DOING
MISSIONS IN POSTMODERN WORLD
Lecture
delivered by Dr. Leo Salvador during the “Mission Emphasis Week”
at Manila Bible
Seminary on February 15-17, 2016
Introduction
Postmodernism is a late-20th-century
movement in the arts, architecture, and criticism that was a departure from
modernism. Postmodernism
articulates that the world is in a state of perpetual incompleteness and
permanent unresolve.
Postmodernism is
a philosophy that says absolute truth does not exist.
Postmodernism
supporters deny long-held beliefs and conventions and maintain that all
viewpoints are equally valid.
In today's
society, postmodernism has led to relativism, the idea that all truth is relative. That means
what is right for one group is not necessarily right or true for everyone. The
most obvious example is sexual morality.
Postmodernism rejects Biblical Truth. Postmodernism's
rejection of absolute truth causes many people to reject the Bible. Christians
believe God is the source of absolute truth. In fact, Jesus
Christ proclaimed himself to be the
Truth: "I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except
through me." (John 14:6, NIV).
Not only do postmodernists deny
Christ's claim to be the truth, but they also dismiss his statement that he is
the only
way to heaven.
Today Christianity is ridiculed as arrogant or intolerant by those who say
there are "many paths to heaven." This view that all religions are
equally valid is called pluralism.
In postmodernism, all religion,
including Christianity, is reduced to the level of opinion.
Christianity
asserts that it is unique and that it does
matter what we believe. Sin
exists, sin has consequences, and anyone ignoring those truths has to face
those consequences, Christians say.
DAY
1
BIBLICAL
AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS
FOR
THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRIST
We believe that the Triune (Tri-unity of) God, Father, Son
and Holy Spirit has spoken through all times in various ways into the world (see
Colossians 1:15-20; John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:1-11; Hebrews 1:1-4),
which we must hear (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 3:7-13).
Each of these passages affirms that the Son is never understood in isolation.
We therefore affirm the tri-personal nature of God as the divine context for
the uniqueness of Christ as expressed in the Bible. In 1 Peter 1:2-3 and
Matthew 28:18-20, a Trinitarian context is given for Jesus’ uniqueness in terms
of the one who has been given all authority by God and the one with whose blood
we are atoned. We also affirm the essential outworking of the uniqueness of
Christ in these passages. From these passages we see a consistent parallel
outworking in our lives. This outworking is expressed in terms of Christian
being and doing.
In terms of being, 1 Peter 2:9 affirms that we are to be the chosen and holy people of God;
Matthew 28 tells us that we are disciple-makers living our lives in response to
Jesus’ authority; in addition, disciples are those people in whom Jesus
inwardly dwells forever.
In terms of action, 1 Peter 2:9 calls us to declare the praises of Him who called us out of
darkness and into light and Matthew 28 calls us to
baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to maintain the uniqueness of Christ as we teach
people to obey His commands. Therefore, in
concert with historic Christian confessions, we affirm that Jesus Christ is the
second person of the Triune God. As the Trinity (Tri-unity), God is by nature a
relational God. Therefore, we see entrance into Christ as entry into the
community of faith that has its source in God himself.
(a) Special concerns with Postmodernism:
We are concerned about the special theological challenges
which the community of Christ faces
in being witnesses in a Postmodern world. We call the church
to further theological reflection in the face of Post-Modern skepticism towards truth claims, the loss of meta-narrative, relativism
towards history and the general loss of meaning.
(b) Biblical Foundations for the Uniqueness of Christ
1. The Revelation of the Triune God
in Jesus Christ The living, triune God, as He has reliably revealed Himself
in the Bible, to all of humanity is the only true God. The Holy Scriptures of
the Old and New Testaments tell us clearly that God is eternally one and as the
living and sovereign One, He differs fundamentally from
all false "gods" (Deuteronomy
6:4f.; Psalm 115:3-7; Isaiah 44:6; Jeremiah 10:6; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6).
In His tri-personal nature as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
God is one perfect and complete community of love in Himself who has fulfilled
His redemptive plan in the person of His Only begotten Son Jesus (Genesis
1:1f.; John 1:1f.; 15:26; I John 4:9; 2 Corinthians 13:13).
Because He made
humankind in His own image (Genesis 1:27),
God is, as Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Renewer, the origin and ultimate
purpose and goal of every human being. For this reason
God calls all humanity to acknowledge Him and believe in Him, to worship, and
to share his life (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 2
Corinthians 5:10; Psalm 46:11).
2. Jesus Christ as the Answer to the Lostness of
Humanity. Since the ‘Fall of Man’, all human
beings have been in a condition of alienation from God, depravity, subject to
death from birth on and cannot free themselves from this state. Human
destitution goes back to a rebellion against the Holy One (God) which is
repeated by every human being and leads to a state of sin (Genesis
3:1-19; Psalm 51:7; Romans 3:23; 5:12). The
Holy Scriptures call this condition lostness and life without God (Luke
19:10; Ephesians 2:12), and rule out every thought of
self-redemption (Psalm 49:8; Ephesians 2:8f.).
