This course studies the facets of Postmodernism and critically analyzes its opposition to Enlightenment Modernism, with focus on key issues such as the nature of truth, the role of the human, morality, the role of reason, the universality of metanarrative, and the use of language. It addresses the challenges of Postmodern metaphysics, epistemology, and axiology and how they shape Postmodern spirituality.
This course helps the student clarify and strengthen their own assumptions while learning to analyze postmodern beliefs and observe how the postmodern person interprets and applies their beliefs in spirituality. It equips the student to address the false assumptions and identify the influence of postmodernity in Christian faith and mission.
As the student encounters the postmodern way of thinking, believing and living in the academy, university, marketplace, media and culture, the student is equipped to enter the postmodern culture and intellectually engage the postmodern person in a missional context.
In 1 Peter 3:15, we are to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” In 2 Corinthians 10:5 “we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” As Christians we are called to use our minds well in the defense of the faith and in our examination of various philosophies, especially in the analysis of postmodern spirituality.
The Imago Dei informs who one is becoming in Christ and therefore has implications for understanding the postmodern world and the spiritual journey of the postmodern person away from relativism to an exclusive relationship with Jesus Christ and enter the Mission of God.
The current postmodern context in culture, communities and society provides a platform for the Christian to encounter and engage the assumptions that shape postmodern spirituality.
This course is especially intercultural, as it formulates a Christian stance on truth claims, values and spiritual practices and as it enters cross-culturally into the postmodern world and engages interculturally.
Through group discussion, student presentations, viewing lectures on videos, developing annotated bibliographies, observing interviews with proponents of postmodernism and observing examples from across the spectrum of beliefs, students understand how to strategically engage in postmodern spirituality and enter its culture with Christian views on faith and spirituality.
Through the discussions, research, and material analyzed, students complete the course transformed and inspired to engage effectively as a Christ follower in any postmodern context.
