There is a Map but Does it Hold Meaning Anymore?
My twenty-one-year-old son is agnostic. Or atheist. Or something else. He is not a Christian. Of that he is sure, but, if I understand him correctly, he doesn’t find religion relevant enough to his life to be defined by a specific belief or religious system. This young adult was baptized, raised and confirmed in the Church. He loves and is loved by many who raised him in the Christian faith. Still, he has found his home base, along with many other young adults, within “skepticism of the meta-narrative,”[1] the subjectivity of postmodernism.
To be honest, this bothers me not as much as you might think. I believe that he knows where to find the Church or faith, should he have a hankering for More. He is surrounded by people who will continue to pray for him and speak into his life in positive, loving ways. I also trust that like God does for the the prodigal Son, God continually runs towards my own son, robes flapping in the wind, ready to gather him in a big bear hug. And I know, he is at a time of life when he is supposed to question everything, become independent, push back on his preacher mom. He is doing his job well.
A Map of Meaning
That said, I trust that he knows where and how to find faith or God or the church if he decides he wants it, because we raised him in a community of faith that gave him a map of meaning,[2] the meta-narrative of the Christian story while they also made him feel he belonged and was loved. I also realize that at twenty-one, he is still discovering the world, himself, and has relatively little life experience. Whether he likes it or not, one of my son’s maps of meanings is the Christian metanarrative. He may hold it alongside the map that says there is no meta-narrative (postmodernism) and holding the two at the same time may get confusing, but I’m hopeful the map of the Christian meta-narrative will, in the end, hold more meaning for him.
This week we read Jordan Peterson’s book, Maps of Meaning, the Architecture of Belief, in which he makes the claim that “Something we cannot see protects us from something we do not understand,” meaning, without a “map” to show us where to go, how to get there, basic “rules of the road,” chaos will reign. We cannot survive in chaos, and will do “anything- anything to defend ourselves against it.”[3]
Whether or not the Christian story is “true,” it is also a “map” to follow. As Peterson points out, all myths (not using the word, myth to mean untrue), provide a “map” of how the world came to be, how it is to work, where it is going, how we are to behave. However, when what Peterson calls an anomaly arises, sometimes a map can quit working for us, meaning, the map no longer help us steer our way out of chaos to meaning. He writes, “The emergence of anomaly constitutes a threat to the integrity of the moral tradition governing behavior and evaluation. Strange things or situations can pose a challenge to the structure of a given system of action and related beliefs.”[4] Which makes me wonder if this is what is happening with the “Christian map.” Have too many anomalies arisen, (for example: sex abuse in the Church, inequality of women, theologies that are not relevant to the here and now, postmodernism’s emphasis on subjectivity), that the Christian map is no longer meaningful to many. Is this the case for my son?
Creating Maps that Have Meaning
Postmodernism is one anomaly that has at the least, created a detour on our map of meaning. I wonder if Artificial Intelligence will completely take us off the map. In the beginning statement of his podcast on Maps of Meaning, Peterson says, “If we don’t develop a moral sense as conscious and as elaborate as our technological sense the fact that we are capable of becoming increasingly powerful will necessarily do us in.” We will have to create a new map of meaning that includes how we use artificial intelligence to enhance our humanity. In her book and her blog, Robot Souls, Eve Poole writes, “Whether or not – and when- the robots will take over is a moot point,” Poole writes, “but what would most help us navigate this contested terrain is a clearer sense of what it actually means to be human.”[5]
From what I understand of Peterson (which admittedly is little), there are maps of meaning, or metanarratives that direct us in the way to be in this culture. Whether we are aware of it or not, we follow these maps. If we don’t follow the map, we find ourselves lost, in chaos, or being corrected and directed back onto the map by the culture.
As a leader, is it my role to help create maps of meaning for my institutions, my culture, the people who follow my leadership? Is it my role to keep people from making wrong turns? Is it my role to help people create new maps that have meaning for them and/or for our world?
[1] Jordan B. Peterson podcast, Stephen Hicks: Philosophy and Postmodernism, Jordan’s Conversation with Stephen Hicks, May 5, 2019, Scribd. s
[2] Jordan B. Peterson, Maps of Meaning, the Architecture of Belief, Routledge, New York, NY, 1999, the whole dang book.
[3] Ibid, xi.
[4] Ibid, 233.
