
Sean
Mcdowell wrote a great article on
“Is Postmodernism a
myth?”
On what Sean says, I heartily agree. I
personally think fideism (not postmodernism)
is the primary paradigm (when it come to
religion) among the emerging generation.
Fideism being that “faith is separate from
fact” the “faith-fact” dichotomy is an
arbitrary part of a 21st century paradigm.
Postmodernism is really an objective assertion
that objective truth is unknowable.
Postmoderns may say so in religious or ethical
matters, but they would never say math or
science is subjective or relative. I think
postmodernism is a demonic smokescreen for
those who wish to not intellectually engage in
the classical categories of philosophy like
metaphysics, and epistemology. So I would
definitely recommend that you read Sean’s
post! Also I have been reading
“Reasonable
Faith”
by William Lane
Craig.
This is the best defense of the Christian
paradigm, and Jesus the Lord and Christ, I
have personally ever read. Lastly, if you are
into apologetics and learning about arguments
for the existence of God, the reliability of
the Old & New Testaments, the Historicity
of Jesus life-death-and Resurrection,
prophecy, archaeological discoveries, and the
like you must watch the flash curriculum
videos at this site. They
are very concise and informative, I will
recommend them to many people for years to
come. I have also embedded the page on my
site here.
Tim Keller is sharp as a
tac, thank to Jesus working in Him.
In the below quote he contrasts "The Gospel", w/
"Religion".
here's a
link to some sermons,
I also found out He is 6’4”
tall:
RELIGION:
I obey-therefore I’m accepted.
THE
GOSPEL:
I’m accepted-therefore I obey.
RELIGION:
Motivation is based on fear and
insecurity.
THE GOSPEL:
Motivation is based on grateful joy.
RELIGION:
I obey God in order to get things from
God.
THE GOSPEL:
I obey God to get to God-to delight and resemble
Him.
RELIGION:
When circumstances in my life go wrong, I am
angry at God or my self, since I believe, like
Job’s friends that anyone who is good deserves a
comfortable life.
THE GOSPEL:
When circumstances in my life go wrong, I
struggle but I know all my punishment fell on
Jesus and that while he may allow this for my
training, he will exercise his Fatherly love
within my trial.
RELIGION:
When I am criticized I am furious or devastated
because it is critical that I think of myself as
a ‘good person’. Threats to that self-image must
be destroyed at all costs.
THE GOSPEL:
When I am criticized I struggle, but it is not
critical for me to think of myself as a ‘good
person.’ My identity is not built on my record or
my performance but on God’s love for me in
Christ. I can take criticism.
RELIGION:
My prayer life consists largely of petition and
it only heats up when I am in a time of need. My
main purpose in prayer is control of the
environment.
THE GOSPEL:
My prayer life consists of generous stretches of
praise and adoration. My main purpose is
fellowship with Him.
RELIGION:
My self-view swings between two poles. If and
when I am living up to my standards, I feel
confident, but then I am prone to be proud and
unsympathetic to failing people. If and when I am
not living up to standards, I feel insecure and
inadequate. I’m not confident. I feel like a
failure.
THE GOSPEL:
My self-view is not based on a view of my self as
a moral achiever. In Christ I am “simul iustus et
peccator”—simultaneously sinful and yet accepted
in Christ. I am so bad he had to die for me and I
am so loved he was glad to die for me. This leads
me to deeper and deeper humility and confidence
at the same time. Neither swaggering nor
sniveling.
RELIGION:
My identity and self-worth are based mainly on
how hard I work. Or how moral I am, and so I must
look down on those I perceive as lazy or immoral.
I disdain and feel superior to ‘the
other.’
THE GOSPEL:
My identity and self-worth are centered on the
one who died for His enemies, who was excluded
from the city for me. I am saved by sheer grace.
So I can’t look down on those who believe or
practice something different from me. Only by
grace I am what I am. I’ve no inner need to win
arguments.
RELIGION:
Since I look to my own pedigree or performance
for my spiritual acceptability, my heart
manufactures idols. It may be my talents, my
moral record, my personal discipline, my social
status, etc. I absolutely have to have them so
they serve as my main hope, meaning, happiness,
security, and significance, whatever I may say I
believe about God.
THE GOSPEL:
I have many good things in my life—family, work,
spiritual disciplines, etc. But none of these
good things are ultimate things to me. None of
them are things I absolutely have to have, so
there is a limit to how much anxiety, bitterness,
and despondency they can inflict on me when they
are threatened and lost.