Premodern, modern and postmodern

[methodius]

This posting was originally a response to one by arkouda on The return of the one true king, but LiveJournal rejected it as too long, so I though I would post it separately here.

David Bosch, whose book Transforming mission (Maryknoll, Orbis, 1991) put the question of modernity and postmodernity on the agenda of missiological discussions in many parts

Comments

[naqerj]

If you haven't written this sort of thing into an article of some sort, let me be one of the first to suggest that you do so. I love reading this sort of thing from you.

I'm glad to see you are still here

[methodius]

I'm glad to see you are still here - I thought you were disappearing!

This is a good place for putting up half-baked ideas and seeing how people respond to see whether it's worth baking them.

Re: I'm glad to see you are still here

[naqerj]

I am disappearing -- I'm just slightly more opaque at some times than others. :)

I wish there were some way for me to participate actively in such idea-exchange without temptation to vainglory, but perhaps this is simply not the time for me. Perhaps when I am old and wise as you are. ;)

vainglory

[seraphimsigrist]

well I wonder if the best way beyond vainglory
in dealing with people, even on livejournal, is
to plunge into contact (which finally humbles as
well as exalts) and then find one is thinking
of the others and not of oneself?
or am I just making a sophistry to urge for
more of your fine posts?
not, uh, to tempt to vainglory... :)
+Seraphim.

[wwabbit]

My Dear Brother,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply to my post. If I am too gloomy, you are a wonderful balance! And even if I'm not too gloomy (I don't think I am :-)) you post good news indeed!

I agree with you 100% about "-ity" as compared to "-ism". And yes, my thoughts are, normally, aimed at the "-ism". I work in higher ed, I live in San Francisco, I am an American: I swim a sea of post-modernism daily.

Postmodernity itself is an historical stage. Once we're done with modernity... it will be postmodernity. It was 1pm, then it is 2pm. Although using "pre-" and "post-" uses modernity as the measuring rod. I wish we had another "BC/AD" here, for I feel that Modernity at least, if not also Postmodernity, are just more stages in "Dark Ages". Byzantium had hers under the Turks, and she never yet recovered, really. Holy Rus had hers under the Bolsheviks. Will she recover? We'll see. I don't think the West did either, as much as she imagines she did.

You said, I believe that Orthodoxy is better placed to help man cope

hmm a thought which is seasonal after a clearing of throat+a blessing

[seraphimsigrist]

well, umm, ahem, to me all that about Orthodoxy
sailing around things seems not to jibe with what
I see where we seem at least as much as anyone
to be stumbling through the house at night kicking
over the lampstand while reaching for the switch...
but..you know how I feel these things...that just
a harumph from me.
well and zernov would have said the same and some
others so not just me :)
But as always a darn good post and that leads to
the real important thing. Happy Birthday, as livejournal.com/
portal advises!
You have been on the road a few years as indeed have
I... we are now not so far from the goal.
Lord Bless you brother and bring you to his Kingdom
not just at that end but in every moment as each
moment breaks open and discloses, and use you greatly
as His servant in your days and place...
Amen.
+Seraphim.