Postmodern Theory Replacing Generational Tags
Work on generational theory in Christian circles was largely abandoned at the turn of the century in favour of coming to grips with postmodernity. We’ve had seminars telling us to be postmodern worship planners, postmodern church planters and postmodern interpreters of the Bible. But I’ve come across few people who’ve really had a finger on the deeper thinking that’s associated with postmodernism. A lot of material published in popular journals and books has succumbed to surface generalizations that focus on the ‘how to’ of narrative, image, experience and relativity.
Mind you, I don’t blame anyone. There are layers and layers of writing to get into.
You could try getting through Lyotard’s The Postmodern Condition” published in French in 1979 and translated from into English in 1984. – exploring modern and postmodern understandings of the nature of the ‘social bond’, the pragmatics of scientific knowledge, the narrative function and the legitimation of knowledge, deligitimation, research, education and performativity.
More on this as it starts making sense…
Postkiwi Duncan Macleod posts on life, faith and culture in Australia, drawing from his involvement in the creative industry, the Uniting Church, the blogosphere, generational research, the emerging church and life on the Gold Coast.
Duncan is the editor of The Inspiration Room, a site showcasing advertising, design and other work produced by the global creative community.
