What's a post-postmodern world?
Someone who had stumbled upon this blog today asked me what I meant by a "post-postmodern" world. It's a fair question, especially since no established answer exists yet, and that is because "post-postmodernism" does not as much denote a cultural perspective, as did "modern" and "postmodern," but is much more a tagline to indicate that we are now, as a culture, moving away from postmodernism and toward something new, something not yet defined. Or maybe it has been defined, and we as a culture only need to remember.
But as a more direct response to my inquirer, in greatly shorthanded form, the "modernist" perspective was one that dominated Western culture since the Enlightenment. The "project" of modernity was that humankind would progress by the exercise of logic and reason, by the search for that which was objectively true. Postmodernism, which blossomed at a cultural level during the latter half of the 20th century, was less a project of its own as much as a wholesale critique of the modernist agenda. Postmodernity rightly pointed out that that the modernist agenda was more concerned with the accumulation of power rather than the quest for truth and progress. It sought to deconstruct the modernist metanarratives that served to strengthen the strong at the expense of the weak. Many people wrongly saw postmodernity as a denial of truth. At its worst, it did deny truth, which paradoxically worked to deny the truth of its own critique. At its best, though, it was more of a just cry to the throne of modernity by the masses who were subjugated by it: "Who decided that you get to decree what is true?!"
The postmodern voices are still around, as are the modernist ones. But approximately six years and two and a half months ago, an event occurred which symbolized the inauguration of the post-postmodern world. At this event, quite literally, modernity and postmodernity collided in a ball of flames. The ashes of that climactic event symbolized that the postmodern critique had made its point, and anything more would simply bring about destruction for destruction's sake. It was time, as a single people, to move forward.
But to move forward to where?
That is the question that this blog, and many other voices besides, have been trying to answer. This blog, and many other voices besides, are also suggesting a hint as to where we might look for the answer. Somewhere where the modern tendency to use the quest for truth and progress for self-gain is not as tempting. Somewhere where the postmodern hermeneutic of suspicion is not as applicable.
I turn again to the illuminating words and vision of N.T. Wright, who has a clear idea where that "somewhere might be:
"It isn't simply that the gospel of Jesus offers us a religious option that can outdo other religious options, that can fill more effectively the slot labeled "religion" on the cultural and social smorgasbord. The gospel of Jesus points us and indeed urges us to be at the leading edge of the whole culture, articulating in story and music and art and philosophy and education and poetry and politics and theology and even, heaven help us, biblical studies, a worldview that will mount the historically rooted Christian challenge to both modernity and postmodernity, leading the way into the post-postmodern world with joy and humor and gentleness and good judgment and true wisdom. I believe we face the question: If not now, then when? And if we are grasped by this vision, we may also hear the question: if not us, then who? And if the gospel of Jesus is not the key to this task, then what is? 'As the Father sent me, so I send you; receive the Holy Spirit, forgive and retain sins.'"
Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
But as a more direct response to my inquirer, in greatly shorthanded form, the "modernist" perspective was one that dominated Western culture since the Enlightenment. The "project" of modernity was that humankind would progress by the exercise of logic and reason, by the search for that which was objectively true. Postmodernism, which blossomed at a cultural level during the latter half of the 20th century, was less a project of its own as much as a wholesale critique of the modernist agenda. Postmodernity rightly pointed out that that the modernist agenda was more concerned with the accumulation of power rather than the quest for truth and progress. It sought to deconstruct the modernist metanarratives that served to strengthen the strong at the expense of the weak. Many people wrongly saw postmodernity as a denial of truth. At its worst, it did deny truth, which paradoxically worked to deny the truth of its own critique. At its best, though, it was more of a just cry to the throne of modernity by the masses who were subjugated by it: "Who decided that you get to decree what is true?!"
The postmodern voices are still around, as are the modernist ones. But approximately six years and two and a half months ago, an event occurred which symbolized the inauguration of the post-postmodern world. At this event, quite literally, modernity and postmodernity collided in a ball of flames. The ashes of that climactic event symbolized that the postmodern critique had made its point, and anything more would simply bring about destruction for destruction's sake. It was time, as a single people, to move forward.
But to move forward to where?
That is the question that this blog, and many other voices besides, have been trying to answer. This blog, and many other voices besides, are also suggesting a hint as to where we might look for the answer. Somewhere where the modern tendency to use the quest for truth and progress for self-gain is not as tempting. Somewhere where the postmodern hermeneutic of suspicion is not as applicable.
I turn again to the illuminating words and vision of N.T. Wright, who has a clear idea where that "somewhere might be:
"It isn't simply that the gospel of Jesus offers us a religious option that can outdo other religious options, that can fill more effectively the slot labeled "religion" on the cultural and social smorgasbord. The gospel of Jesus points us and indeed urges us to be at the leading edge of the whole culture, articulating in story and music and art and philosophy and education and poetry and politics and theology and even, heaven help us, biblical studies, a worldview that will mount the historically rooted Christian challenge to both modernity and postmodernity, leading the way into the post-postmodern world with joy and humor and gentleness and good judgment and true wisdom. I believe we face the question: If not now, then when? And if we are grasped by this vision, we may also hear the question: if not us, then who? And if the gospel of Jesus is not the key to this task, then what is? 'As the Father sent me, so I send you; receive the Holy Spirit, forgive and retain sins.'"
Amen.
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
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