I was thinking this as I walked through the Family book store and was looking through the books, CD's, etc. In the early nineties the music industry stumbled upon bands in Seattle with a deep and heavy guitar sound that they could not describe except with the word "grunge". This word described the not only the dark grungy sound of the music but also the grungy look of those playing the music. I must admit, I like thousands of teenagers across the U.S. had only flannel and cut off jean shorts and doc Martin boots to go along with them. Really though, the whole grunge thing started getting out of control once the corporate world saw a product that they could sell. Instead of being a beautiful way to express themselves, this new look had become sold in stores such as the Bon Marche and Nordstrom; it was no longer about the music and the rebelious nature that came along with it, but it was now about money.
In the same way, I see today's christian society using and exploiting postmodern thought as we did the grunge scene. I see something that started with people moving in a different direction - a different view on worshipping God - and now seems to have taken a turn for the worse. How many books and articles are we going to read regarding how to put on a postmodern service? How many candles are going to be lit and pictures from renaissant art are going to be put into power point slides before people realize that this does not make you postmodern?
But what makes us postmodern? I believe that the term has lost it's meaning and identity and is now just a label for an alternative contemporary service. Trying to do things in a different way to appeal to those who don't appeal to the bright lights and showy services of the mega church and instead are turned on by the thought of a smaller more intimate worship service. Services have become so programmed with the fast food mentality of "we do it like you do it" that I think today's culture is starting to burn out on it. I think that these people are looking for authenticity over any kind of excellence. Lauryn Hill had a song on her CD "the miseducation of Lauryn Hill", that said: "Hip Hop used to come from the heart, now everybody's trying to chart"...same goes for the postmodern movement in the church today; postmodern thought has become something that everybody wants a piece of before knowing the beauty of the thought that goes on behind it.
seacrest out.
What's in my CD Player: John Lee Hooker. Listening to this, I can totally hear a huge influence on Jimi Hendrix. Beautiful.
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2 comments:
I agree with much of what you said, Rev. Ron. Postmodernism is actually quite beautiful, but churches are trying to suck the life out of it like they do everything else. I think part of the solution is ditching the "church service" entirely. I know it pisses people off, but I don't actually see church services in the Bible. I see friends choosing to come together and worship God, and then choosing to live that faith out in the world. We choose to spend our lives in church services, classes and small groups - consistently avoiding the world. That's not our vocation.
Tru dat, yo. I think the main problem with trying to "postmodernize" church is that nobody can define the term, so there are many interpretations upon interpretations floating around.
Ultimately, as with Christianity in general, we resort to external mimicry in hopes of changing what's inside. But as Jesus spoke to matters of the human heart, postmodernism speaks to matters of the church's "heart" -- which, incidentally, is the sum of human hearts.
This brings us full circle to simply following Jesus and not concerning ourselves with appearances. Even though I do like candles.
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