The absolute validity and indispensability of the gospel is based on the fact
that salvation and the Kingdom of God have come to us only in Jesus Christ, the
Son of God, who became man. In Jesus Christ the Son, as His special revelation of
salvation (Hebrews 1:2), God the
Father has spoken to us in a final way. By the initiation of the Father (John
1:1-2; 3:16), through His Incarnation by the Holy
Spirit, and with His atoning death Christ reconciled lost humanity to God and
redeemed it from the destructive powers of sin, death and the Devil
(2 Corinthians 5:19; Ephesians 1:7f.; Hebrews 2:14f.).
The uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the only Son of
God, demands a response. The necessity of
personal belief, of placing one’s faith in this unique One,
is at the heart of the Christian gospel. Christ fulfills and completes all the
aspirations of humanity. He comes as the Second Adam to recreate (restore)
sinful humanity and a broken world. When people come to know Christ, they
discover meaning and purpose and their full identity is regained. While a
decision to accept the free offer of salvation is crucial to evangelism, it
must also affirm that this unique Saviour offers not merely salvation as a work
but He also offers Himself in a transformational way. The whole purpose of the
Christian life is to become like Jesus.
By Christ's bodily resurrection and ascension to
Heaven, God the Father has confirmed Him as
the only Mediator between Himself and humanity
and appointed Him the universal Lord over all powers and authorities as well as
Judge of the world (Matthew 28:18; Acts 10: 36-42; I Timothy 2:5f.).
Therefore, eternal salvation or (eternal lostness) damnation is decided by
either turning to Him in faith or by rejecting Him (John
3:16; Mark 16:16). He will come again.
What does the NT offer as a picture of Jesus that
is unique? Below is an example of a possible
approach at a practical tool for those who desire to
communicate a non-oppressive Saviour in a context where distrust of truth and
of ‘metanarratives’ has discouraged mutual communication between the postmodern
mind and Christian witness. If a statement of authority is problematic in a
postmodern setting because the abuse of power has produced a rejection of
Christian concepts, i.e., Master, Lord, Sovereign, lordship, it is important
for the witness of the Church to assist in the redefinition of these categories
so that they are not construed as abusive or dominative in a coercive way.
The Gospel of John offers a view of Jesus that challenges
the paradigm of a sovereign Saviour
whose authority is unquestionable or irresistible.
1. The Creator (Messiah) is rejectable
In the prologue of John’s Gospel we find strong divine
statements about the Word (Jesus) in
relation to the Father. Yet, in that same context we find
that the Creator of the cosmos comes to His own and His own received Him not.
It is not that they did not recognize Him but that they knew exactly who He
claimed to be and chose to reject him (John 1:11).
The Lord of the universe, in the time of His Incarnation, is met with a
resounding rejection. He is identified with those on the margins.
2. The Sovereign who is Humble
Throughout His life it was easy to miss Him or dismiss Him
because, as they were to discern, in
His self-giving authority, He never coerces anyone to bow
the knee to Him in offering salvation.
The paradox that it was the Lord of Glory who: borrowed the
stable for His birth borrowed an animal of burden to announce His kingdom
“borrowed” the robe of mockery and crown of disdain and finally, even had to
borrow a tomb for His burial. Jesus had come to His own (John
1:11) and then He arrived in fulfillment of
the promise to Israel that her King would once again enter the gates. He is on
the back of a donkey (John 12). The
Lord who is meek at His birth is also meek here. He reveals sovereignty of a
“humble” sort;
He fulfils prophecy; He had healed the blind, led Zaccheus
to salvation, brought a friend from four days in a tomb and indicated knowledge
of the future. (See Zechariah 9:9-10, Luke 19, John 11, Matthew
21:2-3, cf. 26:1-5). His kingship and kingdom are of a
different order. Yet He is King, in the language which the Children of Israel
would have understood. His Lordship in both testaments is affirmed. The use of
divine attributes [or kenosis= “emptying”, i.e., Christ's relinquishment and
renunciation of the form and privilege of God in becoming entirely man, i.e.,
Incarnation, while remaining truly God and suffering death. (Philippians
2:5-8)] is never
manipulative; they are only expressions of the King’s agenda
in the aid they offer in His mission of redemption.
3. The Saviour who Serves
It ought not surprise us, then, that in John 13, we find the
sovereign Lord at the feet of His
disciples, not in a corrective stance, but in a position
which reveals His nature as Servant (Matthew 10:28; Luke
22:27; Mark 10:45). The Triune self-giving is fully
revealed in Jesus. This God is focused on us, He wants to serve, He wants to
give Himself for us.