[5] Eve Poole, Robot Souls?, 2017, https://evepoole.com/robot-souls/
About the Author
Kally Elliott
Mom of four. Wanna-be Broadway star. PC(USA) pastor. Wife. Friend. Sometimes a hot mess. Sometimes somewhat together. Is this supposed to be a professional bio?13 responses to “There is a Map but Does it Hold Meaning Anymore?”
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You’ve asked a hard question, “Have too many anomalies arisen, (for example: sex abuse in the Church, inequality of women, theologies that are not relevant to the here and now, postmodernism’s emphasis on subjectivity), that the Christian map is no longer meaningful to many. Is this the case for my son?
That is something to wrestle with, especially as a leader in the Church. However, that case could be made for all of church history. There have been dark aspects, travesties within the Body of Christ, forces for evil that endeavored to discredit the church of Jesus. Nothing new today, that’s for sure.
So, I wonder what’s at play. What’s beneath it all?
Wish I had more to add, more to contribute to the conversation, but I don’t. I do have to wrestle with the questions, however.
John, you’re right, and it’s important to keep in mind that there is nothing new under the sun! The Church has had its fair share of critics, scandals, dark travesties, etc for centuries. I think what I take from this is that it’s a wicked problem and we shouldn’t panic and react, but instead, consider what we *can* do to work towards building healthy faith communities that serve the world in tangible, relevant ways.
Hey Kally…
1. I likewise have a son (20 yrs old) who entered the COVID crisis feeling called into some kind of full-time Christian leadership, emerge an ‘agnostic’ after watching copious amounts of philosophical content and theological debates on youtube (thanks technology!). Live in that world for too long, where every single assertion of truth will be countered with a different opinion, and you will inevitably end up agnostic! A secondary factor for my son is that, in the midst of his sincere searching…God, in his divine wisdom, failed to give Him the kind of ‘experience’ that would verify His existence to my son (I have some opinions about God’s ‘no-show’ during this season of Beckham’s openness…but that’s been communicated to Him!)
2. I have not handled my son’s wandering down these various ‘rabbit trails’ as well as you… I tend to carry a deep sadness for him that can taint too much of the rest of my life.
And now about maps…what’s interesting is that my son and I spoke about 6 months ago about how his ‘anxiety’ (the real issue, his mother and I suspect) about whether we can really know something to be true (Christianity) caused him to avoid religion and declare himself agnostic. Yet…as he tries to figure out what to do with his life, he now recognizes that agnosticism is a terrible map to direct his decisions and give meaning to his life. So now he feels stuck, making the statement to me, “Agnosticism doesn’t help me move forward….but I can’t go back to my faith that I had in grade 10.” Perfect….thinks dad! And I respond: “Going back in most areas of life is rarely positive, Beckham, but what about moving forward and re-building a faith that will help you navigate the future?”
May both of our sons find Jesus in some surprising places as they follow some other, less helpful maps, and once again be caught up in God’s grand story in ways that are congruent to who they are and good for the world!
Scott, it sounds like you are handling it really well – even if you do carry a deep sadness. I too, carry a sadness about my son’s lack of belief, lack of church community, etc. I just wonder how much of it is their young adult age? I’m sure it’s more than simply their age, but I do think that is a factor. When my son was to be confirmed around age 13, I asked him if he’d written his statement of faith yet. He started crying and I asked him why (I was nicer than that but trying to keep this brief), and he said he couldn’t write it because he didn’t know what he believed. I told him to just say that! Just say, “I don’t know!” It’s the most honest answer – and it’s my answer some days!
You write, “So now he feels stuck, making the statement to me, “Agnosticism doesn’t help me move forward….but I can’t go back to my faith that I had in grade 10.” Perfect….thinks dad! And I respond: “Going back in most areas of life is rarely positive, Beckham, but what about moving forward and re-building a faith that will help you navigate the future?” I think this is a great answer. (Not sure I have any credibility here.) Would you feel comfortable giving him videos/books, of theologians or pastors who are outside of your denomination? Maybe some who think in very broad terms but who still hold to Jesus?
Hi Kally,
You wrote, “As a leader, is it my role to help create maps of meaning for my institutions, my culture, the people who follow my leadership? Is it my role to keep people from making wrong turns? Is it my role to help people create new maps that have meaning for them and/or for our world?”
