Postmodernism and the Church: An Opportunity and a Challenge

Abstract

Postmodernism is, in many respects, a term that has lost most of its cultural and academic cachet. This does not, however, mean that the themes, context, and conditions to which it referred are no longer relevant. In this essay, I will briefly review the latest reports which show a decreasing interest in organized religion, and interpret these results as symptomatic of a larger change in the state of knowledge. To this end, I will examine Jean‑François Lyotard’s analysis of the loss of metanarratives as a way of understanding the implicit rules of the dialogue that occurs between the theist and the atheist or agnostic. Next, I will note the unique capacity of beauty to transcend the diverse language games played by both sides of the conversation. I will conclude by contending that this characteristic of beauty offers a kind of common ground which can be built upon, fostering further dialogue as well as an opportunity for evangelization.