4. The Lord who Lays Down His Life
Thus, the self-giving nature of God is revealed in all of
the gospel. Or better, ‘The gospel reveals the self-giving nature of God’. The
Cross is not an occurrence that is divorced from what is already revealed about
the nature of Jesus. He is rejectable, He is humble, He is a servant and He
gives His life for the redemption of the world (John 18).
Recommended Christological Passages for further study and
transmission for a full-orbed
Christology (these are already mentioned in the revelation
section).
John 1: 1-18
Philippians 2:1-11
Colossians 1:15-20 and 2:15
(powers and authorities)
Heb 1:1-4
OPPORTUNITIES
AND CAUTIONS OFFERED BY
POSTMODERNISM
Introduction
A short history on Postmodernism:
Where did the term “Postmodern” come from? In 1979, the
French philosopher Jean Francois
Lyotard published a landmark article entitled, “The
Post-Modern Condition: A Report on Knowledge.”
In the article, he coined the word ‘Post-Modern’ and stated
what has come to represent the growing crisis of trust in Western civilization
and, coupled with globalization, this crisis is quickly influencing many parts
of the world. In the Modern world there was a belief in an overarching truth –
whether informed by a Christian world-view or even a secular belief in progress
and in the perfect ability of humanity. Lyotard argued that Modern societies
maintained (or even produced) order and stability by generating what he called
“grand narratives” or “master narratives.”
These ‘meta-narratives’ provided a clear sense of destiny.
All intellectual reflection was
understood to be a journey with a clear destination – the
pursuit of truth. In the emerging Postmodern context, it is thought that we are
only on a virtual voyage where we explore self-created worlds. In short, the
very nature of truth has begun to collapse. There is no longer a cohesive
‘canopy of truth’ or meta-narrative which gives meaning and purpose to
civilization. Thus, Postmodernism is defined by four features: the loss of
meta-narratives, the collapse of absolute truth (or skepticism about absolute
truth claims), skepticism about history and the general loss of meaning.
However, Postmodernism also presents possibilities which may
benefit or assist Christian
communication. Postmodernity has challenged the foundations
of the Modernist project with its smug confidence in the perfectability of people,
the certainty of never-ending progress and the unassailable reliance on human
reason. The collapse of the false meta-narratives of Modernity (reason,
perfectability, progress) provides an opportunity to communicate the true
meta-narrative that is rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus,
Postmodernism represents new challenges as well as new opportunities for
Christian reflection and action. We are convinced that we are called to be
faithful witnesses to the Christian gospel with the time we have been given.
Opportunities and Caution
Jesus gives his Church the privilege of witnessing to His
supremacy. Such witness affirms God’s
creation of the world and each human life. Additionally,
believers testify to his exclusivity as Saviour and his supremacy as Lord. The
call of Jesus to each person to respond to his claims is universal.
The Bible affirms that God is sovereign over history. He
calls His people to communicate the
gospel in their particular cultural context. Each generation
uniquely engages its contemporaries with the Bible’s message, both in word and
deed. We are messengers of God’s salvation to humankind and we are required to
understand the cultural setting in which we live. Effective communication in
culture is a challenge.
In many respects, believers at the beginning of the 21st
century find themselves in a shrinking world, where people in radically
different geographical and socioeconomic settings nonetheless experience the
effects of common cultural features. This context is being increasingly
referred to as “postmodern” culture, a significant worldview shift. Humanity is
grappling with this reaction to the long dominance of modernity. Because of its
relatively recent emergence, the postmodern mindset is notoriously difficult to
define. In whatever way “postmodernism” is understood, we recognize that
Christians in many settings find themselves facing common realities.
This is particularly the case in Western and urban areas of
our world, although other areas find
themselves encountering its realities to differing degrees
as well. Yet, a Christian assessment and engagement of the phenomenon of
postmodernism is vital. The health of the church and our witness to the gospel
require no less. In this context, it should be emphasized, believers are
emboldened in remembering God’s sovereignty over history, in the midst of any
context, and in the particularities of human life. God is Lord of all history
and will decisively achieve His purposes, even in “postmodern” times. The
following observations attempt not only to understand its effects, but also to
suggest some parameters to effectively guide witness to the uniqueness of
Christ in this era.
Framework
As with all dominant cultural phases, postmodernism offers
both opportunities and challenges for
Christian faith and witness. It represents complex realities
which demand appropriately differentiated responses from believers. Neither a
wholesale rejection nor a total embrace of postmodernism is appropriate. Both
fail to effectively engage the cultural era in which God has placed us. Most of
the core facets of postmodernism merit both critical caution and, at the same
time, emerging opportunity for God’s people.
