EV525 Contemporary Culture and Evangelism

Kim Thacker
Characteristics of Postmodernity
What They Reject What They Value
"Absolute" Truth and Morality
Human absolute certainty
Objective knowledge
Arrogance and attitudes of
superiority
niversal Claims
Universal truth claims
Universal logic and ways of
knowing
Universal moral claims
!ntolerance
Modern progress myth
Oppressive metanarratives
Imposing views or beliefs
on others
Institutions, institutional religion
roselyti!ation
"ultural imperialism and
superiority
Abstract Truth Claims
#ruth claims irrelevant to life
#heoretical understanding of truth
ropositional understanding
of truth
"rimacy o# $eason
$eason as primary for
determining truth
%oundational understanding
of truth
&inear understanding of
human knowing
rimacy of the cognitive in
defining human nature and decision'
making
"ersonal Authenticity
Identity formation
(epth and self'e)ploration
ersonal choice and individualism
"reativity
Image and presentation to others
Integrity and honesty
Honest vulnerability
$eality
lausibility
*)perience
ragmatism, beliefs being
effective in life
"omple)ity
Acknowledging negative aspects
of life
Irony
%olism
Integration of many aspects of
human being and knowing
"omprehensiveness
Art, music, and images
+ymbols and rituals
,arrative and story
*motions, feelings, and intuition
Interconnectedness and harmony
Community& $elationships& and
'ove
"aring, acceptance, loyalty, trust
$elational aspects of identity
Importance of all people
-oodness of human nature and
potential
+ocial construction of reality
(pirituality
ersonal spiritual e)perience
+piritual e)ploration and
journey
Mi)ture of spiritual practices
ersonal creation of spiritual
meaning
Inner peace, harmony, joy
"onnection with a loving
-od
+ecular spirituality
Mystery, ambiguity, and
comple)ity
layfulness combined with
seriousness
"luralism
#olerance
$espect for all religions
"hoice of spirituality and
religion
(iversity and
multiculturalism
Meaning and "urpose
Meaning beyond materialism
%ulfilling life and e)periences
+ervice beyond oneself
Metavalues& niversal Values
*.uality, human rights, and
freedom
eace and justice
*nvironmental wellness and
nature
EV525 Contemporary Culture and Evangelism
Kim Thacker
Shifting Worldviews in Very Generalized Periods of Western History
Aspect of
/orldview
remodern
0ap)1 up to 23445
Modern
0ap)1 2344'26745
ostmodern
0ap)1 2674'present5
Truth 8ased in -od9 absolute1 8ased in universal human
reason9 absolute1
A product of individual communities:
e)periences of the world9 relative1
Suer!natural"
#ature of
$niverse
+upernatural, open view
of the universe and
events1
,atural, scientific, closed
view of the universe and
events1
Mi)ture of supernatural and
scientific worldview1
%aith for
Sta&ility and
Progress
rimary faith in -od1 rimary faith in human reason
and human potential1
"onfusion and lack of faith and
hope9 some faith in realism,
authenticity, human goodness1
Source of
Human
'nowledge
#hrough the dictates of
religious and societal
authority1
#hrough individual reason9
cognitive is primary for
defining the human person1
Holistic view9 through e)periences,
emotions, intuition, arts,
relationships, spirituality, and reason1
(ndividual
(dentity
(efined by role,
religion, and community1
(efined by reason and
personal choice1
$elational aspects to identity along
with individual choice and .ualities1
Role of
Religion
ublic9 primary to all
areas of life1
rivate9 can be personally
helpful but not necessary1
ersonal choice but community is
beneficial9 spirituality is an
important part of life but religion can
be controlling1
Solution to the
World)s
Pro&lems
roper knowledge of the
supernatural, worship,
and obedience9
maintaining proper order
and roles1
Human progress, especially in
technology and science9
increased knowledge and
education1
May be alleviated through tolerance
and living authentically with one
another1
*orality Moral absolutes stem
from an absolute -od1
Moral absolutes stem from
universal human nature and
reason1
A product of cultural, community, or
even individual values and views of
reality9 relative1
+asis for
*oral Choices
%oundational religious
principles1
%oundational principles from
which all else derives9 moral
.uestions decided through
using logic9 pragmatic
considerations also1
Integrity to one:s beliefs and
tolerance for the beliefs of others9
possibility of universal human
values9 relational and pragmatic
considerations for moral .uestions1
EV525 Contemporary Culture and Evangelism
Kim Thacker
Generalized Characteristics of Generations
#ame G, (, Silent +oomer Gen- *illennial
+irth
years
./0.!12 ./13!21 ./24!50 ./5.!6. ./61!1001
+asic
Character!
