Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Postmoderism ~ fueling the EMC




"One of the main features of postmodernism is a commitment to a relativistic stance toward truth claims. Something can be true for you, but not for me. Truth is socially constructed. As Christians, we have to be careful to note that we have a message that is both true and relevant."

That definition was offered by Ligon Duncan recently at Ligionier Ministries' (R.C. Sproul) West Coast Conference. In his message, "Should the Church Embrace Postmodernism?", Ligon gave three reasons why we should study postmodernism (though he noted the church ought not to embrace it):

1. It is pervasive in our culture today. We need to know what is out there.

2. If someone truly embraces the tenants of postmodernism, it makes it more difficult to hear the claims of Christ that are being addressed in the gospel. For believers that dabble in the ethos of postmodernism, it weakens their discipleship at critical points.

3. Many church leaders today believe that in order to speak into a postmodern milieu, the church needs to itself embrace aspects of postmodernism.

Read all of Ligon's message HERE.

1 comment:

Marcian said...

I would add that it not only weakens discipleship, but discernment as well, when we embrace small bits of relativism and postmodernism. When we start muddying up bits of the water, the whole of what is underneath becomes unclear.