Re: Paradigms

EdnaR — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:35:52 -0000

I, too, was intrigued by the term "paradigm crash" and examined it in light of my own experience. I concluded that I have experienced less of a paradigm crash, and more of a paradigm adjustment over the past ten or so years. Perhaps that is because I was not in a position at any point in my life to be a "company person." Nor were my pastors and church leaders when I was growing up.

Additionally, as an adult, I was blessed to be in churches with pastors who were critical thinkers and who taught us to do the same. By the time I sat under pastors were company men, I was already ruined and continued to be a critical listener.

That being said, I found as I became involved with Brad and his understanding of postmodernity, I had to face the fact much of my understanding of how church is done, was based on all the false assumptions Earl spoke about. It was not hard to let go, and embrace change. Many of those thoughts were running rampant in back roads of my mind. But they had no substance because I did not know what was disturbing me, or perhaps how to articulate it. For a long time I had felt that church had become a Christian country club. The hard part was accepting and admitting that I had been a part of this for so long.

So, advances have been made, but still I find I have so far to go. Earl's chapter on sacred realism is stark realization for me. I am especially moved by the last two sentences of the chapter, 'Most of us think about how we can change culture. Sacred realism gives culture a chance to change us." This concept requires depth of understanding of who we are in Christ, and requires us to let go of the safety net of programs and systems that make us feel like we are doing our part, since we are putting in our time to "do God's work." It requires us to meet the culture where they are. Some things are unchangeable, i.e. loving people. But we must recognize that how we love people is not a constant. How we love people must start with who the people are that we are loving.

It requires that we take another look at what Jesus meant when he said, "the kingdom God is at hand." Unfortunately, we have taken a devalued and disproportionate "kingdom of God," to the world. Earl reminds us that, "the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power."

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Re: Paradigms