istics
$eligion is
church
attendance
Optimistic
"hange
through civil
service
Morality
through
standards,
duty, and
responsibility
Honored by
society
%ocus on
serving
country
$eligion is
church
attendance
ractical
"hange not
really needed
Morality
through
standards,
public decency
Ignored by
society
%ocus on
providing for
families
ersonal
spirituality
Idealistic
"hange by
challenging
structures and
government
Morality is
self'based,
harmony with
others, e.uality
"enter of
society
%ocus on
causes, self'
discovery
+pirituality
personal and in
community
"ynical
&ocal change
and practical
causes
Morality is
relative, self or
community
based, e.uality
,egative view
by society
%ocus on
survival,
identity,
community
"ommunity
oriented
Optimistic
"hange through
programs and
government
Morality through
community
standards,
responsibility,
e.uality
;alued by
society
%ocus on
community,
serving world
Comarison of Traditional" Pragmatic" and 7ounger 8vangelicals
%rom $obert /ebber, The )ounger Evangelicals* +acing the Challenges o# the ,e- .orld, -rand $apids<
8aker 8ooks, =44=, Introduction, #able =, pgs1 2>'2?1
Traditional
8vangelicals ./30!./93
Pragmatic 8vangelicals
./93!1000
7ounger 8vangelicals 1000!
resent
Cultural
Situation
Modern worldview
Industrial society
ost'//II
#ransitional paradigm
#echnological society
;ietnam war
ostmodern worldview
Internet society
/ar on terrorism
Communication
Styles
rint
;erbal
8roadcast
resentational
Internet
Interactive
Generation 8ooster
#raditional
8oomer
Innovative
@#wenty'+omething@
(econstructionA
$econstruction
:ttitude toward
History
Maintain distinctives of
twentieth'century
fundamentals
-et a fresh start
Ahistorical
(raw from the wisdom of
the past
#he road to the future runs
through the past
Theological
Commitment
"hristianity as a rational
worldview
"hristianity as therapy
Answers needs
"hristianity as a community
of faith
AncientA$eformation
:ologetics
Style
*vidential
%oundational
"hristianity as meaning'
giver
*)periential
ersonal faith
*mbrace the metanarrative
*mbodied apologetic
"ommunal faith
8cclesial
Paradigm
"onstantinian church
"ivil $eligion
"ulturally sensitive
church
Market driven
Missional church
"ountercultural
Church Style ,eighborhood churches
$ural
Megachurch
+uburban
Market targeted
+mall church
8ack to cities
Intercultural
;eadershi
Style
astor centered Managerial model
"*O
#eam ministry
riesthood of all
7outh *inistry "hurch'centered
programs
Outreach programs
/eekend fun retreats
rayer, 8ible study, worship,
social service
8ducation +unday school
Information centered
#arget generational
groups and needs
Intergenerational formation
in community
Sirituality Beep the rules rosperity and success Authentic embodiment
Worshi #raditional "ontemporary "onvergent
:rt $estrained Art as illustration Incarnational embodiment
8vangelism Mass evangelism +eeker service rocess evangelism
:ctivists 8eginning of
evangelical social action
,eed'driven social action
0i1e1 divorce groups, drug
rehab, etc15
$ebuild cities and
neighborhoods