I have a vision of a future generation, men and women who are not sure what is true and false, who could not begin to grasp what is important in their world. They sit around trying to figure out what life is about, with discussions that do not produce answers. They have no will to fight for right because they are not certain about what is right and wrong. They have lost touch of a transcendent reality, therefore there is no faith to be found. 

     Many wll blame the dilemma of this generation on postmodernism, which I will define (this is not comprehensive) as the attitude of suspicion towards metanarratives. An example of postmodern iconoclasm is the movie Shrek. They made the savior figure, brave prince charming, into a bumbling villain and having the ogre, who used his wits, become the one to save the princess who can hold her own in a fight. The story of a helpless princess being saved by a brave prince is lambasted in this movie.

     In a way, the postmodernists have a point. Ideologies have told us what will make us happy, but they end up not delivering. Marxists say that if wealth is given to all the people collectively, then the class war will be over and we will be a better society. The fall of communism belies that claim. Advertisers tell us that buying certain products will make us more popular and attractive. Despite the images, Nike shoes won't make anybody better basketball players. Comfort may help performance but it will not increase skill. Postmodern thought reminds us that under the sun, absolutist claims must be questioned.

    However, the problem with most postmodern thought is its denial of the voice of God. God has spoken and has told us what will make us happy as individuals and as a society. That is the voice we must listen to and all other voices must humble themselves and refrain from dogmatism. God's voice is transcendent and he sees all of reality. All we see are phenomenon and our theories try to make sense of those phenomenon (e.g. evlutionary theory tries to explain how humans came to be). How do we know the voice of God? Through the Bible, which is the story of God and his actions in history on behalf of his people. Many see the bible as just another voice under the sun, something bound by human existence. I see the bible's fulfilled prophecies as evidence of a voice beyond the voice of the men who wrote its words. Jesus, the one who died and rose again, saw the scriptures as the voice of his father, the creator and sustainer of the universe.      

     Another problem with most postmodern thought is its disrespect towards tradition. Some denominations are questioning whether the historical church's position concerning homosexual pratice is wrong. Although it is possible that older generations are wrong, it must be remembered that they are unanimous in their condemnation of homosexual practice  and they have also reflected on the same scriptures that we have. Some denominations are willing to throw away that clear witness of history for the purpose of making the church acceptable to a certain segment of humanity. The result is a church that just echoes what the sinful world wants to hear. No wonder those who are looking for transcedence are losing interest. Another result is a church that does not reflect the humility of the Lord who humbled himsef before his father, being born as a man and giving himself for many.

     If we are to be effective in guiding the future generation, we need to recover a committment to listening to the clear voice of God and the humility towards our ancestors who imparted to us their wisdom. Although the world has changed in some ways, the heart issues remain the same. All generations of the church have reflected on the question of how to live faithfully in this world. It behooves us to listen to them. When our children asks us questions like- why do I need to wait for marriage to have sex, why should I be nice to this person, etc., we need to be able to stand up and say this is what God says will give you peace and our ancestors have found this to be true. Although the world may say that there are many legitimate voices, let us tell our children that God has spoken and his voice stands above all voices.