Making Relevant An Absolute God In A Postmodern World

Postmodernism has not reached the peak of it’s agenda yet. It’s not even close. And i don’t believe that it will until it has infiltrated more than just the minds of those who are disappointed in God. It’s schema has to reach those individuals who inhabit the essence of it’s definition: people of all ethnicities, shapes, sizes, social backgrounds and upbringing. So, with this in mind, even the literal thought of making relevant the substance of this blog would be a difficult task because to many, at present, postmodernism is just for the rejects. But it won’t be long before postmodernism is preached from the pulpits unless we, as the body, proclaim with self-assurance that our God is absolute and Christ is the absolute way to eternal life. (Henceforth why Christianity, before it was Christianity, was originally called “The Way”. Acts 9:2)

The following is a quote from a recent black history month commercial:
“I grew up in a black church and I’m very thankful for that experience as well as the effect gospel music has had on my life. I couldn’t be the person that i am today without them.” Generally, this statement would appear innocuous, but it can easily be used as bait to cultivate postmodern thought. As an African-American, a part of the richness of our culture is the tradition of religion. More specifically: Christianity. The fellowship and assurance that Jesus would “make a way” and that God was with them and would bring them out was what brought many African-Americans together during times of adversity. From slavery all the way to the Civil Rights Movement, church was a vital part of cultural and family intimacy. Not to say that these reasons were all void because they were all brought closer and gained a love for Christ. However, now that that same pressure is not a major element of our everyday lives does not mean that Christ and His message as well as His deity and means to salvation is annulled. Christ is just as relevant today as He was 400 years ago to not just the African-American, but to ALL. Our different experiences are used to bring us closer to “one Lord, one faith and one baptism”. (Ephesians 4:5)

Man’s reason. Man’s logic. I’d much rather one identify themselves with “atheist” rather than postmodernist for the following reason: A person who identifies them-self as a postmodernist is simply accepting various beliefs and ideas as suitable to his or her own needs. Most times this does not exclude the idea of God from the equation. But, if there is a God, or if one claims to believe in a God, then most times they do not consider God’s power to liken to that of man. If so then God would be called Man, in which then you’d be a five percenter, which is contradictory because if man was God then man’s power wouldn’t be limited and man’s power, is in fact, limited. Hence for the most part, we all agree that God’s power supercedes that of man. Furthermore, God’s logic can also be considered to be greater to that of man. God’s logic rises above the natural therefore it is super-natural logic. Postmodernism encourages individuals to use their own logic to create an environment conducive for themselves within the confines of their own reason. So, postmodernists can, in a sense, create their own personal God. But how is it that one who is natural, with their own natural logic, construct one who is supernatural who will contain a supernatural logic? It’s impossible for the natural to create the supernatural. Which is why God is the creator and sustainer of all things natural. The only thing about postmodernism that I can accredit is that God is universal. However, God being universal denotes his availability to all of humankind, no matter what background. It means that the Creator desires relationship with the created. What it doesn’t mean is that His makeup, structure, love and law are subject to the individual based on our theoretical reason. So, in this sense, with all it’s contradictions, even in spite of our differences, I can’t find ground of deference for the postmodernist. But the atheist on the other hand is more absolute in nature. By eliminating God completely from the picture then they are free to explore their desire to live and educate themselves off of their own logic. (not advocating for atheism, just making a point.)

As Christians, we can’t let the “world” convince us that we are using bigotry as a means to bind people into religion. I told one of my mentees the other day, “I can care less if I never see you at church again, as long as I know that you’re relationship with Christ/God is flourishing and active”. This approach may seem a bit radical to the one that’s never missed a Sunday service, but that’s the reality, because people can grow up in church their entire lives and never miss a beat and still be walking in sin and have a non-existent relationship with the Lord. We can’t let the world convince us that Christ’s message accepted individuals in the state that they were in. It is clear that Christ messages did in fact accept ALL individuals, yet not in the state that they were in. It is furthermore, our responsibility to be accountable for our individual actions by making sure that the message of Christ is being presented in the manner that He executed which is one of love and intolerance.