We are passing out of the modern world of the Enlightenment, and through the transition period of postmodernity into whatever era may come next. This paradigm shift in worldviews is local, national, and global, as are its resulting multitudes of cultural manifestations. We see the frightening collapse of the old and the tortured emergence of the new, energized by such factors as the digital revolution, pan-national corporations, renewed tribalism, mass urbanization, and exploding populations. The fall of modernity and the rise of something else are being felt on every continent. Insecurity and skepticism plague the global scene.
Modern culture is in crisis.
The church is in crisis. Having been shaped in and by modernity, the church has been marginalized by modern culture, and now further marginalized by postmodernity. How the church chooses to respond to this postmodern crisis will determine whether the church will thrive in the midst of opportunity or retreat in the face of danger. More and more Christian leaders are aware of the turbulent times in which we live. They are responding to their observations and frustrations, and speaking out their views on how to cope.