Reflections on post-modernism or some such

As I reflect on the time in Toulouse at the two meetings lots of quotes stick on my mind in a rather garbled sort of way - as well as in a rather scribbled way on bits of papers that I noted things on while people were talking. One in particular has set me off thinking this evening, "As the world shrinks I need a stronger definition of myself."

I wonder about this and what it means for the way we human beings make sense of our lives today. Does it mean that each of us needs to become more shrill in the way we talk about ourselves and about what gives us meaning; does it mean that groups of us who believe the same thing will perforce become more forceful in defining who we are, more demanding perhaps; does it mean that there will more tension as a result of this ,or less?

Hmmm … lots of questions and I'm not sure I have very real answers. As a liberal, post enlightenment, European, feminist kind of Christian I've often found post-modernism rather attractive and quite helpful. I dare say it also appeals to someone with my magpie type mind as well. I've also found it a useful way of coping, philosophically at least, with surfeits of religious guilt. That probably needs some unpacking but I'm not sure I'm able to do that at this time of night. I suppose post-modernity at its most extreme would be to say that nothing anymore has any meaning - neither humanism nor religion nor morality, perhaps not even post modernity itself.

I think my version of post modernity is about trying to hold disparate bits and pieces of life together in some way which does make sense and give meaning. Somewhere I suspect that the meaning I seek involves radical inclusivity and acceptance but also clear denunciation of injustice. Within that search prayer and reading the Bible have been and remain very important to me - oh no I might actually be a traditionalist at heart!

You will have noticed from these musings that I'm not very good at philosophy. Years ago I invited a young theology student back to my flat for Sunday lunch and wowed him with my erudition about Walter Benjamin and German philosophy - I'd just read a book on the subject by my German tutor (who I of course fancied and hoped to entice with my knowledge!) - 24 years later Stephen is still waiting for a continuation of that particular conversation and has had to sit through many a boring and not doubt trite sermon in the process. Ah the seduction of philosophy...

Perhaps there is hope in the shrinking and sometimes frightening world that we will find a way forwards that allows both for strong self-definition and for equally strong true understanding and openness to others. Maybe that is part of what ecumenism is about.