Dualism

A recent conversation with my parents, which was marred with disagreement at every turn, helped me to realize how our worldviews differ markedly.  Although this is not a new discovery, in the past I have had difficulty identifying or describing the root difference.  After giving this issue some thought, and re-reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, I have determined that my parent's generation holds an exclusive view of the world, while my view is inclusive.  This fact has a profound affect on everything we believe.  I have chosen to describe my worldview as the "all-inclusive and" and my parent's generation's view as "the search for the absolute or".  I have always disliked the manner in which people throw around the term "Postmodernism" to describe the death of the America we once knew, however it is a valid description of the current worldview we are experiencing today.  Mere Christianity reads like a manifesto for Modernism, which, in my opinion is why it is the least relevant of Lewis' works.  Indeed, the first page addresses the most important question of the day, "is there absolute truth?", which, in the book, takes the form of a common morality.  It appears antiquated today, to get hung up on determining absolute truth before making a decision or determining value.  In our postmodern world, with it's vast amount of differing opinions, it is critical to explore as many as possible rather than getting caught up in determining truth.  Of course, this way of thinking has it's downside, without an emphasis on finding absolute truth, we run the risk of not valuing anything. 

Another interesting thought concerns the relationship between my parent's generation and their grandchildren.  The gap seems to be even wider - my generation was raised in Modernist schools - we at least know how to think that way.

All faiths welcome

I am catholic, an oblate of Mt. Angel Monastery, and I have created this blog to record my thoughts on Christianity and as a forum for interfaith dialogue. Since I am new to the whole idea of blogging - this site with inevitably evolve according to need.