“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33, ESV). In an age where confusion about truth reigns, the Church faces a philosophical threat unlike any before: postmodernism. While persecution and criticism have long challenged the Church, today’s battle is ideological. Postmodernism, with its emphasis on deconstruction and subjective truth, has infiltrated universities, churches, and culture at large. Yet, the Church stands firm—not on shifting philosophies, but on the unchanging foundation of Jesus Christ, who is the Truth (John 14:6).
What Is Postmodernism?
Postmodernism is a reaction against the Enlightenment’s confidence in reason and objective truth. It is characterized by skepticism toward metanarratives, suspicion of language, and a belief that truth is socially constructed.¹ Stewart Kelly summarizes postmodernism’s core tenets: it challenges reason, denies stable identity, and views truth as a human construct.²
This shift is evident in the transition from René Descartes to Jacques Derrida. Descartes emphasized rational certainty (“I think, therefore I am”), while Derrida, the father of deconstruction, famously claimed, “There is nothing outside the text.”³ This radical textualism undermines the authority of Scripture by treating it as mere human literature, devoid of divine authorship.⁴
Deconstruction and Subjective Truth
Deconstruction, a key postmodern concept, questions the stability of meaning in texts. Applied to Scripture, it desacralizes the Bible, reducing divine revelation to human interpretation.⁵ This has led to the rise of “faith deconstruction,” where individuals publicly renounce Christianity, often celebrated as liberating rather than tragic.
Closely tied to deconstruction is the idea of subjective truth. Postmodernism asserts that truth is relative—shaped by culture, psychology, and personal experience. Gene Edward Veith notes that even among evangelical Christians, many no longer believe in absolute truth.⁶ This relativism has led to widespread theological confusion, where Jesus is seen not as “the Truth,” but merely “a truth.”
Postmodernism in Culture and the Church
Postmodernism’s influence is most visible in academia. Universities have become breeding grounds for relativism, rejecting essentialism and universal explanations.⁷ Even Christian institutions are not immune. As Scott Smith observes, Christian scholars trained in secular settings often import postmodern assumptions into theology.⁸
The Church has also felt the effects. Many believers now interpret Scripture through a postmodern lens, prioritizing personal preference over biblical authority. Debates over marriage, sexuality, and morality often reflect cultural relativism rather than scriptural fidelity.⁹ The authority of God’s Word is being replaced by the authority of the self.
The Biblical Foundation for Objective Truth
In contrast to postmodernism, Scripture presents truth as objective, stable, and rooted in God’s nature. The psalmist declares, “Into your hands I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth” (Psalm 31:5, NKJV). Jesus affirms, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Truth is not merely a concept—it is a person.
The Hebrew word for truth, ’emet, conveys ideas of stability and reliability.¹⁰ In the New Testament, aletheia retains this meaning, referring to conformity to reality and the revelation of God in Christ.¹¹ Jesus embodies truth, and the Holy Spirit is called “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17).¹² Truth is not subjective—it is divine.
Jesus: The Truth Incarnate
Jesus’ claim to be “the Truth” is not metaphorical. It is a declaration of His divine identity. He is not one truth among many; He is the Truth itself. Paul Gould explains that Jesus claimed the divine name “I AM” (John 8:58), equating Himself with Yahweh.¹³ Robert Mounce adds that truth is not merely propositional but personal—Jesus is the embodiment of ultimate reality.¹⁴
Responding to Postmodernism
To stand firm against postmodernism, we must expose its weaknesses. Its denial of objective truth is self-defeating—it makes an absolute claim while denying absolutes.¹⁵ Heath White notes that postmodernism offers no alternative to reason, only skepticism.¹⁶ Moreover, its relativism collapses under scrutiny. As C.S. Lewis observed, even those who deny moral absolutes appeal to fairness when wronged.¹⁷
Truth is not what we make it; it is what God reveals. As James writes, “He chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (James 1:18). Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Church must reclaim this truth—not as a cultural artifact, but as the living reality of God.
References
- Millard J. Erickson, The Postmodern World: Discerning the Times and the Spirit of Our Age (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002), 19.
- Stewart E. Kelly, Understanding Postmodernism: A Christian Perspective (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017), 5–6.
- Jacques Derrida, Writing and Difference (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978), 279.
- James K. A. Smith, Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism? (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 47.
- Ibid., 47.
- Gene Edward Veith and Marvin Olasky, Postmodern Times (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1994), 14.
- Erickson, The Postmodern World, 20.
- R. Scott Smith, Truth and the New Kind of Christian (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 72.
- Ibid.
- Walter A. Elwell, Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001), 1219.
- Douglas Groothuis, Truth Decay (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 60–62.
- D. M. Crump, “Truth,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, ed. Joel B. Green et al. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992), 859.
- Paul M. Gould et al., Stand Firm (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2018), 90.
- David E. Garland, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts, vol. 10 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 561.
- F. David Farnell, “Postmodernism and the Gospels,” The Master’s Seminary Journal 31, no. 2 (2020): 313.
- Heath White, Postmodernism 101 (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006), 41.
- C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1960), 19.
Bibliography
Crump, D. M. “Truth.” In Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, edited by Joel B. Green et al. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.
Derrida, Jacques. Writing and Difference. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1978.
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2001.
Erickson, Millard J. The Postmodern World. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2002.
Farnell, F. David. “Postmodernism and the Gospels.” The Master’s Seminary Journal 31, no. 2 (2020): 301–19.
Garland, David E. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts, Vol. 10. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011.
Gould, Paul M., Travis Dickinson, and R. Keith Loftin. Stand Firm. Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2018.
Groothuis, Douglas R. Truth Decay. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Kelly, Stewart E. Understanding Postmodernism. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017.
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York: Macmillan, 1960.
Smith, James K. A. Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism? Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.
Smith, R. Scott. Truth and the New Kind of Christian. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005.
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