The following observations represent some key postmodern
features:
(Revelation=Truth) Postmodernism affirms the possibility
that a spiritual reality exists. It also
rejects the possibility that truth is attainable through
human reason alone.
However, postmodernism regrettably asserts that truth no
longer exists in any ultimate way.
The Scriptures attest to the existence of both revelation
and truth, embodied most profoundly
in the person of Jesus. In Christianity, the one true God
has come near.
(Epistemology=Knowledge)
Postmodernism exposes the modern myths of exhaustive
knowledge and human progress.
This helpfully reintroduces the possibility of spiritual
reality and leaves place for awe and wonder.
Yet, it is radically skeptical about human ability to
apprehend knowledge and
regards the claim to possess knowledge as an attempt to gain
power. The Bible affirms our ability to know in part, even if not fully.
(Theology=Spirituality)
Modernism excluded any role for a God who is involved in
human history. Postmodernism reintroduces the possibility of spiritual
realities and influences while at the same time possessing much skepticism for
a God who is personal, sovereign, and active in the human situation.
Christian faith affirms a personal, transcendent God.
(Human Society and Morality)
As such, postmodernism rejects a standard for good and evil
which stands above the created world and human life.
Yet, Biblical teaching repeatedly attests to human
responsibility. Helpfully, though, postmodernism reveals how many moral and
ethical assertions (including some done in the name of Christianity) have been
used as mechanisms of power, manipulation, and oppression, thus dehumanizing
people.
(Human Nature and Identity)
Postmodernism highlights the presence of human alienation,
suffering, and fragmentation.
In doing so, it reveals the significant human longing for
identity and community, reintroducing great opportunity for Christian answers.
Yet, in and of itself, postmodernism appears to be incapable of satisfying such
desires, apart from the call for the creation of self-identities and
fuelling the pursuit of self-fulfillment.
Postmodernism denies the existence of a meta-narrative,
which gives life meaning and history a
purpose. A unified reality does not exist in postmodernism,
however understandable people’s search for meaning may be. Yet, postmodernism
reintroduces the value of both stories and experience in life, allowing for a
measure of worth and fulfillment in daily life. As a result, diversity and
pluralism are much celebrated and tolerance for variety in human thought and
living is embraced. Christians seek to critically engage their fellow humans
and the postmodern world, taking advantage of its opportunities and avoiding
potential problems. Christian witness embraces the new opportunities provided
by postmodernism while remaining alert to its dangers. Our hope remains in the
unique person of Christ. He alone addresses people
and can transform cultures in which we live. The postmodern
context is no exception.
DAY
2
SYSTEMATIC
AND APOLOGETIC ENGAGEMENT WITH
POSTMODERNISM
AND PLURALISM
The following are some challenges to the Christian faith
commonly brought by postmodern
individuals with a pluralistic mindset:
1.“Jesus may be your god, but I have my own god. All
religions are the same.”
2.“You can’t believe the Bible, it’s just a paternalistic
tool to dominate the masses.”
3.“I can believe whatever I want. You Christians are so
intolerant.”
4.“How can I trust Christianity when its track record is so
marked by wars & power abuses?”
5.“How can your God allow Hell?”
6.“I create my own reality. We’re all God.”
Introduction
Jesus criticised his contemporaries for being good at
interpreting weather conditions, but not
being able to understand the time they where living in (Luke
12:54-56). For the Christian church it is
imperative to take Jesus seriously in his criticism. If we want to fulfill the
calling to share the gospel with our contemporaries, it is crucial for us to
understand the time we are living in.
1. Modernism: an evaluation
The last 200 years have been dramatically shaped by what is
known as the Modern Project, that is, the project to direct all of life by the
light of reason alone, without any reference to God as revealed in the Bible.
Gradually, this rejection of the Christian faith has led to a rejection of
everything supernatural.
The result is a secular mindset, highly skeptical towards
revelation and miracles and therefore highly skeptical towards the Biblical
material.
With the Modern Project (Modernism) we affirm the validity
and necessity of reason. We affirm the positive progress in areas of science, medicine,
technology, etc.
Furthermore, we affirm the developments leading to freedom,
democracy and the emphasis of the dignity of every individual human being. We
see all of these as ultimately an outworking of the Biblical teaching about
human beings as God’s images and God’s stewards.
At the same time, we reject the ideas, so fundamental to the
Modern Project, of the autonomy and the sufficiency of reason and the ultimate
rejection of God. Human beings are more than their minds and reality is more
than this world.
