Postmodernism is a word that’s been getting a lot of attention lately. The word is being used in theological and sociological circles as a label to describe our current culture. But perhaps it refers better to a certain subset of our culture, the younger generation that thinks and acts differently than the rest of us. So, since we’re hearing the term more and more, and because we want to understand what young people are thinking, we ought to know what it means. The problem is, however, that postmodernism is hard to define.
It’s difficult to define postmodernism because it’s not really an organized system of thought at all! It has more to do with what its proponents stand against than what they stand for. You could say that postmodernism is a reaction against, or a drift beyond, modernism. In other words, the younger generation has become increasingly disenchanted and disenfranchised with the modern way. They have lost faith in modern formulas and modern convictions about truth, values, and other important elements of what we believe.
For example, modernism is all about symmetry and balance in art or architecture. But postmodernism is asymmetrical. For moderns, all truth is absolute. But for postmoderns, truth is relative. Moderns still have firm convictions about life, while postmoderns have lost all conviction. That’s precisely why it’s so difficult to define. They’re hard to nail down because there are no convictions or claims with postmodernism.
In seeking to understand their worldview better, I’ve read a lot about postmoderns and postmodernism. There are many helpful books to guide you through understanding their language and culture. It’s really eye-opening if you’re able to put yourself in their shoes, to navigate through their complex process of thought and emotions. The sad truth is that they didn’t get there all by themselves – we helped them by the way we have dashed their hopes and dreams.
Postmoderns have grown up in a world of dysfunction. Although we make promises and say that they can count on us, more children than ever are being raised in broken homes. Therefore, they’ve learned that our promises really don’t mean anything. Furthermore, there is an epidemic of abuse in our so-called civilization. A whole generation of children have experienced a far greater level of abuse than any previous generation.
Postmoderns have grown up in a world of pluralism. There is no longer one dominant religion or ideology to follow. There are multiple options. And the media is using its influence to level the playing field, or even stack the deck toward secular humanism. Our children have grown up with a confusing array of beliefs and practices to choose from.
Postmoderns have grown up in a world of illusion. It’s becoming harder and harder for them to distinguish between that which is real and that which is artificial. The age of information and technology has completely transformed our culture. And we have lost something in the process. 
One of the best books I have ever read on the subject of postmodernism is Above All Earthly Pow’rs: Christ in a Postmodern World, written by David F. Wells. I highly recommend anyone wanting to appreciate the postmodern position to read this book. Perhaps if the church can learn about what makes them tick, we’ll have better success in reaching them for Christ.