Session 2 postmoderncourse classpresentation 0 Modernity proress and secularistion 2(4)

Post Modern Contexts Post Modern Contexts Session 2Session 2

Rev Dr Joshva Raja Rev Dr Joshva Raja 17 Jan 200717 Jan 2007

ResourcesResources Stuart Hall et al Stuart Hall et al Modernity and Its Modernity and Its

Futures…Futures….. Steven Best and Douglas Kellner, Steven Best and Douglas Kellner, Science, Science,

Technology and Culture Studies at the Technology and Culture Studies at the Third Millenium, Third Millenium, Guilford Press,Guilford Press, 2001.2001.

J Richard Middleton and Brian J Walsh. J Richard Middleton and Brian J Walsh. Truth is stranger than is used to be. Truth is stranger than is used to be. Biblical Faith in a PostModern Age. SPCK, Biblical Faith in a PostModern Age. SPCK, 1995. pp. 9-451995. pp. 9-45

Resources contd…Resources contd… Peter Mclaren, Peter Mclaren, Revolutionary Revolutionary

Multiculturalism: Pedagogies of Multiculturalism: Pedagogies of Dissent for the New Millenium: The Dissent for the New Millenium: The Edge, Critical Studies in Educational Edge, Critical Studies in Educational Theory.Theory. 1996. 1996.

Lawrence F Cahoone. Lawrence F Cahoone. From From Modernism to Postmodernism: An Modernism to Postmodernism: An Anthology (Blackwell Philosophy Anthology (Blackwell Philosophy Anthologies.Anthologies. Blackwell, 2003.Blackwell, 2003.

Modernity and ProgressModernity and Progress a. secular, natural and this worldly a. secular, natural and this worldly

b. power of individual minds, no more b. power of individual minds, no more submission submission

c. belief in Progress c. belief in Progress

d. experimental study of nature, d. experimental study of nature, inventions to control nature and subdue inventions to control nature and subdue for social usefor social use

Dewey’s Modern Man Self Assured In control of his own destiny Knows what he knows and knows with certainty Needs no authority outside of himself as he is

autonomous, a law or authority unto himself Needs no salvation outside of himself Liberated from past authorities and

superstitions and follow reason Enjoy the fruit of human progress

Faith in the progress The spirit of modernity is a spirit of progress Progress is what the Columbus story is about –

dominant motif in Western Society – the working faith of our civilisation

The progress ideal functions as an article of faith, the unifying commitment or civil religion of Western Civilisation

It tells a story – similar to Myths – Myths history begins with Egypt and Greece not with China or Africa

Myth of Progress and Tower of Myth of Progress and Tower of Babel Babel

Grand dream or vision or cultural aspiration Grand dream or vision or cultural aspiration symbolised by the Columbus’ visionsymbolised by the Columbus’ vision

Dreams of cities, buildings and towers – Dreams of cities, buildings and towers – bringing the world together and rule over bringing the world together and rule over them all them all

Genesis 11:1-9 Building a city with a tower Genesis 11:1-9 Building a city with a tower reaching to the heavens – Western dreams reaching to the heavens – Western dreams of progress – towering civilization, a social of progress – towering civilization, a social and cultural accomplishment of immense and cultural accomplishment of immense and achievement - Eiffel tower, Toronto CN and achievement - Eiffel tower, Toronto CN TowerTower

Genesis 11:1f The Tower of Babel  1 Now the whole world had one language and a common

speech. 2 As men moved eastward, [a] they found a plain in Shinar [b] and settled there.  3 They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."

Babel TowerBabel Tower Vision of a new modern societyVision of a new modern society These builders desired fame, distinction These builders desired fame, distinction

and glory – making names for and glory – making names for themselves, reaching heights no one has themselves, reaching heights no one has reached…reached…

Cultural and social cohesion – Uniformity Cultural and social cohesion – Uniformity of all race – social harmony, freedom of all race – social harmony, freedom from disease and prosperity for all!from disease and prosperity for all!

Floors in the BabelFloors in the Babel Ground floor of modernity was scienceGround floor of modernity was science first floor is enlightenment and Scientific first floor is enlightenment and Scientific

rationality -Age of industrial revolutions –rationality -Age of industrial revolutions –age of machinesage of machines

Second floor is technology – gives power Second floor is technology – gives power over environment..over environment..

Third floor Economic growth - Market Third floor Economic growth - Market forces – entrepreneurial spirit and the forces – entrepreneurial spirit and the profit motiveprofit motive

Western Culture as final floorWestern Culture as final floor

Ideal worldIdeal world Imagine a society where no Imagine a society where no

ignorance, no disease, no poverty ignorance, no disease, no poverty and no war and no war

Civilization in which people be Civilization in which people be genuinely happy and truly free.genuinely happy and truly free.