2. Postmodernism: An evaluation
As a reaction towards the Modern Project we have now seen
the rise of a Postmodern mindset. This is a revolt against the reduction of
human beings to their intellect, the authoritarian way of imposing “meta-narratives”
from above, the misuse of technology at the expense of human qualities and the
loss of community. We agree with much of the Postmodern criticism against the
Modern Project and want to affirm the importance of the personal, the need for
community and the richness of human culture. At the same time, because of its
anti-intellectualism, subjectivism, relativism and the fragmentation of life
that follows from that, we are as critical of Postmodernism as we are of
Modernism. The grave imbalance of the Modern Project is not helped by the
opposite extreme. The problem with both the Modern and the Postmodern is
their anthropocentric
outlook, putting man at the centre of everything. The many differences
between them fade
away in the light of the common theme of humanism that binds them together.
As Christians, we
acknowledge God instead as the ultimate source of all being and all knowing
and, therefore, we want Him to be the focal point in our lives.
3. Is communication possible?
One crucial aspect of the Post-Modern culture is its skepticism
towards the possibility of real communication. Because we belong to different
cultural groups and use different “language games” communication is said to be undermined
and viewed only as a hidden attempt for power. If that is true there is little
meaning in sharing the gospel or showing its truth with anyone outside the
Christian tribe, but, as Christians, we believe that all human beings are
connected to each other in two important ways, which opens the door for communication.
First, we all live in the same created world and therefore, we share the same
basic reality. Secondly, as created in
God’s image, we all share a basic humanness, which no
culture can wipe out. That means that communication, although often difficult,
is possible. However far away a culture is in its mindset, it can still
understand and receive the good news about Jesus Christ.
4. Apologetics: An appraisal
If communication is indeed possible, that reopens the
question of apologetics. In our view, the task of apologetics is as important
in a postmodern culture as it has ever been. Even if many people make feelings
and experience a priority, it does not mean that they are without reflection.
On the contrary, much of the postmodern perspective is promoted by reasoning
and therefore needs to be answered by reasoning! In order to faithfully and
meaningfully communicate the supremacy of Jesus to a postmodern culture, we
believe it to be vital for the church to rediscover its apologetic calling.
The word, apologetics, comes from the Greek word apologia, which
means defense. So when
Peter writes, “Always be prepared to give a defense
(apologia) for the hope that is within you,” he is teaching that Christians
must be willing and able to communicate the gospel persuasively to their neighbors.
Jesus did that and, following Him, the apostles continued to do it.
Jesus and apologetics
There is profound richness in the way Jesus related to
people and how He shared His message.
He gave public speeches, He dialogued with small groups and
He had long conversations with
individuals. He asked questions that invited to further
reflection and He often provoked his audience. He told stories and expounded
Scripture. He answered questions and identified the deepest longings in the
human heart. He exposed prejudices and took away obstacles. All the way He
lived out his message by reaching out to the sick and needy and restoring the
broken. He was outstanding as a communicator! He was always ready to meet the
specific needs of the person in front of Him and He was prepared to argue for
the truth of His message!
One text which illustrates the way Jesus embraced
apologetics is the dramatic sequence of events in John chapter five. Jesus came
to Jerusalem to celebrate one of the religious holidays. There he sees a lame
man who has been sick for 38 years. Jesus is moved with compassion, heals the
man and releases him from the tragic situation which has ruined his life up to
this point. Since it is the Sabbath, His critics become angry with Him. They
accuse Jesus on two counts: the first concerns the Sabbath. According to their
definition, by healing the man on the Sabbath, Jesus worked! Then Jesus
encouraged the man to sin by telling him to get up and carry his bed! Jesus
answers them by reminding them that God also works on the Sabbath – by
sustaining all of creation. I work in the same way, claims Jesus. This leads to
the
second accusation, which is much more serious: Jesus is
charged with having committed the "crime" of Adam and Eve. He who is
just a man makes Himself out to be God (v. 1-18).
In response to these accusations, Jesus holds a defence
speech which is a brilliant work of
apologetics. He begins by giving a detailed description of
the content of His claims (v 19-30). He denies that He is committing Adam's
crime, since He and Adam are not in the same situation. He is not just a human
who is trying against the will of God to become God. Instead, He is the Son of
God who has become a human. In everything He does, He follows the will of the
Father and lives in unity with Him.
He shares the Father's nature and work ("like Father,
like Son"). He also has a unique relationship to humanity. He is our
destiny (we are going to stand before Him as our judge) and He is our hope (He
gives eternal life to everyone who believes in Him).
Based on these amazing claims, the people listening must ask
themselves the questions: "Why
should we believe a person who says these things about
himself? What reasons would lead us to bow to His claims?" Jesus Himself
seems completely aware that these are fully legitimate questions in light of
what He has just said. That is why He continues with arguments which confirm
His claims (v. 31-40).
