ܒܢܐ ܡܬܚܠܦܢܐ، ܣܟܢܐ ܕܟܠ ܓܒܪܐ” (zevna methhalphana, sekana dkul gavra) Aramaic Shifting Sands
ܙܒܢܐ ܡܬܚܠܦܢܐ، ܣܟܢܐ ܕܟܠ ܓܒܪܐ” (zevna methhalphana, sekana dkul gavra) Aramaic,
Shifting Sands, Everyman’s Peril
Introduction – Shifting sands, Everyman’s peril
Part 1 Post Modern Impact on Christianity
Part 2 Focus on Chapter 6
Epilogue – Not a modernist or a post-modernist.
Introduction
Post modernism is not a topic that excites “everyman.”[1] To even begin reading, Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Michel Foucault, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault[2], requires a definition of terms. Two definitions are shared here.
Epistemology, the philosophical study of the nature, origin, and limits of human knowledge.[3]
This word does not roll of the tongue but serves as a signpost that ‘everyman’ will be delving into a different perspective on knowledge.
Postmodern philosophy is characterized by broad skepticism or relativism and a general suspicion of reason. It also broadly asserts that Western intellectual and cultural norms and values are a product of, or are in some sense influenced by, the ideology of dominant or elite groups and at least indirectly serve their interests.[4]
These definitions force ‘everyman’ to be cautious as he moves from the day-to-day reality of life to a realization that if he comes from a Judeo-Christian background, that post modernism is an assault on the “cornerstone[5]” of his moral being. He should be warned that he is traversing upon “shifting sands.”[6]
Part 1 – Post Modernism impact Christianity
“Everyman,” could easily be confused by the historical names and philosophies discussed in this book. Some key questions relevant to our faith emerge. How does Post Modernism impact Christians? What is its impact on Biblical Truth? The role of Jesus Christ? Got Questions gives a good overview.
“Post-modern Christianity falls into line with basic post-modernist thinking. It is about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, outward over inward…when groups form under such thinking, theology and doctrine tend to lean more towards liberalism…For example, because experience is valued more highly than reason, truth becomes relative. This opens up all kinds of problems, as this lessens the standard that the Bible contains absolute truth, and even disqualifies biblical truth as being absolute in many cases. If the Bible is not our source for absolute truth, and personal experience is allowed to define and interpret what truth actually is, a saving faith in Jesus Christ is rendered meaningless.[7]
Part 2 – Focus on Chapter 6
While Explaining Post Modernism contains quite the background of post modernism, it is chapter 6 (Concluding chapter) that describes “postmodern strategy-connecting epistemology to politics.”
The authors write, “it makes perfect sense that to most postmodernists language is primarily a weapon. This explains the harsh nature of postmodern rhetoric.”[8] They continue, “On this hypothesis, then, postmodernism is a symptom of the Left’s crisis of faith..justify(ing) the personal leap of faith necessary to continue believing in socialism.” [9]
Truth becomes irrelevant. The authors write, “Post modernism, “seeks not to find the foundation and the conditions of truth but to exercise power for the purpose of social change.”[10]
Shifting sands….Postmodernists have a problem with historical fact. The authors share this example, “Postmodernists say that the West is deeply racist, but they know very well that the West ended slavery for the first time ever, and this it is only in places where Western ideas have made inroads that racist ideas are on the defensive.”[11]
The pendulum swings back and forth when one reads Malik, Kenan. Not so Black and White: A History of Race from White Supremacy to Identity Politics. [12]
Epilogue – Not a modernist[13] or a post modernist.
Although it was not their intent, I take some words of the authors (on Modernists) to return me to my faith. The authors write, “…The functionality of language is complementary to its being cognitive. An individual observes reality perceptually, forms conceptual beliefs about reality on the basis of those perceptions, and then acts in reality on the basis of those perceptual and conceptual cognitive states.[14] My personality reality is founded on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ. The movement of His Holy Spirit in my life as guide and His word in the bible is the lens through which I perceive the complicated story we call life.
The authors go on to say, “In communicating with each other (modernists), individuals narrate, argue, or otherwise attempt to pass on their cognitive beliefs about the world.”[15]
Absolutely! This is my personal testimony on how Christ died to save me from my sins, and I rise with him from death to eternal life. Selah…
P.S. I liked listening to the book rather than reading it.
Explaining Postmodernism by Stephen Hicks: Chapter 6: Postmodern Strategy
___________________________________
[1] “Everyman,” in Wikipedia, February 12, 2024, The everyman is a stock character of fiction. An ordinary and humble character, the everyman is generally a protagonist whose benign conduct fosters the audience’s identification with them.https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Everyman&oldid=1206682574.
