By Rogier Bos
March 1999
Here’s a fun question: Who is the most Postmodern person in
the Bible? [Submit your vote here.]
My vote goes to Pontius Pilate, who, in true postmodern fashion,
and far ahead of his time, utters the philosophical question ‘what is truth?".
As Easter approaches it is not altogether unreasonable to think of
Jesus in front of Pilate. It seems the Jewish leaders have Jesus bound up and ready to
die, but they need Pilate’s approval, and so Jesus is summoned before Pilate. As we
put the story together it seems Pilate is somewhat confused by the Jewish request. What is
wrong with thus guy? Is he a king? Jesus’ answer confuses Pilate even more:
"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants
would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another
place" [John 18:36].
Pilate is even more confused.
"You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered,
"You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for
this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens
to me."
Listen to Pilate as he responds as only a true Postmodernist
would. this Pilate asks: "What is truth?" and the echoes of that question are
found in the writings of Nietzsche, Lyotard, Foucault, Derrida, and indeed in contemporary
culture. Bill Clinton might even add: "well, that depends on your definition of
‘is’ ".
Is Christianity Modern or Postmodern?
Sometimes you get the impression that Christians would like to
claim either the Modern era or the postmodern era for themselves.
Conservative evangelical forces are displaying a sentiment that says loud and clear that
things were better the way they were at some point in time in the past. If only we could
go back to some apparently blissful moment somewhere in the 50’s and 60’s,
everything would be a lot better. Everyone believed in God, and such terrible vices as
homosexuality and abortion didn’t rear their ugly head. If indeed today we are
observing the the emergence of the postmodern era, these Christians would like very much
for it to go away. Even if they remember that the Modern era was not exactly a hospitable
context for those who believe in the existence and acts of a supernatural God, they view
the Postmodern era as infinitely worse. Can't we stay in the Modern era, they ask? They
reject Postmodernism because it is unbiblical and anti-Christian. Somehow they think the
Modern era was better.
On the other side we encounter Christians who can scarcely resist
doing a little dance at the demise of Modernism. Thank goodness, that terrible era is
over! They remember how horrible the Modern era was to Christians, and how rationalism and
individualism reigned supreme. They see the Postmodern era as one of boundless
opportunities. The emphasis on story, the understanding that in the end everything comes
down to faith as opposed to certainty, and the renewed pursuit of community; Postmodern
Christians are ready to claim this era for the Kingdom.
I overstate my case of course, but I believe these two groups of
Christians can be clearly observed today. While (to my knowledge) no one has been burned
at the stake yet, one side often has a feeling of ‘oh, I wish they wouldn’t say
that (cringe)’ towards the other side.
On the one side Postmodern Christians were very uncomfortable with Jerry Falwell's
denouncement of the Teletubbies. On the other side we can hear James Dobson sigh weekly
that he wishes more Christians would take an active stance on issues like school prayer,
the pro-life movement and protection of our society from the gay agenda.
As it becomes more and more obvious that our world is indeed entering the postmodern era,
a polarization is taking place within Christianity between those who are fear what they
see as the coming darkness, and those who rejoice in what they hold to be the dawn of a
new era.
A third possibility
Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. Pilate doesn’t get
it, and neither do many modern and postmodern people. Eager to either claim Jesus for
themselves, or quickly dispose of him, they meet in Jesus a King who announces a Kingdom
that is from beyond this world. Jesus offends the Pharisees and their strict sense of
correct theology, and he just confuses Pilate, whose view of truth is relative at best.
In Pilate’s defense, he does try, with true postmodern
passion, to get the innocent set free. It is obvious that Jesus poses no threat to the
Roman empire, and that is all Pilate is worried about. I imagine that Pilate may have
wondered if Jesus was a nutcase, but he makes an effort to have Jesus released by
juxtaposing him with Barabbas, who is a known murderer.
But the Jewish leaders make their fist, rally the crowd, shout
their demands, and Pilate washes his hand in water [Sort of the ultimate postmodern denial
of reality: if I wash my hands in water, it’s like it never happened]. And Jesus is
on his way to the cross, where by dying he inaugurates a Kingdom that at the climax of
time will consume all Kingdoms and eras.
Since the death and resurrection of Jesus almost 2000 years of
world history have passed, and with them many kingdoms and empires. The church has faired
better in some than in others, being ever forced to adapt to a changing world that it can
not call home, but unable for the moment to go to the place that it does call home.