He calls in four witnesses who reinforce the truthfulness of
His statements. Yet He begins with a
surprising statement: "If I testify about myself, my
testimony is not valid" (5:31). He respects the fact that people would not
have reason to believe Him if it were only something which He said (even though
the claims could still be true). He takes our reason and our need for
understanding seriously since He has created us that way! Instead of
challenging us to blind faith, He calls in confirming witnesses. They are:
i)the
Father, who testifies for Jesus,
ii)
John the Baptist, recognized as a prophet from God and who testifies for Jesus,
iii) His works, in this case the
healing of the man, which testify that the Father had sent Him,
iv) the Scriptures, which testify about
Him.
Jesus is not afraid of arguments, and respects people's need
to know and understand. He presents arguments, which at that time were quite
weighty, as confirmation of the truth of His message. The speech concludes when
Jesus very typically turns the whole situation on its head. His accusers had
claimed He was blasphemous. Now, Jesus presents some serious accusations
against His critics (v. 40-47). The problem for them is not that they don't
have reason enough for deciding who Jesus truly is. The problem is their attitude.
They are seeking neither God nor the truth. According to Jesus they
i) will not (do not want to) come to Him;
ii) have no love for God;
iii) do not seek the praise that comes from the only true
God;
iv) do not truly believe Moses.
Jesus' challenge is crystal clear. They must repent and
humble themselves. By answering their
intellectual questions, He leads them to the point where
their deepest needs could be laid bare.
Paul and apologetics
When we look at Paul, sharing the gospel with a pagan,
relativistic and pluralistic culture, we see
a similar picture. He preached and defended the gospel of
Christ among his contemporaries. He went first into synagogues to persuade his
fellow Jews that Christianity is true, proving and arguing from Old Testament
Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ. In addition, he also went to pagan
Greeks. Starting with their literature and cultural artefacts, Paul
demonstrated that the “unknown God” has been revealed and proclaimed in Jesus
the Lord and Judge. Likewise, in front of King Agrippa, Paul declared the
gospel to be “true and reasonable.”
A careful reading of Acts reveals Paul’s extraordinary
ability as a communicator. He was at
home in any venue, could meaningfully convey truth to those
of any world-view and was not afraid to engage in vigorous debate. While he
made full use of his opportunities in the synagogue (Acts
13:14-43), he was equally comfortable out of
the pulpit, whether it was in the marketplace (Acts 17:17),
lecture theatre (Acts 19:9), civic
centre (Acts 17:22), or
private home (Acts 28:23).
Wherever people were prepared to listen, Paul was ready to speak.
Paul did not deliver a stereotyped message. He never
compromised the truth of the gospel, but he did contextualize the way the
gospel message was presented so that it made sense to his audience. Old
Testament Scripture provided an appropriate entry point for religious Jews (Acts
13:16-41), but he did not use it when speaking
to farmers at Lystra, to philosophers at Athens, or to an angry mob in
Jerusalem.
Rather, he argued from nature (Acts
14:15-17), from polytheism and pagan poetry (Acts
17:22-28) and from personal testimony (Acts
22:1-21). He took the concepts they already
knew to establish initial points of contact. He then established points of
confrontation: exposing wrong beliefs, showing the inconsistencies of
individuals’ world view and pulling apart the false ideas that were a barrier
to faith. All this he did in the context of dialogue - a two-way street. Paul
“reasoned” (17:17),
“discussed” (19:9), “argued
persuasively” (19:8),
“confronted” (13:46), and
“disputed” (17:18) with his
hearers. He summed up his ministry by saying “...we try to persuade”, (2
Corinthians 5:11) and “...we demolish arguments and
every pretension” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
It is important to notice that Paul was not content merely
to contextualize and confront. He used
these approaches to convey the gospel of Christ’s death,
resurrection, promise of salvation and coming judgment. We see this from
people’s responses. Some “received the message with great eagerness” (Acts
17:11), “were persuaded” (17:4)
and “believed” (17:34), yet
others “sneered” (17:32).
If we build bridges or expose false teaching without preaching
the gospel, then we are failing in
our witness. Paul’s heart’s desire and prayer was that
people be saved (Romans 10:1) through
hearing the gospel (1:16). His
priority was to win people to Christ. Yet, while he always finished by
preaching Christ crucified, his strategy also involved both contextualization
and confrontation. Moreover, Paul did apologetics in an environment where the
hearers felt comfortable, in a way that made sense to them and in a manner that
gave them opportunity to discuss and raise objections. It is this understanding
of apologetics that needs to be revived in order for us to communicate the
uniqueness of Christ into a postmodern culture.
