Introduction
To undertake a study on theism or atheism for that matter, without referring to a few isms, like postmodernism, Dadaism, or nihilism, in between, is like trying to talk about the economic situation in America without referring to the situation, pre or post 9/11. If there is one topic that interests people, crossing all barriers of creed, sex and political affiliations, it is religion. Apart from being just a hot topic for discussion, religion has been and continues to be the focal point around which many disputes have arisen in the ancient as well as in the modern world.
James Sire’s book The Universe Next Door in many ways opened up a Pandora’s Box. There were many questions asked, some answered and some not, some to ponder over and so on. Talking about theism was passé, when Sire wrote his book. Nevertheless, he did open up a great deal of debate on where theism fit into the changing world. The book does not decry any other worldview; on the contrary, it tried to (to put it very simply) get people to put their thinking caps on. Secular thought and naturalism were gaining ground, trying to push Christianity and the Church into a kind of black hole, when Sire’s work was published. It is true that some people agreed with him; there were an equal number who did not. One thing though was universal – nobody who read the book, chose to label it as a piece of inane writing or thought. Whatever be the ideology that was discussed, Sire made a point that was difficult to ignore.
For instance, when he spoke of naturalists, he referred to them thus: “See no God, no spirit, no life beyond the grave” (Sire, 2004). This statement was indicative, to a very large extent, to his state of mind and above all his unshakeable belief in Christian life and values. He was of the opinion that a person who believed in Jesus Christ and the Church as an institution, merited, as a right, passage to heaven, if he or she lived a good life. Therefore, the absence of such thought was not just unacceptable to Sire, but also incorrect. It was probably this rigidity that made him and his book unpopular to a great extent.
Christianity – religion or worldview
Much has been spoken and written about Christianity, its origin, its beliefs and above all the struggles that it has weathered over the last couple of centuries to maintain an identity. As is the case with all religions, Christian theism has had to withstand the onslaught of fresh thought that has raised quite a few questions about the one of the oldest established religions in the world. Christian theologians have worked hard to bring the essence of the Bible to all who care to understand it; many critics would not agree with this statement – the Crusades probably demonstrate the lack of tolerance for any other form of organized religion. Be that as it may, there is no doubt that the Church today would like to be seen as a forward thinking body, capable of a great level of tolerance and lenience.
If Christianity would like to be looked upon as an all encompassing faith, can it be classified as a worldview? There seems to be a bit of overlapping of identities here. When one refers to a religion, it is more to do with a set of rules and beliefs that are followed by a group of people, which subsequently evolves into a spiritual quest for the individual in a group. A worldview is broader in perspective. Here, there is an acceptance of other doctrines and their importance combined with a clinging- on-to, of the doctrines of the specific religion itself. Irrespective of the religion, there is an overriding fear in anybody who is a theist that his or her ideas and beliefs might be set aside by plain rational thinking. Christianity is no exception. All over the world, there are people today who would like to have a million questions answered. If Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code kicked up such a ruckus worldwide, it is partially because of the slight tremors that the Church felt; these came as a result of the questions raised by the book about the “sacred feminine” a concept and an idea that people had not bothered to even ruminate on. Even though Brown claimed that it was a work of fiction, the fact that he used a dangerous blend of fact and fiction only served to make the fears of Christians worldwide, a trifle more real. The mention of the “Opus Dei” certainly did nothing to lessen these fears; on the contrary it helped fuel a lot of doubts and ridicule among those who had begun to believe that all religions were anachronistic (Brown 2003).
From Christianity to …….. Where? Is postmodernism the answer?
Before trying to establish a relationship of sorts between Christian theism and postmodernism, there is a need to understand this concept per se. It is very difficult to place your finger on what this particular ism is, because of its broad base. What constitutes postmodernism is an ongoing debate. As an ism, it refers to a very broad spectrum of thoughts, ideas and beliefs that to a large extent, overrides what has been accepted as modern thought or modernism. Whether it is art, music, literature or architecture, what is considered modern, or what is in tune with modernism, undergoes a change to be considered postmodern. Postmodernism therefore could be classified as a thought which comes about as a reaction to established modernist principles in any field.
One would be doing a great injustice in referring to postmodernism as a pretentious ideology that had only one purpose: opposing all existing thought and ideas just because opposition in any form would become popular and therefore acceptable. On the contrary, postmodernism came on to the world scene to be accepted not as a worldview or a philosophical standpoint, but as a perception of what already existed. There was a very concerted effort on the part of postmodernists to put forth their ideas in a way that would be sharply different from the views of modernists in all fields.
