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Andrew
Perriman
Open
Source Theology
1.
How do you define ‘postmodern’ in relation to
culture and theology?
I
would go along with the standard definitions of
postmodernism with a couple of reservations. In
the broadest sense postmodernism is characterized
by a shift from confidence about what we know to a
lack of confidence about what we know, from
uniformity and homogeneity in our value systems to
complexity and diversity, from systematic
constructions of truth to story-telling, from
regulation to deregulation, and so on.
My
first reservation is that this may be less a major
shift in worldview and more the accentuation of
certain cultural and philosophical traits that
have been present all along. I think we have to be
a bit suspicious of an intellectual construct that
has become so self-conscious and fashionable. In
many respects I think it makes more sense to see
postmodernism as a retreat
from a false rationalism, as the recovery of
intellectual humility, than as a progression beyond
modernism. My second reservation, related
to this, is that as believers I think we have
embraced postmodernism largely because it gives us
permission to voice our doubts and frustrations
and to explore alternative forms of Christian
self-understanding. The connection between these
two reservations is that traditional
evangelicalism has forced us to suppress much of
our natural inquisitiveness and common sense. Now
we have a good philosophical excuse to take the
lid off the box, but the real motivation is the
dissonance that we feel between what we are and
what we are expected to be.
Perhaps
what I am trying to say is that postmodernism is
not so much an abstract, impersonal philosophical
trend, although we tend to speak of it in such
terms: rather it masks various pragmatic cultural
and intellectual manoeuvres. We have to keep
asking ourselves, What are we trying to achieve
through our allegiance to this thing we call
postmodernism? I wonder if we haven’t created
postmodernism as a tool for dismantling the
pseudo-rationality and other distortions and
falsifications of much modern Christian thinking.
2.
How, if at all, do you see a postmodern reality
differing between the UK and the USA?
Not
sure about this. I wouldn’t want to comment in
general terms though I agree with the common
perception that Europe is more instinctively
postmodern than the USA – notwithstanding the
fact that most of the icons and brands of
postmodernism are produced in America. Perhaps the
biggest difference as far as theology is concerned
lies in the fact that the church in the UK is
culturally and politically weak whereas the church
in the US is relatively powerful. Postmodernism
is, one could argue, in the first place a critique
of power – a deconstruction of power –
especially of intellectual power. Where does that
lead us? I don’t know. Perhaps there is less
fear here but more boredom.
3.
What is ‘open source theology’ (ost) and what
do you see as its pros and cons?
The
idea behind open source theology is that the
church in the West is at a point historically
where it makes sense to do
theology collaboratively and transparently in the
context of a community of practice. I can
think of three main developments that have brought
us to this point. First, we have a high level of
lay ‘theological’ literacy, partly as a result
of the disciplines of traditional evangelicalism,
and partly (ironically) because a lot of people
have become disillusioned with the disciplines of
traditional evangelicalism and are strongly
motivated to construct an alternative. Secondly,
postmodernism has called into question the
legitimacy of the traditional institutionalized
method of producing and validating theological
thought. An open source theology operates outside
the official structures of evangelical scholarship
and publishing, which is especially important in
view of the power of mainstream marketing.
Thirdly, the internet in particular has provided
the technology for promiscuous, conversational lay
theologizing.
What’s
good about open source theology? It’s
collaborative, non-proprietorial, free,
contextualized, responsive, practical, and
passionate. What’s not so good? It’s
disorganized, slapdash, amateurish, irresponsible,
reckless, spasmodic, and pretentious.
4.
I love your ‘rules of engagement’. How
do you envision ‘ost’ developing in individual
communities?
I
am part of a widely dispersed community of
church-planters. On the whole, as a community, we
have responded positively and enthusiastically to
the new challenges posed by the emerging culture.
In fact, many of us feel we are simply catching up
with ourselves. However, we have noticed cracks
opening up in our theology, some of them quite
serious. There has been some panic, but there has
also been a quite deliberate and concerted attempt
to address the problems. We have put together a
small group of leaders who have the time,
inclination, training and experience to work
through some of the issues raised by the task of
creating communities of faith for an emerging
culture. The aim is to meet together two or three
times a year, present papers, and discuss them. We
are also in contact via email and a website. I do
not imagine that we will produce anything like a
coherent and comprehensive theology, but I am
certain that we are slowly and tentatively
developing an ‘implicit’ theology in this way
– a theology, a way of speaking about God, that
is responsive to our peculiar circumstances and
instincts.