5. Language and the person of Jesus
In a Biblical perspective, truth is not merely a statement
or a proposition; it is ultimately a person, who says of Himself: I am the
Truth (John 14:6). One of
the wonders of this person is that He has chosen to reveal Himself to us. This
He has done in coming to us as a human being (incarnation) and speaking to us
in human language (revelation). Today, it is common to see a tension between
these two categories, between the personal and the propositional. The result is
an affirmation of the personal and a rejection of the propositional. However,
this will not do. The personal and the propositional are related in an intimate
way. Only a person can communicate. Furthermore, for a communication to be
meaningful it must contain a “propositional dimension”, that is, it must have
content that refers to reality and therefore can be discussed and understood in
terms of true and false. This is not to deny the richness of human language or
the manifold functions that language has, but it is to secure the
meaningfulness of language.
If language does not in some sense refer to reality, it
loses its meaning and all communication breaks down. We all know that in human
relations it is impossible to divorce the personal from what a person reveals
of him or herself through one's words. We cannot know them if they are silent
or if we ignore what they are telling us about themselves. In a similar way, we
as Christians believe in a person that has communicated through words. We
cannot know Him personally without Him communicating with us in a language that
refers to our reality. Therefore, the personal and the propositional are not
categories that can be put in opposition towards each other. Consequently, we
cannot put tension between the person of Jesus and the word from Jesus.
Conclusion
According to the New Testament, Jesus is unique. He is:
(i) the only way, John 14:6 (ii) the only name, Acts 4:12
(iii) the only foundation, 1 Corinthians 3:11 (iv) the only
mediator, 1 Timothy 2:5.
A faithful and effective witness to Him in a postmodern
culture must include fresh and creative
apologetics.
METHODS
OF COMMUNICATING THE UNIQUENESS OF CHRIST
Mission
Responses in Postmodern settings
If we have a solid Biblical foundation, a clear apologetic
understanding and are familiar with the opportunities as well as the challenges
thrown up by postmodernism, then we have a firm foundation from which to
flexibly engage with real, live, human beings influenced by postmodernism. If
the uniqueness of Christ is to be evident in the world, then we as the Church
must reflect Christ in all aspects of our life. This includes how we spend our
time, money and energy. The Church has often become culturally captive. The
evidence of Christ must also be manifested in society at large, especially with
those issues that concern the marginalized, the poor and the weak.
The first step, therefore, in our practice must put an
emphasis on our spiritual life with God. We
must be in relationship with God and increasingly be conformed
to His likeness. Through prayer, study of the word, participation in the Lord's
Supper and obedience to the Spirit we are continually transformed.
Today, more than ever in the world, there needs to be
tangible expression of our faith. There needs to be a life marked by the cross
and sacrifice, a life in which people live out the gospel.
Words are not enough. The uniqueness of Christ is
demonstrated in His teaching and preaching.
It is also demonstrated in His healing of the sick and the
demon-possessed and in His acts of justice and mercy. In particular, Jesus
announced the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
In the Kingdom of God, God is Lord over all of life.
The transformation is not simply personal, but social,
structural, environmental and touches all aspects of life.
Implications for the four features of postmodernism selected
by this paper are given below:
1.Loss of meta-narratives
We need to provide opportunities for others to share their
stories. At the same time it is fair and
necessary for us to re-introduce the Biblical meta-narrative
(the story of how God has worked throughout history to save people), as it is
incorporated into our personal narrative, which in turn helps to give meaning
and which re-interprets history in terms of the active presence of God.
Furthermore, since another characteristic of our age is that of Biblical illiteracy,
we do need to communicate anew the Good News of God to this generation, as it
will indeed be new to many of them.
This communication must be gentle, respectful and holistic.
It will include questioning, listening
and noticing the presence of God already evident in their
world. It will value the person more than “the sale” and as such refuse to be
manipulative. We must use dialogue and be genuinely interested. We will coach
people, helping them to find their next step towards God, rather than what we think
it should be.
However, we also have a right to tell our story. Part of our
personal story is The Grand Story of God, the incarnation in Christ, and the
ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. We will speak of God’s love and of the
meaning, purpose and identity God gives us. This is what we offer in a spirit
of love.
A specific methodological example: “Agree – Caution –
Suggest” is a simple outline that can be
adapted to any theme relevant to postmoderns.
Agree: first validate where God is already at work in
people.
Caution: then validate the pain and the disconnectedness
which many people feel.
Suggest: offer the unique part of the Jesus story that can
resolve the disconnectedness or
misunderstandings they may have.
For example, in the issue of “I’m a good enough person,” we
could agree that “Yes, you are good. I’ve seen your generosity...” etc. “But,”
we might caution, “doesn’t that pressure to stay good enough wear you down?” A
suggestion might be, “I just find it invigorating to know how my bad stuff can
be forgiven...”
In whatever way we communicate the meta-narrative, it all
needs to be accompanied by prayer
and a dependence on the Holy Spirit’s revelation to “bear
witness” to the revelation of Scripture.
2.Loss of absolute truth
The loss of absolute truth beckons a mission response from
the church. We first must be sure of our own foundations, having a concrete
understanding of the revelation of truth expressed in the unique person of
Christ so as to engage in apologetic discussion on a more philosophical level
when needed.
