Sept. 22, 2010
For Immediate Release
By Tawny Vilchis, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Dr. Shane Garrison, assistant professor of educational ministries at Campbellsville University, explored the central components of postmodernism and evaluated five specific impacts upon Millennial Christianity at a lecture Sept. 13 at Campbellsville University.
Garrison addressed the five specific impacts upon Millennial Christianity which included: the exclusivity of Christ as the only means of salvation, the absolute truth of the Bible, the ethical and moral boundaries governed by scripture, the mandate for evangelism in postmodern world and the act of being lovingly corrective.
When speaking about the exclusivity of Christ as the only means of salvation Garrison said, “To the postmodernist, the exclusivity of Christ is the most dangerous claim. There are only two options in the world: those who are saved and those who are lost.” He said this after reading John 14:6 and Acts 4:12 from the Bible.
He asked: “What about the Jews? Are you saying that all Jews will spend eternity in Hell after all they have been through, after all the atrocities that have been done to them?” He said this sentiment would make any postmodern thinking Christian nervous. “Millennial Christians will struggle continually with this biblical teaching,” Garrison said.
When speaking about the absolute truth of the Bible, with truth having a capital T, Garrison said, “The issue for Millennial Christians is whether or not they will continue to embrace scripture as divinely inspired by God, inerrant, infallible and absolutely truthful from Genesis to Revelation.”
He said, “Most will choose to select and dissect which portions they want to believe as true and disregard those sections they choose are unsuitable for their life.”
When speaking about the ethical and moral boundaries governed by scripture, Garrison said, “To call anyone a sinner means that there is an absolute authority dividing right from wrong, black from white, and when we break that authority we are breaking the laws of God.”
When giving an example of this authority, Garrison shared a short statement that he tells his class at the beginning of every class session. He said, “I will never call you a sinner, but you can call me one. Because that is exactly what I am.”
When speaking about the mandate for evangelism in a postmodern world, Garrison described two problems. The first is that Millennial Christians love and serve their neighbor but are careful not to offend them.
He said, “Many Millennial Christians practice relational or servant evangelism which seeks to build bridges with unbelievers leading to an opportunity to share.” When the Millennial Christian shares the objective truth they fear that the friendship will be damaged.
Garrison said, when speaking about the Act of being lovingly corrective, “Postmodern thinking Millennial Christians are truly confused in how they are to hold each other accountable to sin and personal disobedience without being viewed as critical and intolerant.”
Garrison warns to use caution when keeping your brothers and sisters in Christ accountable. He said, “You will become a status update on Facebook and will be criticized for being judgmental, intolerant, ‘Holier than Thou' and an absolute hypocrite because you have sin in your life and no one is calling you out.”
Garrison challenged the audience as Christians to turn our hearts toward God.
Bayarmagnai “Max” Nergui, a graduate student who attended the lecture, said, “The lecture was impressive. There were people sitting on the floor and standing against all of the walls. I wasn't expecting a crowd like that.”
Garrison's address was part of the School of Theology's Biblical and Theological Lectures.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 45 undergraduate programs, 16 master's degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.