[2] Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Michel Foucault, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault, 1. ed, expanded ed (Roscoe, Ill.: Ockham’s Razor, 2011).
[3] Epistemology | Definition, History, Types, Examples, Philosophers, & Facts | Britannica,” accessed March 3, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/epistemology.
[4] Postmodernism | Definition, Doctrines, & Facts | Britannica,” February 13, 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/postmodernism-philosophy.
[5] Ephesians 2:20, which says, “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone.”
[6] Matthew 7:26-27 (NIV) states: “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
[7] “What Is Post-Modern Christianity?,” GotQuestions.org, accessed March 3, 2024, https://www.gotquestions.org/post-modern-Christianity.html. It should be noted that Got Questions.org has Christian foundation and recently spoke at Focus on the Family. Their goal of impacting Google Search and AI with biblical truth has met with clear opposition in the “google” world.
[8] Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Michel Foucault, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault, 1. ed, expanded ed (Roscoe, Ill.: Ockham’s Razor, 2011), 194.
[9] Ibid, 198. As a side note: on page 196. They write Fyodor Dostoevsky, wrote, “If anyone had written to me that the truth was outside of Christ, I would rather remain with Christ in that Truth.” I remember a Russian stating that while communism had abandoned Christianity, that the people still had Dostoevsky for help them cling to faith.
[10] Ibid., 200.
[11] Ibid., 201.
[12] Malik, Kenan. Not so Black and White: A History of Race from White Supremacy to Identity Politics. London: Hurst & Company, 2023, 13. “We live in an age in which in most societies there is a moral abhorrence of racism, albeit that in most, bigotry and discrimination still disfigure the lives of many. We also live in an age saturated with identitarian thinking and obsessed with placing people into racial boxes. The more we despise racial thinking, the more we seem to cling to it.[12] This feeds identity politics which takes away of our shared identity (Americans?) and makes conflict easy to justify.
[13] “How Should a Christian View Modernism?,” GotQuestions.org, accessed March 3, 2024, https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-modernism.html.
Modernism arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, due to some major changes in the world, including the rise of industrial societies, the development of larger, more populated cities, and the terrible tragedy of World War I. Religious skepticism and atheism are hallmarks of modernism. Sigmund Freud, who spoke of
A Christian should regard modernism from two angles: first, modernism provides a clue to understanding humanity. Modernism is humanity’s attempt to understand itself and human life without the aid of God’s revelation. Its rejection of God and focus on self are the results of society’s embrace of falsehood. Christians are to be ambassadors for Christ, speaking the truth to a world that is lost and deceived by Satan. A Christian should treat those ensnared in untruths with gentleness, with prayer, and with speaking the truth in love (2 Timothy 2:24–26; Ephesians 4:15).
[14] Stephen Ronald Craig Hicks, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Michel Foucault, Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault, 1. ed, expanded ed (Roscoe, Ill.: Ockham’s Razor, 2011), 192.
[15] Ibid., 192.
About the Author
Russell Chun
interlinkt.org is now ready for your Refugee Resettlement needs. 15 tasks, languages ESL plans coming6 responses to “ܒܢܐ ܡܬܚܠܦܢܐ، ܣܟܢܐ ܕܟܠ ܓܒܪܐ” (zevna methhalphana, sekana dkul gavra) Aramaic Shifting Sands”
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Russell, I agree with your conclusion: I am neither a modernist or a posmodernist, as I find problems with both. I want to keep my gaze on Jesus and take my cues from Him, not the latest ideology or philosophy (though I can learn from all of it).
Wow, thanks for responding. I am so wrapped up in my Immigration Symposium (this Saturday), that I had to throw something together for Hicks. When I listened to Chapter 1, I was sort of appalled. Then I glommed into Chapter 6 (as the conclusion) and stayed there.
So much interesting information, so much information that I just don’t have any interest in. HOW we respond to postmodernism as Christians was much more interesting to me. Both Modernism and Post Modernism reject (more or less) any faith. Does that make us both Pre modernist without Spanish Inquisition tendencies?
Time will tell…..
Thanks Russell. Like you, I would not ‘identity’ as either modern or postmodern…but can see both the good and bad in each philosophical system. For example, Got Questions is right…”because experience is valued more highly than reason, truth becomes relative. This opens up all kinds of problems…” True. But so does the opposite: where reason is almost exclusively valued….and that cognitive knowledge is never personally transformative in a person’s life or lived out towards others. That sort of faith (that’s only in the head) is useless according to James. Paul says we can have all knowledge (reason) but if we’re not actually loving, it’s useless. In this particular instance, if I was asked if I support modernity’s emphasis on reason or postmodernity’s emphasis on experience, I would simply answer, “Yes!”
