“The 21st Century, a Post Christian Culture”

 

 

 

 

Western culture is rapidly becoming Post-Christian. As a result the church faces her greatest missional opportunity in centuries. ‘Spirituality’ is now being pushed to the center. Followers of Jesus will have the opportunity to showcase their faith alongside every other faith account in the world. Canada which is rapidly becoming a Post-Christian society is a fertile ground for relational Christian witness. Post-Modernity faces the church with its most dangerous challenge, in its antichristian perspective in its belief and practice. This new culture will be foreign to anything that we have ever known.

 

World history has known several cultural epochs. These are; Pre-historic times, the Ancient world, Medieval times, the Modern world. As we move away from Modernism we enter into a Post Modern culture. The Modern era gave us everything that we knew and held dear. It handed us our form of education, worldview, culture, how we think and process knowledge. The scientific method, along with reason were elevated to the highest good. It was symmetrical, secure, certain, orderly, optimistic, neat and tidy. Humanity was at the center.

 

Several events from the last century began to knock Modernism off of its perch. They were; 1) New discoveries in Twentieth century science and philosophy, 2) The first and second world war, 3) The European holocaust, 4) The Great Depression, 5) The invention and use of the atomic bomb, 6) Existentialism, 7) Deconstructionism, 8) The rapid growth of technology.  Each of these contributed in their own way to begin to push Modernity with its optimism, hope, belief in absolutes, certainty, objectivity, off the shelf. The new era offers an emerging cynicism, a belief in no absolutes, and uncertainty.

 

The Post-Christian era brings with it a full fledged set of values. They are; the belief in no grand stories, truth is discovered only in community, personal experience and perspective is key, a growing distrust in the institution, relationships are integral, uncertainty is certain. Mystery, nonconformity, a respect for free minds and spirits, a rebirth of the imagination, tolerance, the end of a coherent worldview looms. Post Modernism offers us a glimpse into the first century perspective on life.

 

This Post-Christian era is a dangerous one. Some well known Christian leaders argue for adaptation. However, engagement would be a better response. This is the belief of N.T. Wright, the late Stanley Grentz, as well as contemporary Christian cultural critics Brian Walsh and Richard Middleton.

 

But what is this engagement to be? The best form of Christian approach in meeting the challenge of Post Modernity will be “the church as an apologetic.” This is a Lifestyle approach to faith, where the lives of believers become the best defence for the gospel that they hold dear. It will be an approach, and an engagement based upon living and exhibiting faith as lifestyle in relationships.