The following essay will be presented in 3 parts. The second part will be posted next week. I would really enjoy any feedback you would like to give.
“Following the light of the sun, we left the old world” (Christopher Columbus)
Over the past few years the book of Hebrews has become one of my favorite books in the bible. One of the things I like most about the book of Hebrews is how relevant it is to me as a 21st century Generation X believer living in the Millennials’ world. Each significant period in time is a cultural snapshot and has both secular and religious significance. Each era has its strengths and weaknesses, and one is no more Christian than another. It is simply a cultural paradigm. However, postmodern influences have allowed disciples to explore new depths of their faith and wrestle with difficult questions. (I realize, by the way, the using the term “postmodern” is no longer the in word in the church.) It is important to realize postmodernism is not a generational issue. Academically, it stretches over many generations. Additionally, humanity and the human psyche are more complex than simple sociological descriptions of the overarching cultural themes. The preacher in Ecclesiastes teaches us nothing is new under the sun. People are people and from generation to generation, many themes and values remain constant. Scientifically, postmodernism itself has different levels. Postmodernism is typically much more abstract and philosophical than we understand it to be, but because these issues are so central to my journey, I would like to give a very quick overview of postmodernism in the early 21st century.
The beginning of postmodernism can most easily be identified as starting at the end of World War II. Since World War II the world population has increased at an amazing rate. In 1950 there were approximately one billion people. Since then the world’s population has risen to approximately 6.1 billion people. It is projected that by 2050 there will be over 8 billion. There are also four times as many countries (100 new since WWII). The Gross National Product has also increased. From 1800 till 1940 the GNP increased by under 30 cents a year per person. Since WWII the GNP is over twenty-five dollars a year per person. The rate of knowledge is also increasing at an amazing rate. If we continue at the same rate as present, the next 100 years will be equivalent to 20,000 years of progress from any previous century. Every area of life is progressing at an exponential rate: military, science, religion. Experts considered the period from 1800 to 1950 rapid change, but since then it has been considered radical change. Meaning that industrialization and urbanization were incredibly significant, but nothing compared to what has happened since then. This is specifically interesting because most people (especially in the church) continue to approach life, faith, and human development from an industrial perspective. One of the largest social changes occurred as a direct result of WWII. When Baby Boomers hit maturity in the late 1960s the cultural dynamics shifted in ways we are still unwrapping. Among others shifts that were brought on in the 1960s was the shift in focus from the community good to the personal good, civil liberties, and personal expression. This liberating period in American history was more than a generational expression of identity. It was the culmination of what had been occurring around the world for the previous 25 years. Many of the issues that society continues to deal with today are a direct result of what was introduced nearly fifty years ago.
The church has also experienced radical change since World War II. Before WWII church was relatively consistent. There were obvious changes and periods of great highs and lows, but church was church. Major theological shifts were profound, however, and had significant impacts on church structure and spiritual development. The Reformation, the Enlightenment, the introduction of Sunday school, and racial integration are just a few of the major changes that occurred in the church that reflect the greater cultural and sociological landscapes of the time. But changes in church programming and activity from the Reformation to World War II were slow and reflected cultural interests more than radical shifts in paradigms and philosophies. The impact of great theology and church leaders such as John Wesley, Dietrich Bonheoffer, Charles Spurgeon, and many more brought great insight to Christianity and humanity. In fact, I see these men as some of the greatest thinkers of all time. However, despite the prophesy, teaching, and insight that these men and women brought, the impact on the local church’s paradigm was gradual, significant, but gradual. Most significantly, the church’s focus remained centered on reason and analysis for generations. The greater philosophical influences of individualism and industrialization which defined a couple of hundred years of human history were just as obvious in the theological discussions as they were political debates.
After World War II, in society at large, the major postmodern paradigm shift was in its infancy, but in the late 1960s new church leadership began to search for new ways to reach a culture which wanted enthusiasm, freedom, and social service. These were the first signs of the postmodern influence on the church. There seemed to be a church revival among certain churches. This ignited a “Jesus Movement” which was a bit misleading and naïve. By the 1970s the church’s response to the wants of the 1960’s was already losing connection to people whose desire for freedom was becoming blatant cynicism toward the establishment. Spiritually, the desire for freedom was being coupled with a desire for transparency. No wonder youth ministry in the 1970s was fail proof. Even though the spiritual maturity of this generation wasn’t necessarily stronger, the appearance for those involved to be more connected to the church in years. While this may have been a bright moment for some who were still active in the local church, the grand exodus out of church was picking up momentum. In the 1970s you begin to see mega-churches form as the new ideal. Larger programs, bigger buildings, and serving consumerism seemed to be the answer. This new movement became as institutional as the one it originally defied. However, due to its nationalistic and capitalistic approach, the church was losing more energy than ever. All that was really happening was the churches getting larger became that way at the expense of churches which were closing their doors. By the 1980s church competition is in full swing and due to how damaging this type of competition can be on the Kingdom, this is also when the institution shows its first signs or real injury. But the standard was established and church people liked the energy. All that could be done was to continue to compete against other churches for each church’s own survival. The institution had now become focused on simply existing. As people began to become frustrated with this and realize that programs are not enough, a genuine attempt at deeper intimacy was attempted starting in the early 1990s. Greater personal responsibility in society due largely to the consequences of the sexual revolution, was becoming more valued. The popularity of local coffee shops aided in this intimacy focus with countless number of local Christian bands playing in coffee shops to small intimate crowds across every city in America. But with the many major changes that had occurred in the church in such a short time period the church suffered from an identity crisis: wanting to be something more while still doing things that “worked”. By the time the 20th century ended church attendance was at a dismal number, church integrity was at a all time low, and the impact of institutionalization was so prolific that even churches with the greatest of intentions were unable to escape its reach. Whereas for centuries the church shaped culture as well as being shaped by it, over the past fifty years all the church has been able to do is respond to culture with the hopes of remaining relevant.
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