Postmodernity

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Postmodernity

• What does it mean to be postmodern?

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What is postmodernity?

• - Origin? Movement?
• - World-view
• History
• Middle-Ages
• Enlightenment-modernity
• Postmodernity
• - Affects way we think and act

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Philosophical background (1)

• Major influences
• Concerns about interpretation /hermeneutics
• Concerns about possibility of truth Friedrich
  Nietzsche
• Philosophy of language
• Rejection of structralism

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Philosophical background (2)

• Key postmodern philosophers
• Michael Foucault (1926-1984)
• Richard Rorty (1931-2007)
• Jean François Lyotard (1924-1998)
• Jacques Derrida (1930-2004)

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (1)?

• Abandonment of idea of inevitable progress
• pessimism
• awareness of mounting problems

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (2)?

• Life on earth is fragile
• Pessimism
• Environment is being destroyed
• Exploitation to be replaced by cooperation
• Stewardship

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (3)?

• Appreciation for the non-rational dimensions of
  truth
• Holism
• Oneness with nature
• Intuitive as well as cognitive
• Justice

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (4)?

• truths vs Truth
• Understanding of truth rooted in community
• Social context
• Pluralism / diversity
• Relativism
• We construct the world by the concepts we bring
  to it
• Not what is true? Rather what is the outcome?
• Languages matter of human conventions
• Knowledge replaced by interpretation
• No single world view

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (5)?

• Diversity / difference
• Combination of incompatible elements
• Architecture
• Art Collage
• Literature
• Emphasis on element of chance / uncontrollable /
  contingency / ambiguity

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (6)?

• Centerlessness / fragmentation
• No common standards
• Relativism in morality
• Blurring between genders
• Derrida on what floor?
• No commitment to organisations/ job
• Frequent switching

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (7)?

• End of the metanarrative
• Rejection of hubris of Enlightenment no single
  system of truth
• Scientific metanarrative
• Marxist metanarrative
• Christian metanarrative
• Deconstruction focus on contradictory elements
• Emphasis on smaller stories / local myths
• (world-wide strategies?)?

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (8)?

• Shift in science (1)?
• Not all knowledge is good
• Not all knowledge can be brougth into one scheme
• Goal is often performativity / profit
• Goal often determines outcome

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (9)?

• Shift in science (2)?
• New physics
• Laws do not always seem to be consistent
• Much in universe is indescribable
• Blurring between energy and matter
• Observation affects the object that is being
  observed

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (10)?

• Shift in science (3)?
• Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996)?
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962)?
• Paradigm shifts
• Research traditions commitment to a community
• Reigning paradigm determines what scholars see

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Hallmarks of postmodernity (11)?

• Superficial postmodernism
• Consumentism
• Status and prestige through products
• Emphasis on amusement
• Ideal home ideal sex ideal body ideal fashion
• Sexual freedom
• No moral standards everything goes
• Shopper / surfer / channel hopper

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Contrast between modernity and postmodernity (1)?

• Modernity
• Emphasis on mind, reason, logic
• Systematic order in everything that
  happens/exists
• Belief in technological and economic progress
• Harmony
• Unity
• Confidence in human abilities

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Contrast between modernity and postmodernity (2)?

• Postmodernity
• Limitations to what we know / understand
• Feeling / phantasy / dreams
• Relativity of ideologies, systems
• Reluctance re commitment
• Critical about human ability
• Life is fragmentary, incomplete
• Emphasis on opposites, difference

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Postmodern themes (1)?

• Grand narratives have disappeared (1)?
• Enlightenment (reason universality)?
• Idealism (thesis antithesis synthesis)?
• Romanticism (unity, harmony)?
• Marxism (class struggle revolution better
  future)?
• Communism
• Capitalism (technology free economy)?
• Christianity
• Evolution

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Postmodern themes (2)?

• Grand narratives have disappeared (2)?
• Grand narratives say more than people can ever
  know
• Too pretentious
• Manipulative
• After Auschwitz
• (Bible separate books/ separate theologies/
  emphasis on story)?

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Postmodern themes (3)?