To be frank, I don’t know of anyone in my life who would ask me if I was a modernist or a post modernist. This stuff I leave to the smart guys like you.
My world is connected to those, like yourself, who love and care for people.
While I think we need to informed, (as leaders), my brain has focused on Immigration and refugee resettlement. If the readings don’t pertain to this I have to just give it an inspection reading and move on.
The identity stuff has impacted immigration polarization and I have used a lot of those insights into both my NPO and work in Ukraine.
Sorry too much information.
Shalom…
Russell, great job on the footnoting! You wrote in one of your footnotes “Modernism is humanity’s attempt to understand itself and human life without the aid of God’s revelation.” I would be curious to know what you think regarding how much modernity crept into the “modern” church — at least the church of the latter part of the 20th century — and how that might have influenced evangelistic methodology. What did churches do right? Where did they miss it?
Also, you highlighted what Malik said about “identitarian thinking…obsessed with placing people into racial boxes” Then you said, “This feeds identity politics which takes away of our shared identity.(Americans?) and makes conflict easy to justify.” I resonated with what you shared when you were on the hot seat last Monday about traveling the world and having a shared identity in Christ with those you encountered — an identity that trumps all other identities (or something like that?). I am using that reference tomorrow in our syntopical interview.
Call me CRAZY!
I asked ChatGPT4.
The latter part of the 20th century was a period of significant change and transformation for many churches, especially those in the Western world. The term “modern church” in this context often refers to the ways in which Christian congregations and denominations responded to, adapted, or incorporated aspects of modernity — including technological advancements, cultural shifts, and changes in social values. This period saw a variety of impacts on evangelistic methodology, as churches sought to reach new generations and respond to changing societal contexts.
### What Churches Did Right:
1. **Adapting to Technology**: Many churches embraced new technologies to spread their message. The use of television, radio, and later the internet allowed churches to reach a broader audience than ever before. Televangelism, for example, became a significant phenomenon.
2. **Contemporary Worship**: The introduction of contemporary worship styles, including modern music and informal services, made church more accessible and appealing to younger generations. This shift often helped to bridge the gap between traditional religious practices and modern cultural expressions.
3. **Social Engagement**: Churches increasingly recognized the importance of social justice and community service, aligning their evangelistic efforts with actions that addressed societal issues like poverty, inequality, and discrimination. This holistic approach to ministry often resonated with people’s desire to see faith in action.
4. **Small Groups and Relational Evangelism**: The development of small group ministries within larger church contexts facilitated more intimate community connections and discipleship opportunities, fostering personal growth and deeper relational evangelism.
5. **Global Missions and Partnership**: Many churches expanded their focus to include international missions, often partnering with local churches in other countries to provide support and resources. This global perspective helped spread the Christian message and addressed global needs.
### Where They Missed It:
1. **Cultural Compromise**: In an effort to be relevant, some churches may have compromised on core doctrinal beliefs or ethical standards, leading to criticisms of being “too worldly” or diluting the Christian message.
2. **Consumerism in Church Culture**: The adoption of a consumer mindset in some churches, where services and programs are designed primarily to meet the wants of attendees rather than fostering genuine discipleship and community, led to criticisms of a “consumer church” model.
3. **Neglecting Tradition**: In embracing modernity, some churches may have neglected rich traditions and historical practices of the faith that provide depth and continuity. This can result in a loss of a sense of sacredness and connection to the broader historical Christian community.
4. **Polarization and Culture Wars**: In some contexts, churches became heavily involved in cultural and political battles, which sometimes led to polarization and alienation from those with differing views, potentially hindering evangelistic outreach to broader segments of society.
5. **Failure to Address Modern Intellectual Questions**: Some churches struggled to engage effectively with modern intellectual and philosophical questions, potentially alienating individuals who grappled with doubts or sought deeper intellectual engagement with faith issues.
In summary, churches in the latter part of the 20th century made significant strides in adapting to modernity in ways that often enhanced their evangelistic outreach and societal engagement. However, this period also presented challenges, as the balance between maintaining core Christian beliefs and engaging with contemporary culture was not always easy to navigate. The effectiveness of these adaptations varied widely among different churches and denominations, and the ongoing challenge for the church is to discern how to be in the world but not of it, offering a compelling vision of the Christian faith that is both timeless and timely.
I want to highlight #4 Polarization of the church. Does politics influence the church? Or does the church influence politics. This is the essence of my dialogue on Saturday.
Shalom…