The Church in a Metamodern Age
Speaker: Brett McCracken
Notes: Liberty University
What is metamodernism? what comes after postmodernism, which is what came after modernism
- not replacing modernism or postmodernism, but synthesizing and building it
Modernism: time period: late 19th century through 20th century post-war period (ending around 1960’s)
- belief is social, scientific and technological progress
- reason leads to objective truth
- grand, unifying narratives, meaning is possible
- sincere, earnest, serious, idealistic
- building mindset/we can innovate our way to utopia
- nationalism and civic moral consensus
Movies:
- straight forward narrative
- good vs bad – good wins
- top gun maverick
- sound of music
- it’s a wonderful life
Music:
- new styles
- mass culture makes pop stars
- ella fitzgerald
- elvis
- beatles
The church is modernist
- challenges: liberalism, science/darwin, secularism…fundamentalist movement in response
- opportunities: Christianity fit well into overarching culture of building/optimism, organized religion was uncontroversial part of national moral consensus
What is postmodernism? time period: 1960s through the turn of the 21st century (perhaps ending 9/11?)
- skeptical
- all truth is relative; claims to objective truth are power plays
- suspicions on grand narratives or attempts to find meaning
- cynical, ironic, playful, self-aware
- deconstructive mindset/utopia is a manipulative mirage
- globalism, pluralism, anti nationalism
Movies:
- transgressions
- unconventional narrative
- self aware, movies about movies
Music:
- madonna
- bob dylan
- 90’s alternative
- anti authority
The church in post modernism
- challenges: relativism, pluralism, “tolerance” makes Christianity just one possibility among many. normalization of unbelief. seemed movements in response…minimizing doctrine, idea of church as business to get market share
- opportunities: Christianity forced to re-argue its case. modern apologetics is born. innovation in campus and youth ministry. Christianity= clear alternative to cultural nihilism/hedonism
What is metamodernism? late 90s to present
- optimistic belief in progress and cynical resignation
- belief in possibility of objective truth and intense skepticism of truth claims
- desire for anchoring narratives of meaning and awareness
Paradoxical synthesis
- magical realism
- nostalgic futurism
- poetic science
- scientific poetry
Movies:
- wicked
- playful irony, there is truth & justice
- elevated horror
- west anderson
- everywhere everything all at once
Music:
- nostalgia
- lana del ray
Why now?
- distinct artifact of the internet age: posture reflects the way smartphones and digital life shape us to be fickle, fluid, always toggling consumers. INCOHERENCE
- 9/11
Challenge and opportunity for the church:
- challenge: bespoke spirituality
- ala carte approach to religion averse to buying into an entire cohesive system
- “aesthetic conversions” – vibes over substance
- can’t unsee all the various options; charles taylor’s “nova effect”
- logic of digital consumerism: reality is ours to curate
- opportunity: desire to build, grow
- metamoderns are hungry for things Christianity is well positioned to provide:
- foundations of truth that provide stable meaning
- telos (purpose) toward which to build and solve problems
- moral framework for health and growth