Essay on Christian Opportunities and Challenges - Faced in a Postmodern and Pluralistic society June 2016

Introduction

There are many challenges and opportunities we face in serving the ministry already.  We must learn so much on faith, love, hope, wisdom, peace, Christ, worship and praise.  How to assemble people in service, look after children, and run a service throughout the year. 

In today’s postmodern and pluralistic society we see a society which has made leaps in its developments to protect people all over the world, through the use of religion and particularly Christianity. 

Christian doctrine speaks on equality for all and love for all in humanity which is found in the Gospel of Matthew and Luke especially.  Jesus Christ’s teachings enables us to dismantle society’s problems and advance them through the eyes of Christianity in a deeper, modern and more inclusive meaningful sense.

Changes and developments in ministry now such as Female priests and bishops and Gay priests have been huge advancements for the religion but it also has been symbolic of the changes in postmodern acceptance. 

Postmodernism is like modernism at an extreme level.  Many contemporary values harnessed and transformed in to newer ideals and to higher extremes than first ever imagined.  Postmodernism is an example of the extremes humans have gone in describing our planet and humanity than previously first thought or envisioned.  It exemplifies the height of imagination and the extent to which people see our society, ranging from contemporary postmodernist art, combating terrorism, accepting and understanding homosexuality, laws, human rights and sexual violence.  These new concepts can say religion is redundant (another post-modernist quality), but Christian values are even more relevant now because it helps in guidance, understanding ourselves, each other and the world especially when facing these new post-modern concepts which can at times take apart religion and discourage faith.

Pluralism relates to a quality of postmodernism which is our ever-increasing diversity in society and around the world.  It also relates to multi-culturalism, sexual orientation, gender, and children.  It relates to political views and non-political views and basically is significant in accepting we are all different and unique and we must accept one another irrespective of such differences.  The unity of faith and God’s love is our common connection.

  

Challenge and opportunity of Female priests and bishops

The female priest has been around for millennia but the development of Christianity and sexist ideals inhibited female banality, and the idea of gender equality was on a back-foot; it was under-represented.

However today, the first female Bishop was elected in January 2015.  Examples of the first female movement makers in Christianity comes from the Bible, Acts 1:12-14 and 18:24-26.  Gender discrimination and Jesus’ battle against dehumanisation of women is evident in his teachings; we must see each other humanely without gender secularisation.  

The Bible says in the Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John people “including women” watched Jesus.  The prominence of this identifies there was no issue Jesus had with women. (Biblical References: Matthew 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, Luke 8:1-3, 23:49, John 20:14-18). There were also a number of women in prominent Christian positions preaching and teaching on the new Christian message and were the first church makers for Christianity.  (Biblical References Acts 1:12-14, 18:24-26).

In today’s postmodern and pluralistic society the ministry must embrace this change and acceptance, as well as, reassert its importance through teaching and service, as mentioned above.  The spread of this message on equality in the ministry is vital to its own modernity and life.  It therefore is a challenge which may not be so easily accepted within the ministry or congregational proceedings but it should be encouraged and the ministry should open people’s eyes to its truth.

There is an opportunity here to spread the equality of women in the ministry and outside the ministry on a greater scale, and this opportunity lies with men as well as women.  Women can prosper from the acceptance of women in to the ministry and both men and women in congregations will also have the opportunity to learn more and be guided better by the powerful message it will spread on women’s rights in Christianity.

Challenge and opportunity of Gay Priests

Homosexuality is defined as the presence of a predominant and persistent psychosexual attraction towards members of the same sex. The church originally agreed St Paul’s message on homosexuality was the product of committing idolatry.  However now this interpretation has changed which is a challenge because like women’s rights it bears the challenge of spreading its message within the ministry as well as congregations in praise and worship.  It also allows gay people with gay sexual orientation to feel accepted in the ministry and spread their message of equality and anti-discrimination.  The equal right of every individual is important and despite the challenge of facing this difficulty in this post-modernistic pluralistic society it offers the opportunity to gay people, and people in need, to feel and sense God’s love.

