Postmodernism’s Impact on Christians

Introduction

The Priority of Individual Experience

In the worst case, this plays out in wild rejection of plain Biblical teaching.

In a more common practice, we often speak in terms of our own life experiences and are willing to subvert Biblical teaching in favor of our experiences.

“What I’ve found to be true.”

Community/Spiritual Experience Over Doctrine

I am not discounting community or spiritual experience here.

I am pointing out that these should not live in competition.

But postmodernism has used one good thing to subvert another.

Deconstruction of Faith

Instead of investigating faith to determine what is true and what is false, postmodernism questions only in order to tear down.

Deconstruction is often pointed to as something valuable because we have to tear down the false in order to build up the true on good foundations.

But deconstruction is not about building anything. It is only about tearing down.

Hermeneutic of Suspicion

This hermeneutic is applied often to scripture.

But more often, it is applied to interpretations of scripture.

Instead of evaluating those interpretations for truth or error, it amounts to character and motive assassination.

Skepticism of Expertise and Authority

This is a continuation of modernism’s questioning of authority and democratization of all knowledge.

This leads teachers to say I’m just here to lead a discussion in which I expect to learn as much or more from you than you do from me.

Or the notion that elders do not lead, they merely influence.

Dismissal of all Postmodern Critiques

On the other hand, postmodernism is often so ridiculous that we can’t see when there are legitimate criticisms.

Like Nietzsche, there are often real problems being pointed out but only absurd solutions.

We need to take care that we are not blinded by the absurdity of our critics.

Conclusion