Sharing our Faith: Worship and Preaching in a modern age?

Sharing our Faith:

Worship and Preaching in a modern age?

Why are we facing such diversity in

our congregations?


The Church as an institution:

Helpful or unhelpful?


How can we proclaim the Christian truth in a world of diversity?


To what extent should we declare the truth cf invite people to believe.


Have we overemphasised the

place of preaching and neglected other

aspects of worship?


How do we craft ‘sacred spaces’ for worship that

allow enable to experience God?


How do our methods of communication in the Church relate to those

in the world?


How do our methods of communication and

learning in the Church relate to those in the

world?


Starting out: Do we live in a modern age?


Introducing postmodernity:

“It’s life Jim, but not as we know it!”


Star TrekNBC

1966-69

Mission:“To boldly go

where no one has

gone before.”

Original Star Trek Series:3 Main Characters – Captain Kirk, Doctor McCoy and Spock.Spock is an alien who thinks logically and does not sense emotion – against his character the weakness of human character can be seen.The series was aired against the backdrop of the cold war.

1987-1994. New characters: Data, Counsellor Troy

Development of the ‘Prime Directive’

Start Trek: Voyager, NBC

1995.

Stranded in Space &

making the long journey

home

Star Trek:Reflecting changes in our community

and attitudes


A clash of philosophies:

What is ‘truth’?


They who have power own ‘the truth’ – and

can use it for their own ends.


Instead, ‘truth’ is relative: no one has a

right to assert or impose an ‘ultimate truth’


Postmodern criticism of science and hope in human progress


2 World WarsAwareness of human

Failure

Science and reason are no

longer a panacea

Postmodernist criticism of language


Language is a slippery tool for

communicating the truth.


It is easy to be economic with the truth when using

language.


Language is not always the best

vehicle to convey meaning….ie


‘evangelical’‘left-wing’‘Church’


The meaning of scripture is biased by culture, politics

and ideology.


There is no thing as ‘the self’, God is a ‘construct’, meta- narratives are out


Postmodernists searching for a different kind of

freedom


Postmodernists as moody teenagers:


Postmodernist attitudes in the

Western world:


More touchy-feely!Wary of criticising the

beliefs of others (unless fundamentalist)…..


Most people in the West are part modern, part

postmodern, and share a number of attitudes.


What are the implications for

evangelists today?


Tomlinson and the Post-evangelical

debate


Allow people to think for themselves. Use doubts and

questions, be creative in presenting the gospel.

Do not hide from the issues.


Alternative styles of worship


Provide ‘space’ where feelings can be

acknowledged, Share planning of worship, use more dialogue.


Alternative styles of preaching: Is the age of

preaching ‘dead?’


More story.Allow people to

assemble the truth for themselves.


Roy ClementsAre we

overreacting?


Responding to postmodern trends


The need for more dialogue


Don’t assume that people have a

Christian background


An unembarrased ‘public’ living of the

gospel


Focusing on the incarnational and

the relational aspects of faith


Additional Tasks


Final Question:Is postmodernity

that bad?


Sharing our Faith: Worship and Preaching in a modern age?

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