'Preaching' Chapter 5 (Part 6 in the series)

As we move further along in Tim Keller’s book, ‘Preaching’, we now come to chapter 5, Preaching and the (late) Modern Mind. This chapter proves to be the most useful of all levels of preaching. If you haven’t read the book or followed our previous blogs, the three levels of preaching are simply, 1, 2 and 3. Level 1 is everyday conversations, 2 is more formal, like teaching a Sunday school class, writing, even blogging, and level 3 is the more formal sermon, for example given by a minister or pastor. The reason this chapter, chapter 5, is so helpful is the ‘narratives’, as Keller calls them, are in our culture, and motivate (or un-motivate) our family, friends, and society in general. If we are to bring Christ to them, we must counter the culture and speak to these narratives.

This chapter, the longest chapter in the whole book, confronts widely accepted ‘norms’ or ‘narratives’, truisms that seem to be self-evident. Interestingly, most of these notions are based in Judeo-Christian ethics or teachings. These ‘unthoughts’, a word coined by Michel Foucault found in Charles Taylor’s book ‘A Secular Age’, are, “beliefs that seem to be not beliefs but unchallengeable, self-evident common sense.” To further illustrate his point, Keller quotes from Taylor’s book, a study done in Chicago in the 1950’s, by noted journalist, Alan Ehrenhalt, about these ‘unthoughts’. These ‘unthoughts’ are ideas such as; be suspicious of authority, choice is good, no one should tell you what to do, and “sin isn’t personal.” Ehrenhalt said these, “all have a ring of truth.”

This chapter is very instructive in a way that will radically change your preaching (Level 1, 2, and/or 3). Keller takes us on a history course of Cultural Narratives and the ideas of society. He shows that the accepted ideas of the Greek philosophies were confronted by the Christian message around five important axes. These axes were, rationality, history, society, morality or justice, and identity. Rationality had to do with the idea of the material world as evil or nothing good in the 'physical' world, Christianity confronted that with the idea of God created it and He will redeem it. Greeks saw history as cyclical and endless, while Christians understood it as under God’s control. The ancient world’s notion of society saw the individual subordinate to the tribe or group, the message of the Gospel taught that individuals are made in the image of God. Morality (or Justice) in the thoughts of the time was fated, you were doomed to be or do what you would, the Church brought in the message that Man is a personal moral agent responsible to a personal moral God. Finally, the identity narrative was expressed in requiring the individual to suppress his/her feelings/desires/emotions for duty to family and/or tribe, Christianity confronted this by pointing to our duty and allegiance to God as our greatest identity.

Keller dives into all five narratives, and how the Christianization of them have now been secularized. I cannot do these points justice, as Keller spends great care to describe, confront, and help show the way the Gospel can answer the new narratives. I will give each a very brief overview, and hope you will take the time to read the book, and especially this chapter as I have learned more about preaching from this chapter than any resource, outside the Bible. We, as ambassadors for Christ, are to change the world, take the Great Commission, and go into the white fields of harvest-this chapter strikes at the heart of ideas contrary to God’s Word and the ways we can confront them.

Keller begins with the ‘Identity Narrative’, as he said, “Many argue that the most fundamental of the late-modern narratives is that of identity.” This late-modern (Keller’s preferred name for our age, as opposed to post-modern) narrative, taking the idea of the individual’s desires and feelings as important and secularizing it, states that, “we must discover our deepest desires and longings and then do all we can to realize them.” This then is the dangerous notion that we can truly ‘know’ or deepest desires, not taking into account that these ‘desires’ are tainted, corrupted by the sin-nature. Keller coins a great phrase, to emphasize the growing importance of this notion, ‘sovereign self’. He describes his grandfather’s lot in life, born in 1880’s Italy. Self, or better individualism, was subordinate to the rigid culture of his day. He came to America to pursue his desire, and Keller demonstrates that the Christian world-view encourages this. Sadly, today’s ‘sovereign self’ enthrones our desires and is demonstrated in the story ‘Frozen’ (yes, friends that’s right-Tim Keller went there), beautifully. There is no right or wrong, or rules, and in society today (especially Western Culture) this notion is seen. Keller uses the notion of the imago dei (we are created in God’s image) as a push back to this. We are to submit our will to His, essentially.

The society narrative is tackled next. “Freedom of choice without limits has become almost sacred,” Keller states. Where the Christian message proclaimed we are free to MAKE our own choices, secular ‘late-modern’ notions take it to a new level, bringing to bear ‘negative freedom’ (which Keller states is philosopher’s way of saying, “freedom from constraints” which is contrary to ‘positive freedom’ the ability to pursue a good purpose). This is where Keller introduces the (almost) universally accepted ‘harm principle’. The ‘harm principle’ is the idea that we should be allowed to pursue our freedoms (to DO ANYTHING) as long as it doesn’t ‘harm’ anyone else or their freedoms. This ‘value free’ way of living is unsustainable, Keller rightfully points out. Porn is an example that Keller uses, showing how some may say it is ‘harmless’ when in reality it harms in multiple ways. Keller points to the verses in John 8:31-36 to show how we can preach true ‘freedom’ to our society, Jesus said, John 8:36 (KJV) “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” A message the culture today needs, desperately.

Keller then moves to the morality/justice narrative. Here Keller points to the fact that late-modern minds think morals are ‘self-authorizing’ a term he gets from Charles Taylor’s ‘A Secular Age’. Three issues manifest themselves as unsustainable in this secular model. First, is moral motivation, on what grounds (foundationally speaking) are you basing your morals? Second is obligation. What basis of moral obligation, that is to say what causes one to do one thing as opposed to another? Feelings can be fickle, and if they are the basis of moral obligations, they could vary with the tides. Finally, Keller states the third issue with ‘self-authorizing’ morality/justice, what he calls moral must. In other words, on what basis (again, foundationally) do we claim someone ‘must’ do-morally? Of course, Keller emphasizes the moral foundation of God and His Word as our defense against this narrative.

Finally Keller combines the history and rational narratives. These he said, “are linked in some ways.” Keller demonstrates that these are played out in one of two ways. First that science and reason will eventually ‘figure’ everything out and solve all our problems. Or, the opposite will occur, society will face a dystopian future, as Keller states, “There is a widespread pessimism that technology is destroying our privacy, dehumanizing us, and making us vulnerable to future terrorism and to exploitation on an unprecedented scale.” Keller’s advice as the preacher’s push back is to show God in the resurrection as the answer to the overtly optimistic or drudgingly pessimistic views, God will redeem and Keller said, “There is no reason for Christians to believe that every decade and stage in history will be better than the stage before, but we believe that all is being brought infallibly to a glorious end.” We have hope.

Keller ends this chapter with the pastorial advice, “Don’t be Daunted.” The task at hand, for all preachers (at every level) and teachers, is to share the Gospel to a culture (and the individuals within it) that needs it. Keller uses this verse, 1 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV) “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” This was said to a time that the cross and the doctrine of atonement made no sense to the 1st Century Culture, either. He also uses the illustration of Acts 17, Paul at Mars Hill, to illustrate that the ideas and philosophies of that day are gone, but the preaching of Gospel is still going on. I leave you with the last sentence in this chapter, “The philosophies of the world will come and go, rise and fall, but the wisdom we preach-the Word of God-will still be here.”

#preaching #TimKeller #witness #culturalnarratives