Postmodernism is a difficult worldview to define — which is to be expected as it is far more about our limits in knowing rather than our capacity to know. James Sire, in The Universe Next Door, writes, “Postmodernists are antirealists; they deny that there is any known or knowable connection between what we think and say with what is actually there.” The simple version? Truth is what you feel — regardless of the facts. Moral relativism is postmodern thought applied to ethics.
Christian thinkers have been warning about the dangers of moral relativism for decades now. For a long time, I thought these fears were overblown. Often the same people who claim “All truth is relative!” are the same who happily denounce others as evil or hateful. It turns out: reality forces us to act as if absolutes exist. So is relativism really so dangerous?
I was radically wrong about relativism being innocuous, but I wasn’t wrong in the way I expected.
Our culture hasn’t become “whatever floats your boat.” Rather, everyone, right and left, is happy to assert their preferences and feelings as the truth that ought to apply to everyone else. Debate and discussion is impossible. No amount of logic or persuasion or new information can make us feel differently. We try to post-hoc & after-the-fact justify our feelings by cherry-picking data or rationale, but true discussion has been ignored like a one-hit wonder.
The net result? Tribal warfare. The extremes of all sides justify violence — via riots or insurrections or uniformed officers — to assuage their feelings and assert power and control. Both sides justify statements praising the death of their enemies, at home and abroad, satisfying our animal instincts. Both sides happily critique the other’s “fake news” and justify their own as “humor” or “for the common good” or “negotiating tactics.” Christians, too, excuse ideas and behavior that doesn’t at all fit with the standards of Christ.
The problem goes deeper still. No longer do we distinguish between our noble emotions and our base ones. As long as I love my team and hate “the enemy,” what does it matter? We no longer celebrate honor or character or beauty — we’ve confused them with strength and winning and kitsch.
Deeper yet: once you define truth by your feelings, truth becomes what is most comfortable for you. Empathy and compassion become unimportant. Criticizing others always feels nicer on our self-esteem than introspection, legislating against others better than shepherding our own souls, and legalistic tribalism better than holiness. Our feelings aren’t evil, but they most certainly will lie. Relativism is corrosive to our souls.
This isn’t particularly a new problem. The book of Judges describes a time like this for the nation of Israel: “all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (Judges 21:25) Israel had been given a Law reflecting the very character of God, but they chose to sell it to purchase their own preferences. It wasn’t the first time, either: years before, a happy couple listened to a serpent, justifying their choices by what they felt was right. The same story continues throughout human history.
Surprisingly, the solution to moral relativism does not come from trying to enforce moral absolutes. You can’t argue with a person’s feelings.
The solution is grace.
Jesus’ grace doesn’t just side-step the values of the world. He doesn’t try balance Himself in the middle. He up-ends it all. He is His own standard. “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44) “Blessed are the merciful.” (Matthew 5:7) “Blessed are the peacemakers.” (Matthew 5:9) “You will perish, too, unless you repent.” (Luke 13:3) “If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) “Store your treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:20) “Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.“ (Matthew 6:12) “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38)
The crazy thing is: it doesn’t matter how relativist your morality is. Sooner or later, you (or someone close to you) doesn’t measure up. You hurt someone, or they hurt you. Things don’t go the way you expect. Then what?
Jesus says, “Come, follow Me.” (Mark 1:17)
We have done nothing but fall short of Jesus’ standards, just like we don’t meet our own. His response is neither excusing our misbehavior nor disgust and rejection. Rather, it is the ultimate act of grace: taking the consequence we deserve and paying it Himself. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)
That kind of grace means that I’m no longer in competition with my neighbor about whose feelings are most important. I know how deep my own problems go, and I instead celebrate the blessings Jesus has given me.
Our society, our politics, is full of relativism — feelings masquerading as policy, power-seeking pretending to be piety. Fighting darkness with darkness will not win. Instead, we must turn to Jesus: the way, the truth, and the life.
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