Considering the varied and broad based approach of postmodernists, where would Christianity as a religion or a worldview, actually fit in? With the spread of rational thinking, any kind of organized religion has an extremely hard task surviving the constant criticism that is prevalent today. Christianity is no exception to this rule. Over the years, a great number of Christian leaders from all over the world have tried practically every way to ensure that the Christian doctrine does not get ‘diluted’ or ‘polluted’ by the influence of other religions and worldviews. Though this may sound like religious chauvinism, it is true that for a religion to cope with new challenges, it is necessary (to a certain extent) for those who preach and practise its principles, to close their ears and minds to rational and anti-religious thoughts.
In order to ensure that the minds of impressionable men and women are guided on the path to Christian belief, there have been those who have advocated the inculcation of Christian faith early in life. There are people who believe that in a Christian institution, for instance, students need to be steered towards the values and benefits of being a good Christian. This would consist of a close involvement with the Church, a disassociation from other religious ideals and above all a detached attachment with secularism.
This, in my opinion is the key: can a Christian be secular? Is this not an oxymoronic statement; one that defies the very tenets of religion and secular thinking? Well, let me present the views of David J. Masoner, Associate Professor of Higher Education of The University of Alabama who avers that the two are as different as chalk and cheese. He is keen to offer an insight into the secularization of Christian institutions; something that needs to stop, if Christianity has to regain its lost eminence. He speaks of these institutions as places that have lost sight of Christian beliefs and values and become far too secular to be called Christian any more. There is a very clear indication in his writing that secularism can only be a part of the study that a student does in an educational institution and not become a way of life. He is completely opposed to what he believes is the dilution of the Christian faith and a watering down of various standards that the scriptures prescribed.
Sire on the other hand, though Christian in his approach is not overtly apathetic to secularist principles. Though he agrees that Christianity and postmodernism cannot be spoken of in the same breath, there is no harm in studying and understanding the Christian values and adopt it as a way of life. All through the book, there is an endeavor to strike a favorable balance between Christian theistic thought on one end of the spectrum and postmodernism thought at the other. He has no illusions about the proliferation of a great many isms between the two and the inevitability of secular thought among people today (Masoner 2007).
Some solutions – good or bad?
Whatever be the religion, the only way that survival of the same is ensured, is to raise among its followers a sense of pride and belonging – of course, this can be read ‘chauvinism’ too. For those who have built their very existence on Christian beliefs and values, anything else is a not only an affront to their faith, but totally unacceptable as well. Chapter II of the first book of Peter says “…That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down. They stumble over it because they do not believe in the word; it was the fate in store for them.” This is a clear indication of what is necessary and expected of anyone who wants to be called a Christian theist. There are no two ways about it and perfect allegiance to the faith is the only road to salvation (Bible 1984).
Is coexistence possible?
In times of war and terror, there are many who believe that theism has no place in the contemporary world. For all such people, life itself has become so tenuous, that their aversion to any kind of organized religion is compounded by repeated acts of terror and crime. They do not feel that belonging to a religion is in any way helpful to making the world a better place to live in. This is when one needs to look at the benefits, albeit fragile, of being a theist. Christian theistic thought does go a long way in recognizing the sway that postmodernists have in various fields. This is evident in the constant changes that are made in the widely accepted standards in music, literature, art, architecture and even fashion. True theistic belief lies in holding on to the idea of God and his omnipotence, in spite of all odds. In continuation of this thought, Christian theism believes that all creation is the work of God who created man in his own image. In other words, though secularism is not evil, there is a necessity for Christian theists to be aware of its limitations in a world like ours (Ken Puls 2007).
Conclusion
In this fast changing world, being a theist with knowledge, albeit insufficient, of postmodernism might not be difficult and oxymoronic at all. There is no doubt that opening up a Pandora’s Box is not just unsettling, but also challenging to our beliefs and faith. There is an inner turmoil and chaos that needs to get straighten out during the course of our lives. If in this whole scenario there is thinking and a rethinking of whether or not theism is relevant today, one might have raised major contentious issues, but just like the last thing to pop out of Pandora’s box, there is always Hope for a greater understanding of all coherent thought.
“Love the Lord my God, and my neighbors, with all my heart, soul, and mind–and strength.” This would be a good bridge between Christian theism and postmodernism, leaving people on all sides, contented with their personal beliefs, values and traditions (Alexander, 2007).
References
- Sire, James. (2004) The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. Westmont, Illinois. InterVarsity Press.
- Brown, Dan (2003) The Da Vinci Code. San Francisco. Doubleday.
- Masoner D.J. What “Christian” higher education means: philosophy, process, and product. Web.
- First Book of Peter, Chapter II, New International Version (NIV) International Bible Society.
- Puls, Ken. (2007) Life Views. GBC 2007. Make a Christian Impact on Culture and
- Society, Session 3: Secularism: “Ignoring the Eternal”.
- Alexander, Don “The Universe Next Door” – A Commentary. Web.