The irony of the situation isn’t easy. We wonder where we
belong, and how we as Christians can live in the world without being of it.
That question is being asked more frequently now that we are going
through such dramatic changes. Living where two tectonic plates meet always creates a
sense of insecurity, and when those plates move and the ground quakes beneath our feet it
is difficult to stand still and just hold on to the things we’ve always known.
Earthquakes have a destructive effect on the things we’ve traditionally trusted.
Three worldviews
So who are we? Where do we belong? Are we Modernists, holding to a
sense of fundamentalism? Are we Postmoderns, who see everything as mere perspective? Or
are we neither; just committed to the Bible, the Church, and the Kingdom?
To this debate I would like to make a contribution with the
following model.
I believe Christianity, Modernism and Postmodernism can be seen as
three intersecting circles. Each of these circles intersects partly with both others,
partly with only one other, and partly with none. Let me give you a few examples.
 |
|
"This
model was created in the desire to come to a more holistic and objective
view of the current moment in human history, as well as a kinder one.
I speak of
kindness here because the nature of worldview and culture is such that we often tend to
speak of traditions other than our own in a condescending and scornful manner.
I would very
much like to move beyond that." |
Particular to Christianity are the kingdom of God, the faith in
heaven and hell, the idea of the existence of God. These are concepts that Christianity
shares with neither Modernism or Postmodernism.
But Christianity does intersect with Modernism in a large number
of areas. Both believe in principles, the power and necessity of reason, the value of
empirical research, and the existence of an objective world, to name a few.
Likewise, Christianity intersects with Postmodernism, albeit in
different areas. Both value narrative, the spiritual world, the need for experience, the
power of faith, again to name only a few.
And then Modernism and Postmodernism intersect too. They share a
rejection of the Biblical worldview, the pursuit of human happiness as the chief of all
pursuits, a trust in the human power to bring about a better society, the scientific
pursuit, the search for a political strategy to organize society in a way that benefits
all.
And all three of them intersect together too. Here we can think of
such basic concepts as oxygen, the faith in progress, the desire to see good emerge out of
our pursuits (although we disagree on what those pursuits would be).
This model was created in the desire to come to a more holistic
(and dare I say more objective) view of the current moment in human history, as
well as a kinder one. I speak of kindness here because the nature of worldviews and
cultures is such that we often tend to speak of traditions other than our own in a
condescending and scornful manner. It would appear we can simply not speak of those with
whom we disagree without a strong dose of derailment and cynicism. Our own beliefs and
position make it hard for us to believe that others can be motivated by the desire to do
good, and still come to such different conclusions.
I would very much like to move beyond that. For
me personally the desire to move beyond what I call 'worldview bound criticism' has to do
with the desire for integrity. If I come to understand that my worldview predisposes me to
a more critical view of others than is fair, than I must seek to move beyond where I
presently am.
A lesson the Impeachment trial can teach us
A clear example of 'worldview bound criticism' became obvious
during the Impeachment trial: There was no way some of my Republican friends were going to
believe that Democrats were motivated by the desire to do what was best for the country.
In many of my friends’ minds was the conviction that all that Democrats wanted to do
was to protect their President. Conversely, some of my friends with Democrat tendencies
could not understand that Republicans wanted to oust the president purely because of moral
reasons, as opposed to partisan reasons. The situation became increasingly polarized, and
it became harder and harder to see that on both sides of the isle there were in fact those
whose chief concern was for the country, not their party.
Seeing each other
A similar situation may occur in evangelicalism here on the edge
of the 21st century. The words ‘Conservative’ and ‘Liberal’
have once again pejorative. Perhaps they always were, but it seems the tension is renewing
itself, and the lines of demarcation seem clearer and clearer. We resort to using Jesus'
words 'if you're not for me you're against me', in our attempt to to push forward our
agenda.
I believe that it is important that we remember as Easter
approaches that the Kingdom of Jesus is not of this world. It is neither Modern or
Postmodern, though it intersects both. Modernism is already passing, and Postmodernism too
will pass, sooner or later. But the Kingdom of Jesus is an eternal Kingdom, and everyone
who is on the side of truth listens to him [John 18:37].
Rogier Bos and his wife Sophie live in
Palm Desert, California. He is the editor for NEXT WAVE, and, as you can probably tell, he
is trying really hard to make sense of the time in which we live. His passion is to be a
help to those who perceive themselves to be on a journey along. [Rogier's homepage].
Click here
to respond to Rogier's article.
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