Dusting off the blog

So here I am. Valentines Day. With my birthday fast approaching I am rushing to get my work done. One paper down. Two more to go. For all you out there who periodically check in to view my musings on (the ones which have been absent for a while) here are some thoughts and updates for today.

Postmodernism Vs. Modernism

In our Christian culture this should be an irrelevant discussion. After all, the truth that we follow doesn't belong to either one. Jesus was Jewish, the Bible is Jewish, Our God is the God of Abraham and moses. So why do we constantly insist on seeing him as the God of Calvin and Luther. Or the God of Lewis and Macdonald. Geisler and Graham. It seems that we constantly misrepresent the Gospel because we hold it to close to the bosom of our culture.

Then as we struggle to free the Truth from being twisted by an intertwining with the world, we end taking simply one step back, or one step forward, instead of one step away. We react two ways in the church as culture shifts. We go back or forward. In reaction to a shift in culture (which by the way we are powerless to stop) we either affirm a postmodern Christianity and reject modern Christianity, or we Reject postmodernism and cling stubbornly to our modern way of doing things. The problem is that we simply miss the point. If God has revealed himself, then he has revealed some facet of truth. If It is truth relative to God then because God is immutable, so then are the truths immutable. If these truths are immutable then they should be true no matter your cultural epistemology.

Modernism and Postmodernism are two terms used to describe periods of time when certain philosophies and epistemology dominated cultural thought. Before modernism, you have the premodernism of Augustine, then before that the Classicism of the Greeks. But the epistemology of each mindset only applies to the presuppositions of that time period. Each time period certainly has thier own presuppositions. If Truth must be found through only ONE epistemology, then what does that say for epistemology outside of western culture. In order to spread the truth do we convert all cultures first to our presuppositions on the workings of the world and then teach them truth? Let me clarify presuppositions. I mean ethics, values, family structure, functions, learning. All these things are tied not to truth but to culture. Clearly this model has failed as missionaries all around the globe have attempted this and failed. To convert a culture to western modernism, then teach them the gospel. If it is true, it should remain true despite cultural presuppositions. Like any culture, those presuppositions have to be challenged, but only in the context of truth vs. Presupposition and not in the context of presupposition vs presupposition.

So then the postmodern debate doesn't matter to us. Or shouldn't. People are postmodern. Thats fine, truth still applies. Postmodernism is not something we can simply reject, and on that same note neither is modernism. We must learn as a church not to protest everything, but to hold to truth, because the truth that has been revealed is the point. Centering our focus on anything else and we are simply missing point.

Schoolwork

Fewer hours= more work. Sadly this is my life at the moment. Work feels like dodging mortar shells as I struggle to stay focused and to work efficiently. My limits are being found and pushed, which is probably good.

Church Of the Apostles

I recently started attending this Anglican church and have been incredibly blessed to be a part of it. I am determined to make this my new permanent church. Meeting in a small auditorium of the State Museum, liturgy is worship, not tradition. Praise music mixes with doctrinal hymns not as preferred styles, but as worship. Its alien to me having grown up in a ev-free church with very contemporary services. Its refreshing in so many ways to my heart.

Well theres my life at the moment, partially laid out for all to read. Enjoy!