seem to live in a world of “post-” everything. The term “post-modernism” isn’t new for anyone in our twenty-first century, American culture (though that doesn’t necessitate our full understanding of it). And though the idea of “post-Christendom” may well be new for many people, it doesn’t negate the concept as a reality. Apparently the majority of us Christians simply need to either catch up on the times or forego our state of denial. The problem with the term “post”, however, is that it only tells us of the state that we’re leaving. It says nothing about what we’re moving into. Soon I’ll be living in another “post”: post-college. Graduation day looms on the horizon, and I’m both eagerly anticipating and inwardly dreading it. It represents freedom, but also the “unknown”. It makes me envy those who have a plan. But as far as I can tell, my situation and the church’s are much alike. What we’ve known and done up until this point has seemed to work for us, but won’t anymore. We’re both in that state of liminality, or flux, where there’s a lot of fear, but so much potential. I was encouraged and challenged by Alan Hirsch when he talked about how the decisions we make now, as Christians, have the power to determine the course of the 21st century for the church and society. It’s daunting, but empowering. We have a history, but we’re not determined by it. We have buildings, but we’re not contained within them. We seem to by “dying” from a cultural standpoint, but we can be renewed by dying to ourselves and living in Christ, choosing to be missional and embracing His kingdom. It takes the fear out of it. They tell us what we’re moving from, but we get to choose where to go from here.
Breanne
While thinking about all the past that “post” creates dont forget the beauty that way way back was like. before there was any post there was a God who seeked relationship, who actually walked in the Garden WITH us. It is our same mission today to bring people to a point where they can have real relationship like that of the POST modern era. We can use a world full of new ideas and methods but nothing beats the original “post” before it was past tense, when it was just a place for two people to gather and meet God.
I really liked your post as I see myself in the same (or similar) position as a graduating senior. The unknown is scary, but exciting, too, especially when I remember that everything that is unknown to me has been known by God since before time began. He’s calling me to the adventure that he has planned out for me.
Breanne – I really enjoyed this post as well…thanks for your insightful and relevant connection between the current state of the church and our almost post-college lives. For both these issues, I am aware of the same feelings in myself that you have articulated here. I think it is important to look on the past as honestly as we are able – to see it for what it really is, rather than idealizing or dismissing, full of joys, learning, and failure at times. As far as fear, it is definitely diminished (in both my own life and in my perspective on the church, again!) when I look at things with eyes of hope and potential. Another aspect for me is the knowledge that suffering – which might very well be a more significant factor in the life of a dis-established, culturally marginalized church than it has been in the West (and certainly in the U.S.) since Christendom began – is a means through which God sanctifies and purifies his people…all things will work together for good…so let his love reign in us and not fear.
I really like your thoughts. Thanks for sharing.
I think the question then becomes, “what can we do to ensure that we are living in accord with the mission of God?” For many of us, we are coming from the Christendom mindset, so what can we do to ensure that we aren’t falling back to what’s comfortable for us? And what good things can we take with us into the future of the church?