Processing & Synthesis of Christian Counter-Culture (John Stott)

Here are the things I thought about just after I finished reading the book. I did some research, I looked back at past posts here and pulled out some information I thought was pertinent, and then I made some specific notes and summarized some things. After all of those are done, I'll offer my current thoughts and processing as a conclusion.

✞ 🕊 ✞

Postmodernism. (Wikipedia)

• No longer possible to rely upon previous ways of depicting the world.
• General mood or zeitgeist.
• Transcends perceived limits of modernism.
• Means different things depending on what's needed.
• A crisis in representation: a deeply felt loss of faith in our ability to represent the real, in the widest sense (Hans Bertens).
• Skepticism towards grand explanations and established ways of doing things.
• Impossible to be completely objective.
• Critical re-examination of established institutions and social norms, embracing diversity and breaking down disciplinary boundaries.

✞ 🕊 ✞

Nihilism. (Wikipedia)

• Rejects generally accepted or fundamental aspects of human existence: knowledge, morality, meaning.

✞ 🕊 ✞

(The Post-Evangelical, Dave Tomlinson)

• ...in the postmodernist world:
• turn away from big stories to more modest episodes.
• truth is not universal, it's what you figure out yourself.
• world is subjective; certainty and objectivity are sus.
• pluralism and relativism.
• don't act like you have Truth, it's not a thing!
• religion isn't where you go for your spiritual needs.
• try things on, see what suits.
• pastor = poet (word experiences), interpreter (contextify life), guide (invite into community)
• interrogate everything.
• duality is a thing.
• it's not what you know, it's how you know it.
• faith/doubt; commitment/enquiry; confession/self-criticism.

The Bible gives us a picture of God that is more nuanced than the one we discover/experience on our own.

• Meditation = mental reflection on a particular passage, narrative, character.
• Contemplation = expression of thankfulness, love, trust toward God; must be founded on Christian images and symbolism; can be an extension of meditation.
• Recitation & Story telling = oral tradition.
• Art Therapy/Bible Meditation=creating in response to scripture.
• Bible Study = small group experience.
• Theological Study = academic enterprise, not emotional or sentimental.

It is in art that we are most closely found and through the act of creation that we most emulate God.

• Engage with the world, but be discerning.
• Understand secular culture before you criticize it.
• Communal reflection = structured discussion, planned themes, stay on track, be okay with open-ended conclusions.
• Biblical text = context for all issues, lens through which we view the world, make use of small groups.
• Uncompromised integrity: Beatitudes, values, walk the talk.
• We want to connect the folks with the questions to the folks with the answers.
• dogma and absolutes are rejected.
• dignity for emotions and intuition.
• ecology, gender roles, sexuality, anthropology
• these are issues people are tackling and the church needs to deal with head-on.

✞ 🕊 ✞

People want/need:

• meaning
• peace
• love
• reality

God's people are supposed to be holy, different in all things.

Gospel = God's grace.

Commandment = people's response.

Doctrine, then practical application.

1. Confession, recognize our sinfulness and unworthiness. Accept the undeserved gift of salvation.
2. Contrition, mourn our sin and repent. We need God's forgiveness.
3. Gentleness, humility, consideration, courtesy, self-control. Be willing to hear criticism.
4. Justification, character and conduct, social justice. Pursue righteousness.
5. Compassion, deal with the result of sin. Outward sign of an inward grace
6. Sincerity, transparency. A life lived in the open.
7. Openness, sincerity. Stand up for Truth in doctrine and behaviour.
8. Persecution, expect opposition. Don't retaliate.

Making the gospel palatable is fraud.

✞ 🕊 ✞

The Church as a whole has a long way to go if we're going to get back onto that narrow path and attract more of the world to join us there. Right now, we are all viewed as hypocrites, in large part because that's exactly what we are.

I think we need to start focusing on our individual behaviour. As individual Christians, we need to turn to God, confess our sins and recognize our unworthiness. We need to be willing to change and to allow God to change us. As we work through this process (because it is ongoing; the Becoming doesn't end until we reach eternity) our behaviour will begin to change, and it will be easier for us to do what God would have us do in the different situations we find ourselves in. And that will slowly change the Church as a whole.

We need to deal with the plank in our own eye before we can do anything about the specks elsewhere. That really does begin with individual Christians digging down deep and dealing with long-buried sins. As we become transparent, joyful children of God, those around us will recognize that we are Christians because of how we love others. And they will join us. That is how we will change the Church, and how the Church will change the world.

Peace & Blessings.