Skip to main content

Storytellers

In "Who's Afraid of Postmodernism", James K. A. Smith breaks down some commonly miscontrued "bumper sticker" views of Postmodern thinkers Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault and puts them in their proper contexts to help believers understand how postermodernism can actually help revitalize the Church. One of the "bumper stickers" Smith seeks to recontextualize for us is Jean-Francois Lyotard's claim that "Postmoderism is incredulity towards metanarratives". This statement seems, on the surface, to reject the Biblical narrative as being a source of reliable truth, but Smith breaks down Lyotard's thought process to show that storytelling is at the core of all belief systems. The issue is whether or not the story can be validated in itself or needs outside validation to be counted as sound. The "metanarrative" is such that is relies on something outside itself (another narrative) in order to be validated. The Bible, therefore, is not metanarrative, however, it is narrative. "...the biblical narrative and Christian faith claim to be legitimated not by an appeal to a universal, autonomous reason but rather by an appeal to faith" (Smith, 68). Smith goes on to unpack Lyotard's claim as supporting Christianity since Christianity is a religion based on narrative and storytelling: "By calling into question the very ideal of universal, autonomous reason (which was, in the Enlightenment, the basis for rejecting religious thought) and further demonstrating that all knowledge is grounded in narrative or myth, Lyotard relativizes (secular) philosophy's claim to autonomy and so grants the legitimacy of a philosophy that grounds itself in Christian faith" (Smith, 73). Smith ends the chapter by declaring that "Our storytelling should be supported by our story living" (Smith, 79), a challenge to all of us that what we proclaim should be backed up by how we live.

This particular chapter caught my attention and reinspired a thought that had crossed my mind months before: the importance of storytelling in the Christian faith. Smith makes this remark about the Bible: "...isn't it curious that God's revelation to humanity is given not as a collection of propositions or facts but rather within a narrative-- a grand sweeping story from Genesis to Revelation" (Smith, 74)? How often do we limit our faith "to biblical information that can be encapsulated and encoded" (Smith, 74)? How often do we forget the story God has weaved in our lives to bring us to Him? How often do we think we're spiritually "okay" because we know Scripture and theology but don't let it affect how we live?

I used to say I wish I had a better testimony. Something that radically demonstrated God's power to redeem. My mother pointed out to me a powerful truth: "God has the power to keep, and the power to save." Just because I don't have a "storied" past that exemplifies God's amazing power to redeem from addictions or the like doesn't mean that I don't have a powerful story. Keep that in mind: we all have a story, and God has given it to us for a reason. Your experiences, your struggles, your mistakes, your shame, your heartache has all been allowed to enter your life for a purpose: to bring you and those you come in contact with to Christ. The Christian life is one of stories: stories of redemption, stories of healing, stories of forgiveness, stories of triumph, stories of reconciliation, stories of hope. What's your story? How does God want to use your story to bring others to Him? Are you living your story, or just simply telling it?

Next time you think God can't use your story, read about Joseph or Abraham or Jonah or Job. Read about the martyrs in the early church or Christians like Corrie ten Boom during the holocaust who risked everything who the sake of bringing Christ to others. Your story matters. Your story can make a difference. How are you going to let your story end?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Come Just As You Are

Growing up in church I’ve always heard the phrase, “Come just as you are” thrown around but I’ve never really thought about what this means. As I was worshipping in service Sunday morning, the meaning hit me. God is holy, yes, so we should never enter His presence in a flippant manner, but with reverence and humility. However, God is also merciful and longs to meet us where we are, in our sinfulness, our brokenness, and even in our doubt. The power of coming into the presence of a holy, merciful God in the right spirit and bringing all our baggage is an encounter with this God who has the ability and desire to change us from who we were to who He wants us to be: a whole, joyful, righteous individual full of the life God intends for us and free from everything that keeps us in oppression and bondage. It in worship and in the presence of God Almighty that transformation is possible. During the MOVE conference as Asbury Theological Seminary this past week, this reality became more evident...
Post a Comment
Read more

Seasons

It wasn’t your typical staff meeting. There was some discussion on what was going on with the residents we ministered to, but the focus of this meeting was edifying the staff. Our director started off discussing how there are various seasons in our life. There are some seasons where God must cut things out of our lives and when there has to be death; these seasons are often painful and confusing. We’ve all walked through these seasons when God seemed to be weeding out everything in our lives. In these times, it is often difficult to see the purpose. It can often feel lonely and like God is abandoning or punishing us. But then follows seasons of growth and life; times when He lovingly replaces the things he cut away with newness, hope, and joy. Most often, we see these seasons manifest through our relationships. It’s common as we grow up and move on in our lives to naturally grow apart from childhood friends and maybe even family. But there are more painful moments when people in ou...
Post a Comment
Read more

God doesn't need defending

I love one on one conversations. It's very fueling and inspiring for me. I find, very often, that it is during such interactions with others that God speaks to me. Today I had one of those encounters during a conversation with a good friend from church. We were discussing the issue of grace and sin and whether or not someone can still be identified with his or her sin after coming to Christ. For example, can someone who is a recovering alcoholic or who has same-sex attraction sincerely be a follower of Jesus Christ? Well, I posited the explanation that Scripturally, someone cannot accept Christ as their Redeemer and continue in a life of sin. Paul is emphatic about this throughout Romans 6 (for instance, verses 1-2  Well then, shall we go on sinning so that grace may abound? Absolutely not! We died to sin, how can we continue to live in?). It is a mockery of Christ's sacrifice to free us from the bondage of sin to continue in it. Galatians 5: 1 declares that "it is for fre...
Post a Comment
Read more