Ahhh…creating maps. I think my answers to your questions – YES, YES (but the Holy Spirit has a hand in that). YES.
Once upon the time, Leaders in the Army read the map and the others follow.
But today, maps are no longer necessary. Our AI generated maps guide us on the road and tik tok, instagram and other social media guide our thoughts.
In the face of that I am thrilled to see the pastors in our cohort rise to the challenge. They ARE the spiritual map makers that will respond to the ebbs and flows of humanities trends.
When I visited Texas a couple weeks ago, I arrived not knowing there were two funerals for elderly friends who had passed away.
In these moments of grief, the pastor was able to share the strong Christian walk of the deceased. Those of the “younger” generation sat listening, I prayed that they would be hearing the hope we have in Christ.
Selah…
Russell – good call on the Holy Spirit helping to create the maps! I left that out! In my tradition we say we are always being reformed by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. I forgot that in my blog post.
Kally, your post struck a strong chord, as my wife and I have a child who is processing what part of the “metanarrative” to own, where to detour, and what to think of the myth (again, like you said, “not using the word myth to mean untrue”) now that he is out on his own.
Were he to read Peterson’s Maps of Meaning, I’m not sure that he would think it was helpful. I, too, found it admittedly difficult to read and digest, mostly because of the limited time we had to read it. I could see my son picking it up and saying he’ll just wait for a podcast (or more likely just ignore it altogether). With three grown children, I am beginning to think more and more about how to unpack the metanarrative of the Christian faith among the next generation, not just in content, but in the whole project of spiritual / emotional / leadership formation. And perhaps some of that thinking is the result of thinking how our three children, all in their twenties, are navigating their present and future relationships, ideas, and careers.
Travis,
You mention your kid waiting for the podcast – I listened to the podcast and it is mostly Jordan Peterson’s stream of consciousness. I was trying to get the gist of what he was saying but it was LONG and winding and I was never really sure what he was trying to say. So maybe don’t suggest the podcast 😉
I’m thinking about the maps of meaning for young adults and I’m not sure that I was mature enough in those years to “get it.” I wonder if we need the wisdom of age to look backward on our lives and see those maps or if we can *consciously* have maps that guide us forward. Some people probably can. What do you think?
I’m going to join the club: My 20 year old son has decided that many of the maps he grew up with don’t serve him anymore. So he’s actively exploring new maps. I like Scott have not handled this season as well as it looks like you have, and I’m inspired and encouraged by your seeming deep trust in the Father and His heart. That’s helpful for me today.
I kind of screeded against Peterson because his foundational map wasn’t scripture, but your approach is much more useful. As a pastor (and father) I need to make sure I am presenting maps that WILL serve people well in their searching, and I have the opportunity to proactively use scripture as the foundation for the maps I present.
Thanks.
Tim,
This is huge: “As a pastor (and father) I need to make sure I am presenting maps that WILL serve people well in their searching, and I have the opportunity to proactively use scripture as the foundation for the maps I present.”
As leaders, pastors, parents, this is our work. Thank you for putting it in words for me.
That said: I am wondering about the young adult age – brains not yet fully formed, wisdom of age not yet there. What maps are they consciously using already? How do we guide/influence/love them into a map that includes the Christian meta-narrative, or at least important pieces of that map? I am not sure I even have the words for what I am trying to say.
My 15 year old son has declared himself agnostic for a while now, he recently said Atheist, but when asking him what that means, he really means agnostic. I’m not too worried either, but I do think I have less of a problem with him being agnostic than atheist. One is a “I don’t know” and the other is a “denial of God”. Either way, I join your club too, and I love how you put it Kally…”God continually runs towards my own son, robes flapping in the wind, ready to gather him in a big bear hug.” YES! I love that visual! I love your questions in the end and I won’t even attempt to answer them..whew! I don’t know what the answer is for those, excellent question!
Jana, I totally agree with your comment about being more comfortable with the agnostic definition over the atheist definition. I feel like, if we are honest with ourselves, most of us are agnostic from time to time. Questioning, doubting, wondering, curiosity are vital to the faith journey. As Paul Tillich and Anne Lamott say: “The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely.”
Kally,
This post is SO important. There are so many parents that are praying from the pews and the pulpit for their children as they navigate faith and church own their own terms. I applaud how you are supporting your son. Thank you for your voice and your honesty. It is needed and appreciated.