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The modern man, like the folksin Babel, was self-sufficient

and believed that giventechnological know-how, hewill be able to achieve greatheights, even touching

heaven. Progress in scienceconvinces humanity that lifecan be rationally controlled.With two world wars and all

the turmoils of the 20thcentury, the tower is nowcollapsed. And suddenly, themany different ideologies of

man become a "babble".

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The step-child of Babel ispostmodernism. When the

proud tower of modernitycrumbled, we have becomeutterly confused . Thepostmodern man finally gave

up and in a pluralistic society,when a multiple choices of'ism' is offered, it is virtue toconsider all of them andaccept none of them.Fragmentation into diversecultures, languages and social

constructs

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Star Trek Ambitions

man as measure of allthings, power ofreason

and science

debunking inheritedauthorities, traditions

and superstitions

Life can be rationallycontrolled and socially

engineered

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Question Authority!

Materialism: everything thatexists is either physical ordependent upon the physical.

Naturalism: "the hypothesis thatthe physical world is a 'closedsystem' in the sense that nothingthat is neither a part nor a

product of it can affect it." It isthe denial of the existence ofsupernatural causes.

http://www.infidels.org/

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Materialism: Basic Beliefs

God or miracles are irrelevant. Matter andenergy are all that exists. Progress and

evolutionary change are inevitable. Man is

an autonomous biological machine andcease to exist upon death. Morality is

behavior that helps our species survive.

Only what can be proven by scientificexperiments (reason and senses) is fact and

technological progress will save us

www.probe.org

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Waking From Modern Dream?

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The Calling

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The Impact Of Naturalism Human Dignity Nothing has

transcendent value, including humanbeings - just a highly evolved animal.There is a life not worth living babieswith serious disability, unproductive

elderly folks.

Science Must we assume naturalism?Why not follow the evidence wherever it

leads even if it points to design in theuniverse? Distinguish the discipline ofscience from philosophical naturalism.

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The Impact Of Naturalism

Law In the traditional view, just law reflectstranscendent moral order (natural law, whichis generally conceived as ultimately the divinelaw). But if naturalism is true, then it is no

longer the law is king, but the king is law.Or might is right.

Christian Life - God is able to supernaturally

intervene or suspend natural laws in Hiscreation. Miracles are possible. How we readthe Bible?

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Question Reality!

Postmodernism revolts against order, system,representation and meta-narrative

Displays a tendency towards irony, parody,

indeterminacy, many ways of looking at it The image of a Food Court Western steak,

rojak, koay teow, capati, ABC. So it is with

lifestyles, values and choices multiple,

individually valuable and equally accessible.

No one option is privileged.

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Whatever.

In postmodern thinking, we are led to consider Theres no discovered Truth, only constructed truths

Truth claims are masks for power interests

Truth is what works today (Richard Rorty) Reality is determined by our perception,

interpretive community, social construct

We are prisoners of limits ofLanguage. Gapbetween reality and words to convey meaning

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I Shop Therefore I Am

Hyper-Consumerism: If life is a supermarket,and moral choices are like the products on the

shelves, then all that matters is personal

choice.

The only problem of the lack of freedom to

choose. A determined failure to acknowledge

limits and boundaries

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Gospel: Opportunities

Weakened pride in autonomous reason andnaturalistic scientism

Openness to the supernatural

Yearning forauthentic relationships Need to see gospel embodied before it is

proclaimed

Be sensitive to context, history, culture,locality, earthiness, here-and-now rather than

extreme other-worldliness

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Gospel: Challenges

Suspicion ofpropaganda, more conversation False dichotomy Love versus Truth. Speak

the Truth In Love (Eph 4:15)

Gospel subverted as one of many storiesSocial pressure of relativism which is intolerant

of Christian faith in particular

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The Calling

Understand the times, every era has itschallenges

Confidence in God and His truth

Indwell the gospel, take the risk toeffective persuasion

Demonstrate earthly good

Dialogue What Would Jesus Ask?

C. S. Lewis argument from desire,longing? (1 Peter 3:15-16)