This is the fifth in a short series of articles on the subject of Christian apologetics in a postmodern world.Teleological Apologetics: Journeying toward the truth
Some within the church place an emphasis on what might be termed immediate transformation. A crisis experience or a decision is held out as the pathway to imminent blessing. If we have needs, a “power encounter” can occur in which the Holy Spirit alters hearts, changes perspectives, and enables people to see their own lives from a different perspective.
No one who wants to be faithful to Scripture can deny the possibility of such encounters. Certainly, God can intervene in our lives in such a way as to radically change us. This “here and how” approach is not to be despised, for none of us can predict how God will work to encourage His children. There is little doubt, therefore, that the living Lord can and does provide direct and sometimes spontaneous aid.
On the other hand, some traditional Christians have taken this instant transformation model too far, treating spirituality as primarily a series of encounters and neglecting to see that it is also a journey. Postmoderns resonate with this gradual approach, recognizing that life, including one’s spiritual life, usually entails a process. Paul sounds this theme when he describes the life of faith as something to be “worked out” over time (Philippians 2:12ff). Likewise, Peter speaks of ongoing diligence and growth as the pattern for Jesus’ disciples (2 Peter 3:14-18).
When considering a postmodern apologetic, it is important to not only look to God expectantly for immediate assistance but to realize, as well, that most matters are worked out over a lifetime. While God can indeed change us in an instant, it is more often the case that he works in our hearts and lives to transform us over time. Concerning apologetics, it is imperative that we treat our encounters with others not so much as an effort to win them over in an instant but as a part of a larger story. While some things remain the same, most of us have changed over time. Sometimes, in practical ways, sometimes in theological ways, we (hopefully) grow. If this is true of us, should we not afford people the opportunity to make gradual changes in their own lives? Some traditional apologists drive people away by insisting that the truths they espouse should be accepted without delay. The irony of this is that some of these same apologists took many years before they embraced the faith. Perhaps a better approach will be to take the approach hinted at in 1 Corinthians. There, Paul said this: “I planted, Apollos waters, but God caused the growth” (3:6). There is a kind of patience built into this kind of thinking. Jesus was the consummate example of this. He walked and talked with His followers, living and teaching among them each day. He never forced a decision and often endured their foolish ways. Along the way, he provided correction and kindness, but he seemed content to allow the cumulative impact of his words and life to gradually lead them in the right direction. A postmodern apologetic must take this journeying approach.
Conclusion
The subjects addressed here are a mere sampling of themes that contribute to a postmodern perspective on apologetics. As God is sovereign in every era, and due to the fact that He has seen fit to direct us in this postmodern way, it is incumbent upon the church to pay attention to what he may be teaching us today. With a healthy openness to what God is doing in our world today, combined with a commitment to the “once for all” nature of the Christian faith, it is possible to benefit from current societal inclinations. In the process, we receive the comfort and the guidance we all so desperately need.
In order to cultivate a postmodern apologetic, certain relevant themes will have to be taken seriously, some of which we have surveyed here. But if apologetics is going to mature and keep pace with the times, we must insist that apologetics take place within the arena of everyday life. We can no longer remain at the distance, observing and then critiquing societal inclinations, seeking merely to protect the faithful from the errors that abound. Though avoiding naivety, we must learn, as well, to genuinely connect with people, not as know-it-all experts but as fellow travelers who long to share the love of Jesus with others. An authentic, up-to-date apologetic must demand nothing less.
Some within the church place an emphasis on what might be termed immediate transformation. A crisis experience or a decision is held out as the pathway to imminent blessing. If we have needs, a “power encounter” can occur in which the Holy Spirit alters hearts, changes perspectives, and enables people to see their own lives from a different perspective.
No one who wants to be faithful to Scripture can deny the possibility of such encounters. Certainly, God can intervene in our lives in such a way as to radically change us. This “here and how” approach is not to be despised, for none of us can predict how God will work to encourage His children. There is little doubt, therefore, that the living Lord can and does provide direct and sometimes spontaneous aid.
On the other hand, some traditional Christians have taken this instant transformation model too far, treating spirituality as primarily a series of encounters and neglecting to see that it is also a journey. Postmoderns resonate with this gradual approach, recognizing that life, including one’s spiritual life, usually entails a process. Paul sounds this theme when he describes the life of faith as something to be “worked out” over time (Philippians 2:12ff). Likewise, Peter speaks of ongoing diligence and growth as the pattern for Jesus’ disciples (2 Peter 3:14-18).
When considering a postmodern apologetic, it is important to not only look to God expectantly for immediate assistance but to realize, as well, that most matters are worked out over a lifetime. While God can indeed change us in an instant, it is more often the case that he works in our hearts and lives to transform us over time. Concerning apologetics, it is imperative that we treat our encounters with others not so much as an effort to win them over in an instant but as a part of a larger story. While some things remain the same, most of us have changed over time. Sometimes, in practical ways, sometimes in theological ways, we (hopefully) grow. If this is true of us, should we not afford people the opportunity to make gradual changes in their own lives? Some traditional apologists drive people away by insisting that the truths they espouse should be accepted without delay. The irony of this is that some of these same apologists took many years before they embraced the faith. Perhaps a better approach will be to take the approach hinted at in 1 Corinthians. There, Paul said this: “I planted, Apollos waters, but God caused the growth” (3:6). There is a kind of patience built into this kind of thinking. Jesus was the consummate example of this. He walked and talked with His followers, living and teaching among them each day. He never forced a decision and often endured their foolish ways. Along the way, he provided correction and kindness, but he seemed content to allow the cumulative impact of his words and life to gradually lead them in the right direction. A postmodern apologetic must take this journeying approach.
Conclusion
The subjects addressed here are a mere sampling of themes that contribute to a postmodern perspective on apologetics. As God is sovereign in every era, and due to the fact that He has seen fit to direct us in this postmodern way, it is incumbent upon the church to pay attention to what he may be teaching us today. With a healthy openness to what God is doing in our world today, combined with a commitment to the “once for all” nature of the Christian faith, it is possible to benefit from current societal inclinations. In the process, we receive the comfort and the guidance we all so desperately need.
In order to cultivate a postmodern apologetic, certain relevant themes will have to be taken seriously, some of which we have surveyed here. But if apologetics is going to mature and keep pace with the times, we must insist that apologetics take place within the arena of everyday life. We can no longer remain at the distance, observing and then critiquing societal inclinations, seeking merely to protect the faithful from the errors that abound. Though avoiding naivety, we must learn, as well, to genuinely connect with people, not as know-it-all experts but as fellow travelers who long to share the love of Jesus with others. An authentic, up-to-date apologetic must demand nothing less.
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