Tracking the Rise of Postmodernism
By Jack Shiflett
Christianity is rejected not because it has
been tested and found untrue but simply because it claims to be
true.
 Modern
Period and the Death of God
While the Medieval Period in Europe was characterized by theism,
a dominant institutional church, and general adherence to the Judeo-Christian
worldview, changes in the 16th century swept over Europe like a
flood and altered forever the foundations of her culture. Copernicus
proved that the sun was the center of the solar system, revolutionizing
astronomy; the magnetic compass became available; Columbus discovered
a new world; the printing press made possible the rapid spread of
ideas; and the Protestant Reformation broke up the hegemony of the
Catholic Church. Thinkers devised whole new approaches to life,
at first modernizing, and then secularizing, their worldview.
The modern period—from the 16th to the 20th century—moved steadily
from a God-centered to a man-centered world. Using the scientific
method, man believed he could unravel all the mysteries of life.
God and miracles came to be seen as unnecessary relics from the
time when man in his ignorance needed them to explain the unknown.
Supernaturalism was “out” and naturalism was “in.” Natural laws,
just waiting to be discovered, governed the universe, including
the origin and evolution of man. Scientists were elevated to priest
and prophet, and Christianity was badly bullied in both academic
and public circles. Religion, including the Bible and the person
of Jesus Christ, was relegated to the realm of myth, and both had
to be “demythologized” to be truly understood. The modern saw himself
as a neutral judge fit to use his reason to decide what truth is.
The Postmodern Period and Many Gods
In the last half of the 20th century, the postmodern critique began
to develop. All knowledge came to be viewed as tainted by those
who constructed it. While the modern believed there was a single
vantage point by which reality could be discerned, the postmodern
sees no meaning that ties everything together. Instead, everyone’s
viewpoint is equally valid. It is now considered legitimate to rewrite
history to justify the feminist interpretation or to fit a non-western
bias, because the history of the western world is believed to have
been written by western males for their advantage. History can be
decomposed with no “historical” justification from an “objective,
factual” view of history.
Pluralism and relativism are natural children of the postmodern
critique. Since truth is relative and there are many choices in
the world, dialogue becomes a high core value. Persuasion becomes
an evil, because it is based on the outmoded modernistic philosophy
that there is objective truth to be argued. Whether sexual orientation
or religion, one chooses his preferences as he would choose a car.
To say that one should be a heterosexual Christian and not a homosexual
Buddhist is heard as telling someone he must drive a Ford because
the speaker happens to like Fords.
Tolerance Redefined
Tolerance no longer means civil behavior and patience toward those
with whom you disagree. It now means that every view is equally
valid. Any claim to possess unique truth is considered arrogant
and intolerant; therefore, sharing one’s faith with conversion as
a goal is considered wrong and unethical. Christianity is rejected
not because it has been tested and found untrue but simply because
it claims to be true. Anyone born in the 1960s and after has imbibed
these ideas of relativism and pluralism from the universities as
well as from popular culture, the arts, and media.
Characteristics of Postmoderns
Postmoderns are particularly cynical and skeptical of authority.
When someone claims to know the truth, postmodernity asks, “What’s
your angle?” Part of this mistrust comes from broken promises and
trampled hopes; many postmoderns are the product of broken homes
and relationships. Because of this, their circle of friends is very
important to them; they tend to get their identity from the group
with which they associate. Authenticity is their highest ethic.
They do not trust words but look instead for coherent behavior.
They tend to be inclusive and passionate about fairness because
they feel that many minorities have been left out of the world power
structure, leading to marginalization and oppression. Because they
are pluralists, they honor the beliefs and choices of others. Because
postmoderns hold that all beliefs are equal, and because there are
so many choices, they look to see if Christianity is authentic and
if it works. With all the other choices available, why choose the
Christian faith if it is nothing more than words? Postmoderns are
searching for a caring community of people who are passionate about
fairness and who have an authentic spiritual experience with God.
These are some of the very values that the church should excel in.
People God Uses To Reach Postmoderns
The people God uses to reach postmoderns will first be those who
live an authentic Christian life. They will make the postmoderns
part of their experiential community, where the things of Christ
are real and lived out in practice; they will be passionate about
fairness and justice, and be committed to reconciliation in relationships
and willing to open their hearts and lives to their pre-Christian
friends. According to Rick Richardson, in Evangelism Outside
the Box, the postmodern often “belongs before he believes.”
Christians who impact postmoderns will allow them into their lives
and their group, even as they seek. Postmoderns are open to spiritual
things because everyone’s story is equally valid. For that reason,
they are ready to hear how the Christian knows Jesus is real, and
the unique Son of God.
The witness for Christ must have an unshakable faith in the power
of the gospel and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Postmoderns
coming to Christ often experience the presence of God among believers
before they understand the explanation of who God is. Ravi Zacharias
has said that this generation hears with their eyes and thinks with
their feelings. Those who would reach postmoderns must build their
lives on the objective Word of God and live it out in caring relationships.
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