Zeal For Truth

I’m probably not the best one to write on this impulse, but the series would not be complete without it. Postmodern philosophy is a bit over my head. In any case, it’s not like everyone in the Emerging Church follows (or has even heard of) Jacques Derrida.

Those in the Emerging Church are more concerned with “Post-modernity,” which is roughly the culture that is resulting from the trickle down effect of postmodern philosophy. In addition, there is a realization that current ways of articulating and defending Christianity which many employ may in fact have more to do with the influence of modern philosophy, such as Foundationalism, than with actual biblical Christianity.

Postmodernism in the Emerging Church
I think I’ll let professor and famed “Jesus Creed” blogger Scot McKnight do most of the explaining. He’s written an excellent piece concerning the Emerging Church and Postmodernism, which can be found here. McKnight says that postmodernism does not reject truth, but rejects the idea that meta-narratives can be proved by rational and objective means. A meta-narrative is a “comprehensive explanation of reality,” which I think can be regarded, in terms more might be familiar with, as a systematic worldview. McKnight compares this to Augustine’s, “I believe in order to understand.” It’s similar to pressuppositional apologetics‘ defense of the need of circular reasoning when arguing for an ultimate authority.

Instead of absolute proofs, McKnight says that the “Emerging Movement form of post-modernity operates with a ‘proper confidence’ or a ‘chastened epistemology.’” Basically, this results in a view that acknowledges that all human knowledge is limited, that it is only God who is absolute truth, and that it is only God who can completely understand absolute truth. It is “by trusting in God, and by living in the way of Jesus, and by living out as a community of faith” that truth is found by Emerging types who are postmodernist (which not all are).

Just as no one asks for a rational proof for love, Christianity does not need to be (and cannot be according to some) proved in a rational, objective fashion. The focus for emerging types is not on proof, but on faith and trust in God. As McKnight wrote,

I know Jesus died for me not because I can prove it but because I trust God’s work in Jesus Christ. That is the only kind of proof I can offer for love. I love, therefore, I know I love and am loved.