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Postmodernity is Here to Change...

A couple of years ago I discovered a word that made people think I was intelligent. It was great I'd drop it into conversation and smile inwardly as the people to whom I was talking looked alarmed at my genius. The word was Postmodernism, and the truth was I didn't really know what it meant but it sounded good. A couple of years later everyone's using it because it sounds good and most of us still don't know what it means. Understanding postmodernism is a bit like grasping a wet bar of soap you think you've got hold of it and it slips through your fingers again. Presently Amazon books have over 800 titles listed when you search for postmodernism and I'm not going to attempt in a couple of hundred words to adequately explain something about which others are writing thousands.

Generally most of the cultural observers will agree that postmodernism (or pomo if you want to be really trendy) is a reference to the time in history that we have been entering over the last couple of decades. The problem is that it's very hard to know with foresight that you're at a point in history where the world is dramatically changing. Just as those living in medieval times didn't wake up one morning and say 'Oh we're medieval today' (the term was first used in the late 1400's as that time period was coming to an end) similarly many of us while being aware that the world is changing haven't grasped the significance of the change.

The reasons for this incredible shift in culture are many but include the staggering technological developments, such as the internet, that have given us potential access to the world. Meanwhile there have been challenges to previously held worldviews about economics, philosophy and science not least among those the view that with the advance of knowledge comes a better world.

At the same time those under 40 have grown up faced with the full frontal attack that comes from living in a materialistic society where the 'god' of the day is consumerism and the temple is the 'shopping arcade'. By the time they reach their 20's they have seen many thousands of adverts telling them that their future happiness is guaranteed when they buy the right CD player, widescreen TV or mobile phone.

Many of our struggles with church attendance can be linked to this cultural change. It has resulted in many 20s-30s being deeply suspicious of institutions that claim to hold objective truth or are perceived as trying to sell them a product that leads to happiness and that very much includes the Church.

However the reactions in Churches to postmodernism are diverse, some are blissfully unaware that anything has changed and just think it's the vicar's fault that the church is in decline and if he or she is replaced it will all get better. For some postmodernity is the latest new fad that will pass if we carry on doing what we've always done before, to them younger people are just difficult and they'll grow up and 'get religious' one day.

Increasingly however there are those who while recognising that all that postmodernity stands for is not good, realise that it is not something that is going to go away and it does provide incredible opportunities for the gospel.

New Wine

These opportunities come about because postmodern 20-30 year olds are searching for among other things integrity, community, spirituality, mystery and meaning. These aren't new things for people to be searching for, however the cynical nature of those in this age group mean that any responses from Churches need to be considered and genuine.

So what's working?

Within the New Wine network of churches, as well as in other networks, there are a number now committing time and resources to actively engaging with the 20s-30s.

There are no easy answers or totally adaptable programs, but there are some principles to consider when trying to present good news about Jesus to our postmodern culture.

Community

The 20s-30s are sometimes called the Friends Generation after the TV programme of the same name. A group of friends who share each others lives with lots of laughs and occasional tears. In reality a group of extremely highly paid actors/actresses who are currently worried that one of their number David Schwimmer is threatening to turn his back on their lucrative fantasy world to go and do something he believes genuinely worthwhile like teaching.

However the Friends fantasy world is one that many 20s-30s long for, true friends whose houses or more likely flats they can pop in and out of anytime and who will as the theme song said 'be there for them'.

One of the things that we've tried to do at St.Barnabas is create 'Space'. Space for God, for friends and for others.

We're actively encouraging the 20s-30s to meet weekly in small groups. There's nothing new about Churches having small groups, these are possibly different because they are focused on that age group. They are also focused around friendship and support. The teaching input is informal and often involves talking about whether what was heard on Sunday effects our lives on Monday morning. The groups are encouraged to take on 'Social Action' challenges together such as renovating a youth centre or laying a patio for an after-school club. They're encouraged to pray for each other, to socialise together and to have fun. Jesus said in John's gospel that he'd come so that his followers could have life in all it's fullness. Yet many Christians appear to be the most unfulfilled people around. These groups attempt to get below the surface of our Christian platitudes and help each other to get real in an unreal world.

Spirituality

While cynical about religious institutions 20s-30s are still hungry for spiritual reality. They often believe, in the words of the X files, that 'the truth is out there' and yet they are not keen to identify with any one truth. One of the effects of the postmodern challenge to the modern belief that everything has to have a reasonable and rational explanation, is that 20s-30s are more likely to want 'an experience' of the supernatural.

Once a month our small groups or 'Pods' as they're sometimes known, get together for Holy Space. Effectively this is an informal congregation, where different people are encouraged to lead. It's still in its infancy and the hope is that those who come will explore different ways of worshipping Jesus. The danger is that whatever tradition we're from whether highly liturgical or not we can become lazy about creativity. We fall back to our default style, we don't encourage exploration of valid forms of worship from other traditions that may be helpful to our members, even if they're not our own favourites.
Those in their 20s-30s can get bored quickly, and while we mustn't pander to our instant culture we do need to allow the freedom for people to experience different styles of worship.

Reality

The search for meaning continues, however postmodern 20s-30s will happily accept lots of different meanings with an 'if it works for you that's great, but it's not right for me' attitude. Our Christian witness at this time in history can't be to a moral code, a system of rituals or an institution, rather it must be that following Jesus makes life work. Before that's accepted by many of today's 20s-30s they will need to see it in action many times through the Church practising what it preaches, for instance loving it's neighbour and being good news to the poor.

Many of those in Space are involved in christian projects and will get their unchurched friends along to help and to see the Church in action.

We are living in an incredibly exciting time and we have a message that is still incredibly good news. Whether we like it of not postmodernity is here to change things, how we respond to that challenge will determine the future of the Church in this nation.

Simon Kirby is co-leader of the 20's - 30's stream at New Wine and pastor for this age range for St. Barnabas Church, North Finchley, London.

For more info about New Wine call 020 8567 6717, email info@new-wine.org or visit www.new-wine.org

Simon Kirby
Article by The Church of England Newspaper