51. Metamodern Christianity (w/ Brendan Graham Dempsey)
Mar 23, 2024
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Brendan Graham Dempsey discusses a metamodern version of Christianity, integrating tribal, imperial, traditional, modern, and postmodern conceptions of God. He explores the deepening relationship between God and man through a series of covenants/dispensations, highlighting the evolving understanding of the ever-transcendent Divine. The podcast covers the dynamics of learning, the revelation of God as a learning process, and the progression of divine relationships through different epochs in sacred history.
Metamodern Christianity integrates traditional, modern, and postmodern beliefs into a coherent progressive narrative of divine understanding.
Sacred history is portrayed as a continual learning and revelation process evolving from simplistic to complex views of the divine relationship with humanity.
Deep dives
Understanding Metamodern Christianity
Metamodern Christianity is presented as a progressive movement beyond post-modernism, engaging with traditional, modern, and pre-modern perspectives simultaneously, creating a new synergy. The concept involves folding different perspectives into a comprehensive vision of Christianity, transforming and integrating them into a progressive narrative of reality's purpose and value. It emphasizes moving beyond relativism towards a coherent coordination of worldviews to achieve qualified progress and development.
Sacred History as a Learning Process
The discussion delves into the idea of sacred history as a learning process, involving assimilation and accommodation of evolving perspectives about the divine over time. Progressively understanding the relationship between God and humanity from tribal rituals to moral sensitivities, the narrative unfolds in complexity and depth. The evolving views of the divine from early patriarchal interactions to deeper existential and ethical considerations signify a continual learning and revelation process.
Humanity's Developmental Role in Metamodern Christianity
Metamodern Christianity is viewed as an evolving relationship between humanity and the divine, mirroring a cosmic learning process. It encompasses a journey from simplistic, anthropomorphic representations of the divine to complex, abstract moral and relational understandings. The narrative expands through history, integrating changing cultural and individual conceptions to deepen the connection between mankind and God, embodying a continuous process of growth and enlightenment.
Embracing a Broad Cosmic Vision in Metamodern Christianity
A metamodern Christianity embraces a cosmic perspective, acknowledging sacred history as a progressive revelation of the divine within a broader cosmic learning process. It interprets the evolution of humanity's understanding of the divine as an ongoing narrative that transcends traditional, modern, and post-modern boundaries. This approach values the synthesis of different worldviews, cultural contexts, and scientific insights to paint a comprehensive picture of the evolving divine-human relationship.
Here I lay out my conception of what a metamodern version of Christianity looks like. Drawing on the insights of all the previous cultural paradigms, the revelation of God's nature and the deepening quality of the relationship between God and man can be understood as progressing through a series of covenants/dispensations that map to a learning process unfolding through time. Such a perspective helps us non-arbitrarily coordinate tribal, imperial, traditional, modern, and postmodern conceptions of God that have manifested across sacred history. All of these are necessary and contribute to a coherent story of deepening understanding about and relationship with the ever-transcendent Divine.
0:00 Introduction
0:56 "Metamodern"
5:50 "Christianity"
9:00 Sacred History as Learning and Expansion
11:43 Dynamics of Learning: Assimilation and Accomodation
16:47 Learning as Complexification of Thought
18:04 The Revelation of God as a Learning Process
24:34 1. The Sacred Relationship in the Tribal Epoch
26:12 2. Relationship with God in the Monarchy
29:02 3. Deepening Divine Relationship in the Prophets and Gospels
31:10 Recap: The Arc of Learning God Better
33:41 4. Revelation in the Modern Era
40:05 5. The Way of Jesus in Postmodernity
42:09 6. Metamodern Christianity: Embracing All Stages of Revelation
53:37 Conclusion
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