Postmodernism

Postmodernism is the basic philosophy of western civilization in our current age. It started roughly around the 1970's as modernism began to fade. Modernism was characterized by a secularism and scientism. In other words what is real is that which can be tested by the scientific method. Postmodernism is more open than modernism. It allows for the meaningfulness of spiritual things. Just looking at our culture it is easy to see that discussion of "spiritual things" is more allowable than it was a generation ago. However, in terms of knowledge and truth, postmodernism is as relativistic, and maybe even more so than modernism. Meaning in the postmodern approach is derived from the individual. Words find their meaning in individual experience. You use a word based on your experience with that word and I use it based on my experiences with that same word. We may be roughly referring to the same thing, but our meaning and understanding are always tainted with our own experience. Thus, any hope at having "true" dialogue or absolute truth is impossible. This approach is what has given rise to the oft-spoken phrase in our culture: "oh that's just your interpretation."

The openness to the "spiritual" in postmodernism has given rise to opportunities for confessionalism to make headway into the culture but overall, the relativistic approach to language in postmodernism is a show-stopper for any attempts to promote the viability of doctrinal truth. Personal experience can color our understanding and certainly makes communication difficult but confessional Christians believe that meaning is found in the objects we experience in this world and in God's revealed Word. Words do not refer to personal experience but to the things we encounter in everyday life. Locating the meaning of words outside of us allows for an objective approach to them, thus allowing for truth.

Thanks to Pastor Tim Rossow for this definition.