a talk on postmodernism

At a missions conference recently, I was able to hear a speaker who really seemed to understand postmodern folks (like me?).
"A Message from America's Future"

The 'emerging generation' is postmodern (PM) in thought.

There is no return... [hense, we are where we are and we will not go back to modernism]

from the middle ages to the enlightenment
authority was seen in the person [Pope] and changed to knowledge [as authority]

[NOW] the new basis of authority is what I deem so

the European Church bought into values of the enlightenment...

WWI and WWII showed the failure of modernism and the church which emphasized reason was off track and had failed, thus the church died in the UK and elsewhr in Europe

4 tenants of PM

1. rejection of absolute truth

no one really believes this... There is plenty of wrong and everybody knows it... It really is a rejection of the claim of having absolute truth - especially against the church... RESULT: We need to learn to listen... it's not about me being right, it's about Jesus being right for Me... its the church more than the Gospel that PM mocks... we don't give up on truth, we need to be humble to know we do not have a corner on it

2. anti expectation, sorry, I didn't get this

3. cynicism, hopelessness, pessimism

modernism failed, PMs become anti optimistic

PM began in EUR after WWII, WHY? WWI AND WWII shwd modernism failed ...

being not just talking

show Jesus is real

4. rejection of objective and emphasizing of subjective

we cannot explain everything, we must emrace mystical things and realize that we cannot answer all questions, show them how to love Jesus not just the truth about him

The speaker was Alan Waldecker.