5.
How do you see ost developing a positive biblical
understanding?
This
is very important. There’s a lot of ‘postmodern’
theological discussion going around the web, but
it seems to be driven mostly by philosophical and
cultural concerns; very little of it is rooted in
a careful, critical, intelligent reading of the
Bible. We still seem to assume that we know what
the Bible is saying. But that knowledge, for most
of us, has been formed by a rather outmoded,
dogmatically motivated method of interpretation.
There appears to be a sort of postmodern prejudice
against biblical study at work here, probably
because it is so characteristic of ‘modern’
evangelicalism with its obsession with expository
sermons and proof texts. There is undoubtedly a
need to forget how we used to do things before we
start doing them again, but an authentically Christian
theology, whether modern or postmodern, must be
honestly grounded in the texts that relate and
interpret the life of Israel’s Christ.
There
has to be a much more serious rereading of
Scripture, but that naturally begs a question: whose
rereading? You could argue that
postmodernism encourages a pluralistic reading of
Scripture. I think we are vulnerable to that
because we have been in thrall to a highly
dogmatic, a-historical method of reading that
derives its authority from the evangelical
magisterium. We need to develop instead a more
plausible, self-evident, historically oriented
hermeneutic. Maybe I’m being naïve, but I think
that a powerful retelling of the biblical stories
is still waiting to emerge from this whole
process.
6.
How do you see ‘ost’ working with the
historical, and the mystical, aspects of
Christianity in a postmodern world?
I
come from a biblical studies background so I don’t
personally have the skills necessary to integrate
historical and experiential perspectives into the
open source theology that has appeared so far on
the website. But there is no reason in principle
why these aspects should not be included. I think
that the current postmodern ‘awakening’, if
that is not too grand a term for it, compels us to
rethink who we are, what we believe, what we
doing, right across the board. I suspect that
postmodernism will allow us to develop a much more
generous and inclusive and celebratory
understanding of different historical and mystical
traditions. It will also make us more aware,
however, of how history and personal experience
can be manipulated in the interests of a dominant
worldview or culture.
7.
I love your site, why did you create it and where
do you see it in 10 years?
Thank
you. Why did I create the site? I guess basically
because I am convinced that the church needs a new
theology and that the ‘open source’ concept
offers an intriguing and fruitful model for
achieving that goal. I think it is important that
we get away from the production-consumption model
of theology – theology produced by experts,
retailed by pastors and teachers, and passively
consumed by church-goers. Christians have stopped
thinking about what they believe. The open source
model allows for a participatory, conversational
process which, I hope, will help to reconnect
believers both with the grounds of their faith and
with the wider cultural and intellectual
environment.
On
this last point, I think it is of enormous
importance that we develop an extrovert
rather than an introvert theology. Too much of our
theology is generated by internal debates and
quarrels, which merely reinforces the isolationism
and irrelevance of the Christian mind. We must
learn to do theology along the border between the
Christian worldview and the various non-Christian
worldviews that we encounter. I think we must
allow mission, in the broadest sense, to determine
the agenda for the task of rethinking Christian
truth.
I
don’t know where ‘open source theology’ will
be in ten years time. Quite possibly nowhere –
after all, it’s only really a metaphor for a way
of thinking together. But I hope that we will see
emerging from the countless conversations that are
taking place in the sphere of postmodern theology
a renewed, flexible, creative, compelling ‘orthodoxy’
that will make good sense both inside and outside
the church.
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Andrew
Perriman. I've been around the world a bit in the
last 20 years, living in the Far East, Africa,
Holland, the Middle East, and finally London. I've
combined theological research and writing with an ad
hoc pastoral and missionary ministry. How
have I managed that? Well, my wife works in the
oil industry. Enough said.
Apart
from a number of academic articles, I have written
a book on Paul's views on women called Speaking
of Women: Interpreting Paul, published by IVP
in the UK in 1998, available from amazon.co.uk,
and I am just finishing off a book on the Word of
Faith movement. I am also working with a
church-planting organization called Christian
Associates International, planning a church plant
for the emerging culture in London. You can find
out more at www.christianassociates.org.uk/london
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