Postmodernism is about seeing the mortar between the bricks_61404

Posted: 6/11/04

Postmodernism is about seeing
the mortar between the bricks

By Jonathan Petty

Wayland Baptist University

PLAINVIEW–Wayland University's Micheal Summers explains postmodernism by pointing to a brick wall.

"Postmodernism is really looking at the structures that modernity built and saying that the bricks are not what matter. It's the mortar … (that) allows you to place the bricks however you want to place them," says Summers, who offers seminars on postmodernism and its effect on the church.

Postmoderns focus on building relationships and connections–an ideal that directly affects how the church as an organization relates to the church as the body of Christ, he adds.

Summers, director of church services at Wayland, knows some people view postmodernism as a generational peculiarity or passing fad. But he believes postmodernism is here to stay.

“The reality is that it is here and it is not going away,” he says. “It is a worldview concept some philosophers believe will last 2,000 to 5,000 years, if not longer. The tab in human history is modernity, not postmodernism.”

Summers agrees with pastors, scholars and theologians who predict the 21st century will see a return to the “apostolic” model of the church, in which Christians focus on making disciples instead of converts.

“The church rolls are full of converts that we see in the pew week after week,” Summers says. “To the postmodern mind, that is invalid. If it is something you believe with all your heart, mind, soul and spirit, then you have to demonstrate it through your life.”

It's not enough for a postmodern thinker to read the Bible or listen to a sermon and take what is said or read as absolute. Instead, the postmodern mind will only accept it if it is demonstrated, he explains.

“These younger generations who have been raised with all of this multiple input and diversity see non-Christian world religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam that are much more committed and demonstrate their faith daily in a visible way,” Summers says. “They look at the Christianity that they grew up with and see nothing but people telling them not to do something, then turning around and doing it.

“There is no huge difference in our divorce rates between those who claim to be churched and those who don't, … in our teenage alcohol rates, … in our teen pregnancy rates. We are not seeing a distinction of the lifestyle of those who profess to be Christians from those who don't. For the postmodern, that has invalidated the authenticity of the gospel.”

Fred Meeks, chairperson of Wayland University's religion and philosophy division, observes this type of thinking also influences the classroom.

“Rather than talking about authorities and standards, people are far more concerned about personality issues,” Meeks says. “They want to know how you feel about things. Sometimes, for students, where authority comes from is the person making these comments. Is he an authentic person? Is he perceived to be an authentic person?”

The key to reaching these students is to open up personally, revealing your own weaknesses and thoughts, Meeks suggests.

“Coming across as a know-it-all with all the answers can cause problems. But if you say: 'Look. This is my position, and here is why I think this way. I respect your right to disagree.' It appears that students are more open to this mindset.”

Many popular church-growth models don't fit postmodern thinking, Summers notes.

“Postmodernism doesn't define church growth by numbers or statistics,” he says. “The church-growth movement is purpose-driven. It says you have a purpose, and it can give you the steps: 1-2-3-4-5. Postmodernism is passion-driven, and there is only one step: Walk with God.”

Postmodern thinkers use experiences, participation and images to build connections. And postmoderns use images as symbols, Summers says. “What postmoderns are looking for is a symbolic image that means something.”

For instance, Summers uses Play-Doh molding clay to illustrate being shaped by God's hands. A postmodern sees the Play-Doh and knows it is always malleable and changeable, just as a postmodern Christian sees his relationship with God as ever-changing.

“They can understand it. They have to be willing for God to remake them and reform them for another task in their life,” Summers says.

When it comes to choosing a church, postmoderns will seek out a form or style of worship that best shapes their relationship with God. But Meeks points out there are pitfalls to certain “cafeteria style–something for everybody” forms of worship.

“The biggest criticism we have of user-friendly churches that do anything to get you to come is that they leave out the key things that Jesus required of all of his disciples–commitment and sacrifice,” Meeks says.

Chris Seay, pastor of the postmodern Ecclesia church in Houston, agrees. He sees danger in offering Bible studies that are “divorced from the church” and offering worship apart from accountability.

“It's really a strange thing to get together with people and study Scripture and read it and not have any sense of structure and accountability,” Seay says. “That scares the heck out of me.”

This approach becomes a “hyper-individualistic pursuit of faith,” he observes.

“People are really saying: 'It is just about getting my needs met.' And that is what much of the church-growth movement is founded on. They are saying faith is an inward journey of having our 'needs' met.”

People need to realize many of their felt needs aren't needs at all, but “wants,” Seay insists. “Our only real needs are to love God and love our neighbor, and these are outward things.”

Meeks says it is a challenge to maintain the integrity of basic theology while accommodating the changing environment.

“How do we find a way in this postmodern world to say to them, 'You want a meaningful relationship'?” Meeks asks. “What better place to offer that than a church built on the model of Koinonia, with genuine fellowship.”