Modernity and Post-modernity

Of worldviews and paradigms

All of us understand the world we live in through something called a ‘worldview’ or a ‘macro-paradigms’. Our worldview/paradigm is a framework that allows us to make sense of what happens in life and why it happens. It shapes beliefs, values and culture from an individual’s level to a societal level, and even a global level. However, the interesting thing about our ‘worldview’ is that we cannot quite define it in statements, nor are we consciously aware of it. It is a bit like looking at the world through a pair of contact lens in our eyes. The world is seen through these lenses, yet if we do not think about it, we will not realize the contact lenses are there.

We live in an era where change is the only constant in life. With this acknowledgement of change, we must realize that our framework to understanding of reality changes as well, from one way to another. It is suggested that paradigms (worldviews) go through a period of fundamental change every three to five hundred years. The transition from an old paradigm to a new paradigm is not abrupt.  A new paradigm often has its pioneers/initiators who still operate in the old paradigm.

As paradigms change, the ‘old’ paradigm does not completely disappear. To make matters more complicated, due to the nature of paradigm changes as mentioned above, many of us actually find ourselves committed to more than one paradigm at the same time, ie. many of us today may find ourselves understanding the world, thinking and working in terms of two paradigms at once.

As Christian students, it is helpful and important to be aware of our worldview and its changes, because it brings to conscious awareness the trends and cultures of our times. It also helps us see our blind spots, baggage and assumptions to many things in life, even in the understanding of the God Himself, the gospel message we bear, our understanding of mission and how we practice our ministry.

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