However, apologetics as such becomes increasingly effective
where there is a trusted relationship and a safe environment within which
dialogue can occur.
Further, truth need not be reduced to merely scientific
reason and the intellectualism of the
Modern Age. Truth can be ascertained through other ways of
knowing such as experience. Experience is a key defining feature of the
post-modern era and the church should seek opportunities for active
involvement, participation and ownership. Where possible, involvement in
serving the poor, weak and marginalized in the local and global community
should be encouraged. Join together with humanity in our common needs, from
drug rehab to community affairs of state, or schools, or needed infrastructure.
This is demonstrating a “saltiness” that postmoderns can
taste.
The more holistic basic faith courses (like Alpha) are
appealing to postmoderns because there is
open dialogue. You can ask any questions, you are respected,
you can share your own story. Plus there is an element of hospitality and
community, especially around the meal. There is low external structure and it
includes spiritual experiences and participation. So there is often a desire to
continue the community afterwards although there is no obligation to return.
Follow-on groups make the most of what starts as a good
faith-discussion group. In postmodern
settings, they should develop outwardly, focusing on their
local community, not just themselves. This is the ecclesia a ‘community
development movement’. By focusing on holistic care and concern, the unique
Kingdom of God is increasingly demonstrated and experienced, even as it is
explained
.
Such engagement also contributes to a sense of belonging and identity, which are in short
supply in the postmodern context. We can avoid developing co-dependency in the
group dynamic by working to develop responsibility for self and others.
Postmoderns may not agree with the idea of absolute truth,
but they can still recognize truth when they encounter it and when this
encounter is a relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit, He can “lead
them into all truth.” There may even be miraculous experiences of the Holy
Spirit to report. Yet we can also be influential by recovering our own sense of
awe and wonder by helping others to develop a passion and to discover how God
has created each person uniquely. We also recover our sense of awe by learning
to recognize God at work in the everyday, by honestly living in the truth, and
by inviting others to encounter this truth with us.
3.Skepticism about history
Great pain and disillusionment have accompanied the
deconstruction of virtually every structure
that helped to shape modern history (politics, education,
family, institutional religion). These structures have come to be associated
with power, authority and often violence. As such we must adopt a posture of
gentleness, sensitivity and care when interacting in this context. In
postmodern settings, the church faces the challenge of regaining credibility.
We must begin by being willing to agree with valid criticisms of the Church.
The credibility gap only widens if we can’t admit the dark side of our history.
Not only do we need to develop genuine community, there
needs to be a move toward more
diverse communities reflected in the Church as the whole
people of God. There is something powerful in the collective witness of a
larger body of Christians that are radically different, holistic, Biblical, and
authentic. People are attracted to those who are alive. (See the case study
below)
A Case Study from the United Kingdom:
A young Chinese man came to study at a British university.
Eager to learn more about British
culture, he decided to attend a local church. During that
service, he was exposed to the genuine, heartfelt worship of God’s people. This
experience made a deep impression on him. He commented that he had never
experienced anything like that before. He immediately wanted to know more about
what he had just experienced. Over a number of weeks, some of those Christians
began to share Jesus with this student, explaining who Jesus is and what He had
done and is doing. One Sunday morning, this student sat through another service
and at its conclusion he stated confidently, ‘I want to ask Jesus into my
life.’
He did, there and then. He continues to follow the Lord
Jesus faithfully.
To be credible, the Church needs to regain its saltiness as
a community development movement
(working from a Christ-centered basis.) This is an accurate
rendering of the Greek “ecclesia”. The primary posture of the group is like
Christ: they are focused towards the people and towards the community. They
seek to see the community shaped by the values of the Kingdom of God. It is
these values (see Isaiah 65 and Jesus’ values)
with Christ as the reference point that make this ecclesia uniquely Christian.
However, it must be acknowledged that more time allocated for relating with people
in the local community may mean less time for church programs, in order to
model
Jesus Christ in concrete ways.
Clearly, flexibility in church programmes is needed. We are
not committed to gathering people into a monoculture. We are committed to going
out to engage with others and to care for others. We affirm the need for
“niche” events which are culturally sensitivity (such as gathering at a gym, a
swimming pool, in a stadium or in cafes.) However, in consumerist cultures,
these ought not simply pander to religious consumerism. It should rather be
motivated by the desire to listen, to speak the gospel in the host language and
to incarnate the gospel in the postmodern context. Mature Christians can be
more flexible in these matters. The Church needs to become involved at the
crossroads of life (marriage, funerals, the swimming pool) and in the key
issues in society such as drugs, law, AIDS, indigenous injustices, environment,
etc. Yet we need to do it in ways that truly reflect the Kingdom of God with
respectful,
