Kelley Ponderings

I’ve been troubled by two extremes in the Christian response to Postmodernism. The first “response” I encountered twelve years ago seemed to be saying, “People see truth differently now, so we need to change our beliefs to fit into theirs.” While I recognized a shift of basic paradigms, I couldn’t accept the idea that Jesus’ church ought to embrace all the assumptions of a new world-view.

In the last couple of years, I’ve seen tremendous backlash. Postmodern Christian leaders have been labeled as “liberal” and “not really Christian.” I don’t accept everything I hear under the “Postmodern” banner, but neither do I feel right in excluding from grace those who are working hard to offer Christ to a new generation.

That is why I like the few pages of N.T. Wright’s Paul. As he wraps up an attempt to be true to Jesus, Paul, and current thinking, Wright suggest a third alternative. What if Postmodernism is a gift to the church, exposing the non-Christian assumptions laced throughout modernism? We can accept the critique that Postmoderns offer of modernism without accepting their conclusions. Instead, we can use the shift of cultures to go directly back to the Bible and try to understand what the Spirit is revealing through scripture.

” I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. (Interlude)
How quickly I would escape– far from this wild storm of hatred.”
Psalm 55:7-8, New Living Translation

The Psalmist was overwhelmed with activity and stress of life. “If I could get away” he pines in verses 7-8. Personally, I’m a big believer in “flying to the quiet of the wildnerness;” I call those times “spiritual retreats.” They are a monthly discipline that give me new energy & direction.

But I realize that longing for release from stress can be unhealthy, as well.

So first, the reasons why I, like David long to scoot off to the wilderness.

• When I’m away from my “enemies” and stresses, I can hear God’s perspective on them. His view usually startles me, and gets me grounded again.
• When I’m out in the wilderness (usually a big forest) I don’t feel the rush-rush of time pressure
• I’m free to hear God’s voice (and my own) when I’m not subjected to all the voices around me who want something from me. I believe in service, but can get distracted by all the needs around me.
• Once again, I hear God’s voice saying so much when I’m out of range of the phone, texts, tweets, email and FaceBook.
• The wilderness — desert, beach or woods — has a healing impact on my body.

But there are problems:

• There is almost nothing to do in the wilderness and that drives me crazy before too long
• There is no one to visit with. I love solitude, but partly because it reminds me of how much I need people.
• I’m out of range of the phone, texts, tweets, email and FaceBook — and the people God would have me serve.

So I’m scheduling my next retreat today. I’m looking forward to the solitude, study, and openness to God’s voice. But I’m also looking forward to getting back into cell-range, and back into servant-connection.