The Post Re: Modernism

Throughout the past few months, it seems like discussions about post-modernism pop up everywhere I turn.

[I know…some of you think I just said a bad word. Just bear with me.]

Seasons of my life seem to be thematic. The problem is, sometimes it's easy to live in my mental reality, assuming that everyone else is at the same place as me.

I know it may be shocking for some, but this is not the case. Hence, this post.

The thing is, it's not just about post-modernism. But, that is the foundation of the whole emerging church discussion. Can I just clarify some things about post-modernism before anyone says anything? Thanks.

• Post-modernism is a paradigm. A paradigm is a model for thinking. It influences what kind of questions we ask.
• Our society is currently shifting from a modern paradigm to a post-modern paradigm. Some sectors are shifting faster than others.
• Our faith does not fit perfectly with any paradigm. To deny post-modern values, please realize that you are embracing modern values, which come with their own set of strengths & weaknesses.
• The style of church we were raised with is the product of this modern approach.

This is a pretty cool place in time to live. The middle ground gives us an opportunity to draw on the strengths of both paradigms. This type of shift doesn’t happen often. We’re talking thousands of years.

So, there’s a bit of historical perspective to give this discussion some context.

Earlier, I mentioned questions. Questions are extremely important. They determine the direction and shape our lives take. Essentially, the difference between these paradigms is that the modernist asks how questions while the post-modernist asks why questions.

Think about the difference these questions would have on the way we think about and approach God...

When we begin to move away from thinking how SHOULD this look we open up the whole world of how COULD this look?

All that to say, I’m interested to hear where you situate yourself in this discussion. Are we beginning to think this way?

Christ is risen. Indeed.

There are several things on the agenda for this post...

Item #1: Corrie & Dawn will be arriving at the beginning of May. They are only bringing clothes, books, etc. Which means...we have the opportunity to bless them! So, let's help them set up their household. If you have anything to donate or would like to give some $$$ to help out, please bring it on a Thursday night or Sunday morning. If you have any questions, can't make it out on a Thursday night, or want to donate something BIG and need help moving it please email me and we'll work something else out! Thank-you in advance for your generosity.

Item #2: There's a movie night coming up. Friday, April 21 in the Warehouse Loft. We're going to be watching The Chronicles of Narnia. As far as food and drinks are concerned: it's going to be a bit of a potluck so bring your favorite, must-have, it's-not-a-movie-night-without-it snack!

Item #3: Tomorrow is Good Friday. If anyone happens to read the blog before then: there is a Good Friday communion service at Broadway that starts at 10:30am.

Item #4: While I'm never one to say no to chocolate (especially mini-eggs), it has to be said: the amount of commercialism and hype around "Easter" is sickening. Of all the secularized holidays, this is perhaps the saddest. That being said, make sure you take some time in the next few days to really reflect about the real meaning of this weekend instead of just sleeping in and eating candy.

Item #5: In honour of summer waiting just around the bend, I leave you with this...

Convergence (in everyday life).

I am in a class that discusses the implications of new technology. Lately, we’ve been having the artificial intelligence debate, which always boils down to the question: what is consciousness?

This week, in another class, we are discussing the language of religion. One of the articles suggests that we can’t REALLY talk about God because our terms are too limited.

I was chatting with my Dad on Sunday night and he told me about a chapter on consciousness that he recently read in Lee Strobel’s Case for a Creator. So I went home and read it.

And then it all came together.

[sidebar: sorry if this here blog-business is beginning to become a bit of a book review. I’m so well indoctrinated to academia: I think in sources and citations.]

Strobel is interviewing a philosopher, J. P. Moreland. Strobel states that “the soul and the consciousness are invisible, [which] makes it difficult to conceptualize them” and Moreland responds with a story.

My soul and my consciousness are invisible, though my body is visible...I remember the time when my daughter was in the fifth grade and we were having family prayers.

She said, “Dad, if I could see God it would help me believe in him."

I said, “Well, honey, the problem isn’t that you’ve never seen God. The problem is that you’ve never seen your mother.”

And her mother was sitting right next to her!

My daughter said, "What do you mean, Dad?"

I said, "Suppose, without hurting your mom, we were able to take her apart cell by cell and peek inside each one of them. We would never come to a moment where we would say, ‘Look – here’s what Mommy’s thinking about doing the rest of the day’ or ‘Hey, this cell contains Mommy’s feelings’ or ‘So this is what Mom believes about pro football.’ We couldn’t find Mommy’s thoughts, beliefs, desires, or her feelings.

Guess what else we would never find? We’d never find Mommy’s ego or her self. We would never say, ‘Finally, in this particular brain cell, there’s Mommy. There’s her ego, or self.’ That’s because Mommy is a person, and persons are invisible. Mommy’s ego and her conscious life are invisible. Now she’s small enough to have a body, while God is too big to have a body – so let’s pray."

Which alluded to BOTH discussions.

And then I started thinking about Philippians 2:5-8...

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

Jesus CHOSE to take on a body and all the limitations and problems that a body entails. And for that, I am very thankful.

Which seems highly appropriate considering that Easter is quickly approaching.

Speaking of Easter, I recently recieved an email about a worship/reflection night that YWAM is holding for the public…

We will be starting the evening with a viewing of "The Passion of the Christ" to better prepare our hearts and to remember all that God has done for us in bringing us Salvation through Jesus. Following this movie we will enter into musical worship together, reflecting on the depth of the sacrifice. During this worship time we will also be taking communion together. At midnight our focus will change to Resurrection which will be a time of celebration. This will include snacks and remixed worship songs by DJ Dred.

Date: Saturday, April 15

Time: 8pm

Location: YWAM Vancouver Office, 2859 Commercial Drive (just a couple blocks south of Broadway)

And God said, "I'll show you a thing or two about convergence..."