Challenge and opportunity of Children and Youth

In today’s post-modernistic pluralistic society children and youths are given the love and teachings on equality and the concept of unconditional love; love for all humanity.  Compassion is key for a child understanding the world and growing up.  It helps shape the perception to make the right decisions and with media hype, peer-pressure, video-game ‘shoot’em ups’,  and the versatility of the internet, it means young minds are more vulnerable and susceptible to all types of evils, so this understanding of compassion helps.  The challenge the ministry faces is spreading the concept of unconditional love (agape) and helping children identify with Jesus’ parables.  Such as Feeding of the 5000 (Matthew 14:13-21); washing of feet (John 13:1-17), ‘Road to Emaeus’ (Luke 24:13-35), Jesus on the donkey (John 12:12-19 and Zechariah 9:9); Building you house (Matthew 7:24-27).

Sometimes children can be aggressive or rude and sometimes children may not fully understand what is being taught to them however taking a modern outlook may help.  Reverting to present-day analogies or references may assist in the connection between today and the Bible’s teaching.  It is an opportunity to spread the message of Christ and help children see a better way to live and a better way to treat others.  It is also an opportunity to spread the good image of the church to young impressionable minds since there has been bad images of the church for being over-disciplined or corrupt.

It is a challenge to contend with this post-modernist attitude but also adopting the pluralistic nature now in our society in our church we can create a better image.  Helping children know about compassion in contrast to materialism is both a challenge and opportunity for a minister and child, “To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” (Bible reference: Romans 12:20). This passage also is a way to perceive your enemies alongside unconditional love (agape), “love your neighbour.” (Mark 12:31, Matthew 19:19). 

Passages against materialism are also important “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Bible reference: Mark 8:36).  Also, “Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.” (Bible reference: Ecclesiastes 5:10). 

Teaching youths violence is wrong is rewarding, and it is challenging when faced with struggling children, but it is an opportunity at the same time to give them better Hope.  Challenges in helping youths to see the advantage of pacifism and peace, “The Lord will fight for you; you have only to be still” (Exodus 14:14) and it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves” (1 Samuel 17:47).

The nature and nurture of a child through compassion and comprehending God’s love, human love, and love for nature is a challenge ministers and people of the ministry face but it is an opportunity to help them see and identify themselves with Christianity. 

 Challenge and opportunity of Other Religions in face of terrorism

This is most challenging in today’s post-modernistic and pluralistic society because despite differences and social diversity there is still a need for social cohesion and understanding.  The ministry does not want to lose followers in faith or Christ but it also does not want to denounce other religions or make them the scapegoat for atrocities, violence or disasters.   

It is a challenge to identify religion in a post-modernistic and pluralistic society as non-violent and humble because so much media frenzy and fascist groups target religion as the reasons for bad things happening, but it is up to the ministry to lead followers to be compassionate and unresentful towards peoples of other faiths and backgrounds.  Again unconditional love (agape) “love your neighbour” is an important challenge the ministry faces.  

The drawback is people want to be so devoted to their own religion and people of their faith they discard other people entirely, which is wrong.  Our post-modernistic pluralistic society is comprised of everyone and we must empathise with everyone to reach an ever-lasting goal; heaven.  

The opportunities here lie in making terrorism and its ideologies die down so the sanctity of religious peace and harmony between Christianity and other faiths like Hinduism and Islam remain strong for all people.  Another opportunity is the church would be seen as becoming more open and broad-minded to church-goers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, post-modernism is only a theory in our present-day society and there is pluralism we share which has existed for many years. Through Christ’s love we open our hearts to everyone of different kinds even more than before or previously shared, in an ever-changing world.  We must see the challenges of our society as not just theoretical but also practical; and we must make a voluntary effort to share God's message in all we say and do - not just in ministry but in life as well.  We can then make equality and diversity a common goal and people will see the church as an opportunity to escape hate and find agape (unconditional love) which will not be based on a particular gender, sexuality, race or culture, but based upon how 'we' live our life and how 'we' listen and learn from the words of God and our own ministry.