- The final characteristic of the Postmodern worldview that we will highlight in our Fast Facts series is how religious truth has moved from the rational to the mystical.
- With the Postmodern shift away from objective truth and absolutes based on reason and Divine revelation, many in Postmodern culture have embraced a renewed mysticism: seeking mystical, supernatural experiences or encounters with the Divine.
- Postmodernism has declared that religious truth is not discovered through the rational study of Divine revelation (the Bible), but is truly experienced through mystical, personal encounters with the spiritual realm.
- This is why in recent years we’ve seen an explosion of interest in non-traditional religions, especially non-Western religions, which emphasize the interaction of men and women with the spiritual realm. Eastern philosophy, Yoga, Wicca, and many other New Age and Occult practices are exploding in popularity today, all offering humanity a unique spiritual experience or mystical encounter with the Divine.
- This move from the rational to the mystical is even happening within the church today, as more and more churches are deemphasizing the role of Scripture and instead elevating various experiential forms of “worship”. For many churches today, Bible studies and sermons are devalued, and mystical practices like contemplative prayer, walking prayer labyrinths, and Yoga mediation are highlighted as means to providing congregants with a unique spiritual experience.
- While spiritual experiences are not bad in and of themselves, when removed from a basis in God’s word, spiritual experiences have a tremendous ability to deceive and draw people away from the truth. This is why Christians are admonished to stand firm and hold fast to the Word of God (2 Thess. 2:15); for only God’s word gives us an objective basis by which we can judge whether or not a spiritual practice or experience is in line with His will for our lives.
For more information on many of the mystical, spiritual practices that are being elevated in our Postmodern culture today, please check out Dr. Carlson’s book Fast Facts on False Teachings, available in our online store.