Why is it that conservative Christian values seem so unthinkable to the modern secular mind? At the Basics Conference held on Tuesday May 12 at Parkside Church, Timothy Keller gave a breakout session entitled “Preaching to the Cultural Heart.” The session examined the philosophical undercurrents of our post-modern society and arguably contained the most insightful material of the conference.
To set the stage for his message, Keller quickly outlined Christianity’s flowering in West from 500 to 1500 A.D., the secularization of the intelligentsia from 1500-1900, and the continuing proliferation of secular thought in the West following World War I and beginning in Europe. He then presented “Five Cultural Narratives Common in the Twenty-First Century West,” each a part of the superstructure of secular philosophy dominant in our culture:
“The Identity Narrative” – Also known as “Expressive Individualism,” this philosophy is characterized by the motto, “be yourself.” Keller revealed how contrary this philosophy is to traditional values. According to traditional values, individuals sacrificed their personal desires so that they could fulfill their various roles. For a man this meant that his roles as husband, father, businessman, citizen, etc. were his ultimate priorities, and other desires were subordinate to these. Conversely, those who adhere to expressive individualism eschew traditional values in lieu of the higher goal of fulfilling their concepts of self-identity.
“The Truth Narrative” – Also known as “Self-Authorizing Morality,” this narrative is characterized by the saying, “Only I know what is right for me.” Keller explained that those adhering to this personal moral authority believe “hate is you not supporting me in my own moral values.”
“The Freedom Narrative”— Also known as “The Modern Moral Order,” this narrative is characterized by the belief that individuals should be free to live in any manner they choose as long as it doesn’t cause any harm to others. Those holding to this narrative believe that only one real virtue exists, “choice,” and conversely that only one real sin exists, “limiting choice.”
“The Science and Technology Narrative” – Birthed by the Enlightenment, this philosophy is grounded in the belief that only that which is based upon science, fact, and empiricism (knowledge that is based upon experience gained through the senses) can bring real solutions for life.
“The History Narrative” – This narrative is a familiar part of the conservative-liberal debate regarding same-sex marriage, as those on the left simply say of the opposition, “you’re on the wrong side of history.”
At the conference, Keller encouraged pastors to “vaccinate” their congregations by exposing the falsehood of these philosophies through their preaching. He stressed that this is critical in our time as we seek to teach biblical theology and form disciples who hold a thoroughly Christian worldview.
Notably, Keller mentioned that this material would be included in his new book due out on June 9, Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism. Since Keller is fan of C.S. Lewis, it will be interesting to see if he references The Abolition of Man, where Lewis refers to postmodernism as the “dehumanizing“ of society. Lewis’s book, written in the 1940s, established that traditional values are always rooted in a higher authority. Regardless, Keller’s new book is sure to be beneficial reading not only for preaching pastors but for all church staff.
Keller, Timothy. Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Viking, 2015.
Lewis, C.S. The Abolition of Man. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.