact a clear and cogent articulation of how contemporary paradigm shifts such as pluralism and postmodernism may inform and influence Christian identity and ministry in what is now sometimes called a post-Christian society.⁶ One would be hard pressed to find another book that takes more seriously or navigates more skillfully both commitment to historic Christianity and engagement of contemporary cultural contexts. It is a must read for anyone intending to integrate those same ideas today. At times provocative, always informative, seriously studying it promises to be potentially transformative. Therefore, be warned: one reads at a certain (worthwhile) risk!

Crystal L. Downing, How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith: Questioning Truth in Language, Philosophy and Art (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 240 pages.

Crystal Downing has navigated through the mire of misinformation and mangled terminology to present to her reader a clear understanding of what postmodernity is and is not. More importantly, she has prevailed in providing the Christian Church with an effective tool for the communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the postmodern cultural milieu. Regardless of your philosophical aptitude, Downing’s thesis will provide ample food for thought.

What is postmodernity? Postmodernity is not a worldview or an ideology, hypothesized Downing, it is an exposé. It does not point to potential weaknesses in Christianity, Downing opined, but to flaws in modernity. Postmodernity is a reply to, or argument against modernity. Downing’s thesis argued that postmodern theory reopens a door of opportunity for the voice of Christian faith to reenter the academic conversation. In this regard, postmodernity can serve all communities of faith. It is a contradistinction to modernity; postmodernity champions the voices of the marginalized, whereas modernity elevated science and rationality as the only voice of authority. Downing pressed the definition of postmodernity as being against the modern argument—that truth is objectively perceived by reason alone. She posited that postmodernity continues to confront the premise of modernity, which expected science and art to replace Christ as the savior of humanity.

Downing wrote in an easy style, that can be followed with little effort by the non-philosophical reader. She took the time to build her theory around some homey illustrations and on some delightful puns. These will assist the uninitiated to conceptualize some of the abstractions of theory she presented. Along the way she has drawn the attention of the reader to the root meaning of key words and, as an English major, she delights in pointing out not only the origins of these words, but she also calls for the exactitude of their definitions.

The pattern that Downing gives to the reader is linear in format. First, she has laid out the premise for her book. Second, she has labored to build a foundation for her work—gleefully poking fun at herself for using a technique of modernity to illustrate a postmodern text. Next, she has taken the reader systematically through the ideas of significant philosophers, noting their contribution to the development of modern and postmodern worldviews. Along the way, Downing includes enough footnotes to provide the curious with some direction for further inquiry and she gives the reader an ample number of brief quotations—from her roll call of popular authors and prominent philosophers to punctuate her points of progress.

Editor Introduction: Postmodernism, The Church, and The Future

Bob Dylan wrote a song in the 1960’s entitled “The Times They are A-Changin” that describes the changing times that we now live in. Change is all around us. There is rapid development and technology such as the world has never seen before. In the past 100 years we have learned how to fly, we have traveled to outer space, we have invented weapons of mass destruction, and we have witnessed the age of computer technology. As a result, we live in an age of revolutionary change.

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

In the midst of these rapid changes, the old world of modernity is crumbling around us and a new world is emerging. Futurists, theologians, and philosophers call this new world “postmodernism.” What we are experiencing is a major paradigm shift from modernity to postmodernism. The tremendous paradigm shift that we are witnessing can be compared to previous time periods such as the reformation or the age of reason. In his book Soul Tsunami: Sink or Swim in the New Millennium Culture, Leonard Sweet writes, “The seismic events that have happened in the aftermath of the postmodern earthquake have generated tidal waves that have created a whole new world out there.”¹

There is no shortage of spirituality in our postmodern world. The postmodern world that we live in is a very spiritual place where people are looking for a spirituality that is real and relevant; a spirituality that is not dead and outdated. Many people in North America are actively seeking spirituality outside of the church by looking to alternative religions. Buddhism and other eastern religions are experiencing explosive growth in North America and around the world. In the marketplace of consumer spirituality, individuals are not choosing one religion over the other, rather they are weaving together their own patchwork spirituality.

The sad fact is that the church is one of the last places that people look for authentic spirituality. Most people say that church is boring, irrelevant, dry, complicated, even domesticated. How did this happen? Was it always this way? Part of the problem stems from the fact that many churches are still functioning the same way they were in the 1940’s. At the turn of the century the church became more rational than relational, more organizational than organic, more political than prayerful, and more structural than spiritual. Today, many of the churches in North America are anything but spiritual.

Author Brian D. McLaren declares, “If you have a new world, you need a new church, you have a new world.”² The changes of postmodern world are real, but the church has been slow to address it. The church is one of the last institutions to acknowledge and engage the new world of postmodernism. Many churches have chosen to respond to the changes in our culture with apathy and denial.

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

How should the church respond to postmodernism?

With great anticipation and some caution, I am pleased to announce the beginning of our discussion on Postmodernism, the Church, and the Future. As North American culture has become increasingly postmodern, some church leaders have perceived this shift to be a threat and others an opportunity. Church leaders need to know what they are facing. They need to hear from today’s theologians and practitioners to gain a well-rounded perspective.

May God give us the grace to humbly hear His voice calling us forward.

The Pneuma Review editorial committee is working to put together a diverse panel to discuss how the church should respond to the challenge of postmodernism.

We want your feedback. I invite you to leave comments and respond to these articles.