Old or New Paradigm? Or Both?

Thinking more about the new paradigm that I mentioned briefly in my previous post.

I was flipping back through some of my older "emergent" books recently and trying to get more of an idea of where I am in the midst of this whole modern/postmodern debate. It's important to note that the "new paradigm" isn't necessarily postmodernism but has elements of both periods.

I'll list the nutrients that are found in their respective "soils" that are the foundations for both Modern and Postmodern then list where I fall in relation to the soils. (Taken from Dan Kimball's book "The Emerging Church" pg. 61)

Modern Soil: monotheism, rational, religion, propositional, systemic, local, individualistic, truth
Postmodern Soil: pluralism, experiential, mystical, narrative, fluid, global, communal/tribal, preference

My Soil: monotheism, experiential, mystical, narrative, fluid, local, communal/tribal, truth

I am approximately 2/3 postmodern and 1/3 modern. I'll expound a bit on why I am where I am. Growing up, my experience was profoundly rooted in a monotheistic tradition and though I am accepting of a pluralistic thought I find that my rooted-ness comes back to a simple understanding of a trinitarian God. I place a greater emphasis on the experiential methods of learning and find that it offers me more insight than a rational/logical approach. If there was ever a category that I feel most "at home" it would be that of a mystic! Narratives, anecdotes and storytelling makes things more palatable for me. I despise the systemic "whole is greater than the sum of its parts" thought. I believe that often the sums of its parts must have fluidity to make the argument of the "whole" even a possibility. The next nutrient of local/global really depends more on where I am at the present. I consider my thought to be more of a hybrid "glocal" but still focusing more on the good of the local community/tribe. I break with most post moderns as it relates to truth because I still believe in absolute and knowable truth.

Another term that has been used is ancient future and I would say that I am somewhere to be found in that term as well. Again, I have to ask myself if my place is still in the church. Honestly, if it wasn't for that 1/3 of modern thought still apart of who I am, I'd have probably left the church altogether. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for people ten years younger than me that have grown up in a predominate post-modern way of thinking.

Hope this gives some insight when I speak of the new paradigm that we are stepping into but not there yet. We are in a liminal space.