WHAT IS METAMODERN SPIRITUALITY?

Metamodernism (sometimes known as post-postmodernism) in very simple terms it looks like this:

· Pre-modern: Life is seen through a somewhat mythical lens. There’s a natural world and a supernatural world and everything revolves around “man”.

· Modern: The scientific worldview prevails. Nothing is real except that which can be objectively verified.

· Postmodern: There is no such thing as objective truth. All knowing is constructed by each individual through their own life perspective and biases.

· Metamodern: Considers each pre-modern, modern, and postmodern approaches to have some validity.

o Pre-modern thought appreciates that there is more to the universe than can be verified through the senses.

o Modernism provides a valuable tool for discernment.

o Modernism provides the thinking and logic to balance feeling and intuition.

o Metamodernism points out that all perceptions are a matter of personal perspective, even so-called “objective” observations.

So metamodernism (at least by my definition) says that there is a Truth, but we can only get glimpses of it. There is a spiritual reality; there is a physical reality. But we can only know our own skewed version of these realities. But they are infinitely worth exploring. Not only are we enriched by exploring them (pre-modern and modern), but we are enriched by exploring our own perception of them, and the perception of others (postmodern).

This website is a sharing of my post-postmodern musings. As a contemplative Christian I embrace the rich pre-modern wisdom of my faith. As a retired scholar I embrace the rigors of scholarly inquiry. And as a world citizen I challenge my own perspectives, and I seek the wisdom of different cultures and religions.

THE BASICS OF FAITH CRISES

I would like to begin with a few definitions:

Spirituality. Your perception of “the larger picture” or structure of the universe, and your sense of how you relate to this.

Religion. A human social institution designed to codify and nurture the spiritual experiences of a group of people with a similar spirituality.

Faith. Your negotiation between your spirituality and your religion.

Therefore, a person doesn’t “lose their faith”.

When a person’s spirituality and religion are out of sync, a faith disequilibrium is felt.

Faith negotiates this disequilibrium in one of several ways:

Suppressing spirituality in order to align with one’s religion
Rejecting one’s religion in order to allow spiritual expression.
Seeking out a religion that is compatible with one’s spirituality
Seeking out a deeper experience in one’s current religion

One more definition:

Crisis – an event or state in which one’s worldview becomes untenable. Your basic assumptions are proving to be flawed or inadequate. “Crisis” has the same root as “crossroads”. You are encountering evidence that suggests that you must turn down one road or another. You can no longer remain in your current state.

EVERYBODY HAS A “RELIGION”

Taken in it’s broadest sense, religion is the social support system of a person’s spirituality. Of course, if you are a Methodist, you seek out Methodist churches for support. But if you are an atheist, you still seek out communities of like-minded people to share your thoughts with and provide support. If you have absolutely no interest in spiritual or philosophical matters and you live for football, you are still adhering to a world view, specifically that happiness and meaning is based on the combination of intelligence, skill and physical prowess. There is order to existence (the rules) and there are rituals (the game, the pre-game and post-game activities, and the talk shows throughout the week).

I’m not being trite here.
Whether we are self-reflective or not, we all have a spirituality, if you will accept my definition above.

RELIGION AS WISH FULFILLMENT

Freud maintained that religion is nothing more than projecting our fears and desires outward onto a fictional “super-parent”. Freud was astute with his observations. Sometimes his interpretations are a bit suspect.

Ancient Christian mystics observed much the same, except they didn’t feel God was fictitious. They believed that God is obscured by our psychological needs. We want God to be the super-parent that makes us feel safe and gives us wonderful gifts. God is good, but God is not an extension of your wonderful parents, nor the perfect parent you never had.

A spiritual crisis can occur when you trust, hope and love a mask that you have created and placed on God.