The New Fundamentalism
2009
February
24
Just about every week in seminary classes a professor says something that sticks with me for a while. A few weeks ago my prof had one of those statements that sticks in your mind for longer than a while. Here is what he said:
“We’ve created a new fundamentalism: if you aren’t postmodern enough then you might not be a Christian.”
Talk amongst yourselves about that.
(HT: Dr. Trautmann)
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Tyler Braun.
I want to say this is a scary indictment and that it’s not true…but in reality, I think it’s right.
Would really love to know more of the context Tyler (even if just what class it was said in…)
I’ve thought for a while that we’re living in an age that is like the Enlightenment happening all over again, where this “cultural and intellectual phenomenon” that is post modernism is invading the church, whereas it should be happening the other way round.
Ephesians 1…”The church is not peripheral to the world, the world is peripheral to the church”. So who should be the influencer here?
Really interested to see what others (and you) have to say on this
At first I wanted to laugh, then I saw he was being serious (well kind of). No opinion from me though, not yet at least.
Perhaps because I’ve been in several different denominations but I actually see this idea (just insert a different group/belief system) being communicated over and over……
We discussed this at a pastor’s luncheon yesterday and it was interesting to talk about this with what was largely a group of men over the age of 50!
I’m not sure I totally understand what it means to be post-modern as a Believer. I understand it in theory, not in actual practice because my understanding is that we do indeed already live in a post-modern world…maybe you can elaborate more. What TRULY identifies a post-modern believer, as opposed, say, to just a person living in a post-modern world? I hope that makes sense.
I think there is a big difference between living in a postmodern world and being a postmodern person. I don’t consider myself all that post modern. I don’t think one thing identifies someone that is postmodern either though.
And I do agree, this is communicated in many ways, by people from all different walks of Christianity.
Another thought – this is how I would describe the “new fundamentalist” in our area:
1) male
2) Reformed
3) Church Planter
4) Really big on all male leadership
5) Young and very outspoken
Apparently this is very sexy right now!
Post-modernism seems too ambiguous to be nailed down into a form fundamentalism. Also, many people argue that post-modernism is dead anyways. Sometimes I think we put different names on a lot of the same things.
I don’t know when you changed the design but I like it.
I dig your line about different names on the same things. Very true.
I think “not postmodern enough” is an oxymoron.
Could be English is my second language….I don’t understand what that statement means…maybe I’m just too simple when it comes to understanding my faith (or maybe my vocabulary isn’t extensive enough).
I noticed this mainly in North modern American Christian culture, why do people always need to use big words, catch phrases, say things that make people look ’smart’, use shock values to get people’s attention?
I’ve been to enough churches…talk to the typical (20s-30s) crowd…all seem to have these mentality…almost always try to make Christianity very complex and smart, try to sound like a ‘cool’ bible scholars (holding the bible, but wearing ripped jeans, and spikey hair…), but they relate SO POORLY to other people.
Why is this??
p.s. nothing against wearing ripped jeans and spikey hair btw…but you get my point.
Another term for it might be mere revisionism. Every generation has its moment, revises the culture’s religion, and determines it to be the only way. You can count most major movements in the Christian religion under this still continueing trend.
see what i mean?
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