In Modern era we are our own In Modern era we are our own saviours – homo autonomous – saviours – homo autonomous – means autonomous subjects can means autonomous subjects can devise our own remedy for the devise our own remedy for the problemsproblems

Human betterment and progress to Human betterment and progress to be achieved solely by human beings. be achieved solely by human beings.

Idols of Modernity The idea of progress was based on The idea of progress was based on

idolatrous faith – on science, idolatrous faith – on science, technology and economic growth.technology and economic growth.

Science as authoritative knowledge, Science as authoritative knowledge, technism as power and control over technism as power and control over the creation, standard of living the creation, standard of living economic growth raises the standard economic growth raises the standard of life and route to personal of life and route to personal happiness and social harmony…happiness and social harmony…

Biblical references Isaiah 46:1-5 become like themIsaiah 46:1-5 become like them Psalm 115 instability of idolsPsalm 115 instability of idols Jeremiah 10:3-5 like Scare crowsJeremiah 10:3-5 like Scare crows

Isaiah 46:1-5 Isaiah 46 Gods of Babylon  1 Bel bows down, Nebo stoops low;

       their idols are borne by beasts of burden. [a]        The images that are carried about are burdensome,        a burden for the weary.  2 They stoop and bow down together;        unable to rescue the burden,        they themselves go off into captivity.

 3 "Listen to me, O house of Jacob,        all you who remain of the house of Israel,        you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,        and have carried since your birth.

 4 Even to your old age and gray hairs        I am he, I am he who will sustain you.        I have made you and I will carry you;        I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

 5 "To whom will you compare me or count me equal?        To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?

Psalm 115 Psalm 115  1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us

       but to your name be the glory,        because of your love and faithfulness.

 2 Why do the nations say,        "Where is their God?"

 3 Our God is in heaven;        he does whatever pleases him.

 4 But their idols are silver and gold,        made by the hands of men.

 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,        eyes, but they cannot see;

 6 they have ears, but cannot hear,        noses, but they cannot smell;

 7 they have hands, but cannot feel,        feet, but they cannot walk;        nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

 8 Those who make them will be like them,        and so will all who trust in them.

Jeremiah 10  3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless;

       they cut a tree out of the forest,        and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.

 4 They adorn it with silver and gold;        they fasten it with hammer and nails        so it will not totter.

 5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,        their idols cannot speak;        they must be carried        because they cannot walk.        Do not fear them;        they can do no harm        nor can they do any good."

Genesis 11 contd…  5 But the LORD came down to see the city and

the tower that the men were building. 6 The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."

 8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel [c] —because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth

Modernity in troubleModernity in trouble When finished our street will be When finished our street will be

platinum, never mind gold. Too good to platinum, never mind gold. Too good to be true! Progress myth is losing its be true! Progress myth is losing its power!power!

The foundation of Babel tower is The foundation of Babel tower is founded on Human autonomoy founded on Human autonomoy (Gen 2:17 and Gen 3)(Gen 2:17 and Gen 3)

Independence from the Creator by Independence from the Creator by eating the fruit of the treeeating the fruit of the tree

Auto – self; nomos – law – self Auto – self; nomos – law – self determining freedomdetermining freedom

AnxietyAnxiety War and Bombs? Hiroshima and War and Bombs? Hiroshima and

Nagasagi – economic Progress? – Nagasagi – economic Progress? – WW1 as war to end all wars – WW1 as war to end all wars – Vietnam war Vietnam war

Loss of hope and sense of anxietyLoss of hope and sense of anxiety Catch-22 film in 1986 – US being Catch-22 film in 1986 – US being

destroyed?destroyed? Fear of new world order – economic Fear of new world order – economic

security, sexual morality different and security, sexual morality different and odd ideas that emergeodd ideas that emerge

The Changing realities The Changing realities Realisation - Centre of Universe is no more Realisation - Centre of Universe is no more

centrecentre Suspicion that modern West inflicted violence Suspicion that modern West inflicted violence

on others and non-Western too but claims of on others and non-Western too but claims of higher moral statushigher moral status

Questioning everything – responsibility of US to Questioning everything – responsibility of US to lead the world, the ability to solve all lead the world, the ability to solve all environmental problems by Western environmental problems by Western Technology, the strength and durability of Technology, the strength and durability of market system, the superiority of Western market system, the superiority of Western intellectual traditionintellectual tradition

Everything slips Landscape Institutions Values Way of life Security Meanings Sense of being at home with the

world

For healing We need understanding Listen sensitively and empathetically

to the cry of our age Particularly the cry within ourselves Discernment of the context