tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post6201222299445507650..comments2023-05-23T06:10:26.399-05:00Comments on Borderless Blogging: Postmodern Pluralists: The Intentional & UnintentionalAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13991218555078662281noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-36056601752522687802010-10-13T04:03:14.515-05:002010-10-13T04:03:14.515-05:00@soundandsilence
Thanks for reading and your comm...@soundandsilence<br /><br />Thanks for reading and your comment! Certainly I do find your category of "conscious postmodern seeker" as valid. And, by the way, I don't intend here to say that my 2 categories of postmodern pluralists are the only ones. No, rather, these are two important (perhaps major) categories that come to mind for me. <br /><br />Blessings!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991218555078662281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-85134717286367520572010-10-13T03:43:58.770-05:002010-10-13T03:43:58.770-05:00Hi Cody
You say there are 2 types of postmodern - ...Hi Cody<br />You say there are 2 types of postmodern - the evangelical anti-christian and the unreflective relativist, to perhaps reframe your categories.<br /><br />But what about the conscious postmodern who is actively seeking the truth of the biblical narrative?<br /><br />It's this third category that most interests me, and indeed the very possibility of a postmodern worldview being an active agent of fundamental spiritual transformation.<br /><br />Do you see this as valid?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-34399040715076699182010-09-30T19:20:31.200-05:002010-09-30T19:20:31.200-05:00Thank you, Joe, for your thoughtful response. I th...Thank you, Joe, for your thoughtful response. I think the idea of developing a core of gospel truth that we could all agree on is interesting and appealing. I’m personally less concerned about the denominational differences as the cultural ones on this point. Since different cultures tend to understand the "bad news" in very different ways (fear, shame, guilt, etc.), our particular emphases in sharing the good news must be contextualized in order to speak most directly to the heart of our hearers. <br /><br />Having said that, I think that a major work of the Congress this year is to seek to move towards a more corporate agreement on what exactly is the gospel. This should be a very awesome process.<br /><br />But let me also follow up by asking you if you feel there is some inconsistency in your position on simplicity in sharing the gospel on one hand and developing an "overwhelming" apologetic on the other. In evangelism, you say that we should move towards abbreviated and consolidated theology. In apologetics we are to move away from narrowness. Wouldn’t you say that what is virtuous about moving away from narrowness in apologetics would also be virtuous in evangelism? <br /><br />Just pickin’ your brain - so to speak.<br />September 22, 2010 @ 9:47 PMAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991218555078662281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-30659558200340510882010-09-30T19:18:42.782-05:002010-09-30T19:18:42.782-05:00The article is very eloguently put. I see two issu...The article is very eloguently put. I see two issues to be dealt with. <br />1. Professing Christians are not convinced of the truth of Jesus, Heaven, Hell, Satan, demons, etc. They are stories told to be used as fear based guidance. <br />2. Selfishness wins. Humanity and western culture in particular tends to be amazingly selfish.<br /><br />I always stand on Hosea 4:6. Satan is the author of confusion and when the majority of modern denominations can't agree on what is correct to do or say, then atheism and pluralism wins. Atheists have such a strong argument when it comes to apparent errancy of the Bible simply because of this fact. I have heard hundreds of times, "If God is omnipotent, wants what is best for us and is GOOD, then you would think that He would communicate that to us".<br /><br />I have learned from industrial/commercial environments that simplicity is best. A simple "elevator speach" or "5 minute drill" about the gospel that all denominations could agree on and focus on would be the best option. This coupled with emphasis on the "reality" of God and the supernatural instead of the rules and regulations would be my approach. Unified effort, consolidated and abreviated theology, education.<br />September 22, 2010 @ 3:58 PMJoenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-90818244748705805922010-09-30T19:18:12.590-05:002010-09-30T19:18:12.590-05:00"Excellent analysis Cody, as I fully expected..."Excellent analysis Cody, as I fully expected. You have defined very well what in post-modern philosophical culture needs to be opposed with clear polemics. Pluralism is poison, and must be dealt with harshly in our discipleship of new Jesus-followers. I wonder, however, what you would say are the elements of post-modern culture that can be apostolically embraced... indeed those would be the hooks for the gospel necessary for the "new evangelists" to bridge the gap to the truth. I have found things like sincerity in relationships, a desire for authenticity, and a love for aesthetics to all be great starting points. <br /><br />Also, perhaps we as western Christians need to rethink a bit what we mean by the term "truth." Usually when we are referring to truth we are thinking of things in a quasi-scientific, propositional sort of way. The Scriptures do have some of that thinking, however, John 14:6 always comes to my mind in discussions like this. Would not post-modern exclusivism be better founded upon loyalty (almost a fealty) to the person of Jesus rather than attempting to move people back along more modernist lines of thought? Is not truth a person? Peter actually argues for the truth of Jesus INDUCTIVELY and almost existentially rather than deductively: "neither is there salvation in any other" and "who else has the words of life."<br />September 17, 2010 @ 11:59 PMJon P.http://www.chicagolandcc.org/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-86615416284315325532010-09-30T19:16:43.326-05:002010-09-30T19:16:43.326-05:00Thanks, Andrew, for your comment. I would love for...Thanks, Andrew, for your comment. I would love for you to expand on what you mean by "a powerful, hospitable, reality in the life of God's community".<br /><br />Blessings!<br />September 14, 2010 @ 8:46 AMAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991218555078662281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-65590672734632764492010-09-30T19:16:20.427-05:002010-09-30T19:16:20.427-05:00also a vote for character formation, as the first ...also a vote for character formation, as the first commenter said, and also for a powerful, hospitable, reality in the life of God's community that becomes an apologetic in itself.<br />September 12, 2010 @ 11:42 PMAndrew Joneshttp://tallskinnykiwi.typepad.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-27294287428731425702010-09-30T19:15:15.774-05:002010-09-30T19:15:15.774-05:00Thank you for your comment, Bryan. Practically, wh...Thank you for your comment, Bryan. Practically, what do you mean? The specific unintentional pluralist I was speaking of in this article has been exposed to the lives of authentic Christ-followers for years. Of course, I know that there is something to be said about just being patient and waiting for the Lord to work. However, my question is, how do we give an answer -- what is the apologetic strategy (to go alongside a life of love) for this type of person. Or is there just not one?<br />September 11, 2010 @ 8:04 AMAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13991218555078662281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9206660347169327219.post-75931480098323609742010-09-30T19:14:55.502-05:002010-09-30T19:14:55.502-05:00Corey this was a great article. There is lots bein...Corey this was a great article. There is lots being written concerning your topic. The best Apologetic in my view is the one that is lived out in the lives of God's people in the Marketplace/Workplaces of life. N T Wright has written a great book entitled "After You Believe." It is all about character transformation.The greatest witness to faith in the first century was the character transformation of the first disciples/apostles. This is not to say that an evidentiary approach will not work. But think of the impression the church will make in a Post Christian society when it (you and I)becomes the best evidence that demands a verdict?<br />September 11, 2010 @ 5:06 AMDrBryanHagermannoreply@blogger.com