• Unity and diversity
• Modernity longs for unity
• Postmodernity accentuates difference
• Peoples cultures
• Multicultural rather than melting pot
• Racial distance
• Special status for black, gay, woman
• Generations
• Movements
• Contradictions in the individual

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Postmodern themes (4)?

• Re-enchantment of the world
• After Middle Ages rejection of magic
• Empirical sciences
• postmodern physics vague boundaries between
  subject and object
• Holism
• Nature
• Mind over body
• Forms of non-rational learning (zen, intuition,
  imaginations)?
• Mystery, miracles, angels
• Religion is OK

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Postmodern man (1)?

• Ambivalent indecisive
• Deconstructing unmasking large
  programs(anti-globalism)?
• Relativising opting for least objectionable
  solutions
• Sceptical of grand ideals, yet sense of justice,
  solidarity
• Contingency open to mystery

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Postmodern man (2)?

• Ecclectic (Lyotard)?
• Listens to reggae
• Watches a Western
• Eats at McDonald
• Supper in Hungarian restaurant
• Buys French perfume in Dubai
• See tv-quiz as exercise in knowledge

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Postmodern man (3)?

• Metaphors
• Derrida person living on different floors
• Bauman pilgrim in search of his destiny
• Bauman flaneur thinks he determines where he
  goes, but is drawn by advertising, attractions
  is always zapping
• Vagabond
• Nomad less securely tied to a job, career,
  traditions

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Part II

• Adventism and Postmodernism

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Main Issues / institutional

• Demise of the grand narrative of adventism?
• Focus on local church /world church?
• Dangers of congregationalism?
• Principle? Finance?
• Suspicion / disinterest re hierarchy
• Diversity - a threat to unity?
• Ecumenical relations true church

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Main Issues / congregation

• Worship style Praise- Experience
• Small groups personal relationships
• Blurring lines between members and non-members
• End of church discipline?
• Moral issues decided on individual basis

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Main Issues / individual believers

• Rational vs. non-rational
• Disinterest in doctrine
• Selective not always entire package
• What does it do for you?
• Openness to spiritual gifts
• Cross-border shopping

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Institutional church (general)?

• Institutions are suspect
• Bureaucracy
• Scandals
• Outdated
• Institutions in decline
• Perceived lack of relevancy

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More challenges for institutional Adventism

• Less interest in hierarchy / career
• Less interest in global organisation
• Less interest in global plans
• International solidarity under threat
• Less interest in (long-term) mission service
• Less money for missions
• Emphasis on local church / local needs
• Increasing interest in community / ADRA

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And even more challenges for worldwide Adventism

• Staying together theologically
• Inspiration (Bible, EGW)?
• Ecclesiology
• Eschatology
• Soteriology
• Staying together in policy
• Finding / keeping balance between doctrinal
  emphasis and spirituality
• Consensus on contextualisation

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Dealing with the new divide

• Conservative vs. liberal?
• or
• Modern vs. postmodern?

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Modern Adventists

• Demand certainties Absolutes
• Defence of historical positions
• Doctrinal purity
• Strong emphasis on eschatology
• Anti-ecumenical
• Emphasis on unity / uniformity
• Strong role for organisation / policy

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Postmodern Adventists (1)?

• Have less interest in doctrine
• Will allow for diversity in doctrine
• Fading of authority
• Role of GC. Division, union
• Role of pastor
• Church Manual
• Church discipline

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Postmodern Adventists (2)?

• Increased interest in community
• Emphasis on experience
• Celebration / Praise
• Decreased interest in regular Sabbath School
• Openness to others (Willow Creek, etc)?

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Postmodern Adventists (3)

• Hesitancy re total commitment
• Blurring of lines between members and non-members
• Interest in practical service ADRA
• More ecumenical

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Postmodern Adventists (4)?

• More openness towards different lifestyles
• (low) alcoholic beverages
• caffeine-containing beverages
• co-habitation
• divorce

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Modern vs Postmodern Adventism

• Not one or the other
• Recognize the challenges
• Balance
• Open discussions / debate at all levels
• Willingness to change
• Allow the Spirit to Lead

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The Question

• How does the church reinvent itself?
• But also
• How do we listen to the Spirit?