Missiological Analysis of Western Culture Michael Goheen Burnaby, B.C.

Living at the Crossroads

Two Grand Stories in the West ‘In our contemporary culture... two quite different stories are told. One is the story of evolution, of the development of species through the survival of the strong, and the story of the rise of civilization, our type of civilization, and its success in giving humankind mastery of nature. The other story is the one embodied in the Bible, the story of creation and fall, of God’s election of a people to be the bearers of his purpose for humankind, and of the coming of the one in whom that purpose is to be fulfilled. These are two different and incompatible stories’ (Newbigin).

Romans Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Culture

Incomparably the most urgent missionary task for the next few decades is the mission to ‘modernity’... It calls for the use of sharp intellectual tools, to probe behind the unquestioned assumptions of modernity and uncover the hidden credo which supports them... - Lesslie Newbigin

Hidden Credo Humanism: “Must we not become gods?”

Humanist Credo: “Must we not ourselves become gods?” Friedrich Nietzsche ( ) ‘The Madman’ “We have killed God—you and I! We are all his murderers!... How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderer of all murderers? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?”

Nietzsche’s Parable We have killed God in Western culture We must become gods Creator Redeemer Ruler of history

Hidden Credo Humanism: “Must we not become gods?” Rationalistic humanism: “Scientia potestas est” Control of non-human creation by technology Organise society according to reason

Western Faith: Rationalistic Humanism Autonomous man is capable of defining the world (Creator) and solving problems of world and bring about a new world of freedom, prosperity, justice, and truth (Redeemer) with his own rational resources.

Western Faith: Humankind as Redeemer Humanism “assigns us nothing less than the task of being our own saviour and redeemer.” (Lamont) “Knowledge is power” Scientific knowledge of nature’s laws translated into technology controls nature for social uses Scientific knowledge of social laws enables us to shape rational society Progress toward world of freedom and material prosperity

Where did these terms come from? Middle ages Renaissance Enlightenment What is the hero of the story? “Until the lions have their historians the hunter will always be the hero of the story.”

Eras:

Neutral? Classic: of the highest class; most representative of the excellence of its kind; having recognized worth. Modern: up-to-date; not old-fashioned, antiquated or obsolete. Medieval: middle (medius) age (aevum); outdated.

Another way to designate eras:

Conversion of West (18 th century)

A New Faith... “The West had ‘lost its faith’—and found a new one, in science and in man.” (Richard Tarnas)

Triumph of Humanism How did this happen? Two powerful stories interacting: humanist and Biblical Enlightenment: Triumph of humanistic story Why? Two mistakes of church Dogmatic opposition to Copernican theory Religious wars

Opposition to Copernicus: Triumph of Humanism

Religious Wars: Triumph of humanist vision

Enlightenment humanist faith Faith in progress to ‘paradise’ Paradise images: Secularized vision of biblical story Progress (for some) identified primarily with economic growth and material prosperity “... the greatest happiness possible for us consists in the greatest possible abundance of objects suitable for our enjoyment and in the greatest liberty to profit by them” (Mercier de la Riviere, 1767).

Enlightenment humanist faith Faith in progress Propelled by reason and science

...the conviction that man was steadily and inevitably approaching entrance into a better world, that man himself was being progressively improved and perfected through his own efforts, constituted one of the most characteristic, deep-seated, and consequential principles of the modern sensibility. Christianity no longer seemed to be the driving force of the human enterprise. For the robust civilization of the West at the high noon of modernity, it was science and reason, not religion and belief, which propelled that progress. Man’s will, not God’s, was the acknowledged source of the world’s betterment and humanity’s advancing liberation. -Richard Tarnas

Enlightenment humanist faith Faith in progress Propelled by reason and science Scientific reason translated into technology Scientific reason translated into societal organisation Progress comes “by the application of reason” to both “technical and social” issues (Plumb).

Enlightenment humanist faith Faith in progress Propelled by reason and science Scientific reason translated into technology Scientific reason translated into societal organisation Idolatrous importance of economic growth and material prosperity

Enlightenment Creed “Growth in prosperity and scientifically founded technological progress are the two indispensable allies on the way to a better future. This is part and parcel of the Enlightenment creed.” (Bob Goudzwaard)

Historical Development of Rationalistic Humanism Roots in pagan/classical period (to 5 th c.) Preserved in medieval synthesis (5 th -14 th c.) Re-emerged at Renaissance (14 th -15 th c.) Salted and accelerated by gospel at Reformation (15 th c.) Given tremendous thrust forward in Scientific Revolution (16 th -17 th c.) Came to mature expression in Enlightenment (18 th c.) Challenged by Romanticism (19 th c.) Given social embodiment in social, industrial, and political revolutions (19 th, 20 th c.) Under attack today (late 20 th, 21 st c.)

Polanyi’s metaphor Modernity is the explosion of the flame of classical humanism in the oxygen of the gospel.

Benefits to West from salting effect of gospel Christian ethical values, high estimation of reason, a sense of the intelligibility of the world, of the human calling to exercise dominion, of humanity’s intrinsic dignity and inalienable rights, of the moral responsibility of the individual, and of the imperative to care for the helpless and less fortunate, an orientation toward the future and belief in historical progress (Tarnas).

Current Situation Postmodern challenge

Postmodern Challenge Postmodernity is a challenge to the optimism of modernity Postmodernity is a challenge to a rationalistic view of humankind Postmodernity is a challenge to an objectivist view of knowledge Postmodernity is a protest against the injustices of the modern story Postmodernity is a challenge to the naturalistic secularism of modernity

Current Situation Postmodern challenge Global spread of Enlightenment faith (modernity) Consumer culture

Consumerism as “Our Story” If there is an overarching metanarrative that purports to explain reality in the late 20 th century, it is surely the metanarrative of the free-market economy. In the beginning of this metanarrative is the self-made, self- sufficient human being. At the end of this narrative is the big house, the big car, the expensive clothes. In the middle is the struggle for success, the greed, the getting- and-spending in a world in which there is no such thing as a free lunch. Most of us have made this so thoroughly ‘our story’ that we are hardly aware of its influence. (Susan White)

The Religion of Our Day? Consumerism appears to have become part and parcel of the very fabric of modern life.... and the parallel with religion is not an accidental one. Consumerism is... arguably the religion of the late twentieth century. (Miles)