The Labyrinth, Postmodernity and Ritual

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To begin to make sense of the Labyrinth its context is important. How does walking a labyrinth in the year 2000 relate to the multitude of ways of acting in our culture?

Culture Shift

'Postmodernism' tends to be associated with a philosophical revolution linked with the likes of Derrida, Lyotard, Baudrillard, Foucault and Rorty, but most people don't read their texts or enter into the debate at this level. But they do experience the social changes and cultural shifts taking place in their everyday world - in other words they live in postmodern times.

These times have changed radically from previous generations. 'Reality isn't what it used to be'. There is widespread agreement on this much at least, though exactly what the contours of the new world look like is harder to say. We know we've come from 'modernity', but we're not quite sure where we've arrived! 'Modernist' sentiments may have been undermined, deconstructed, surpassed, or bypassed, but there is little certitude as to the coherence or meaning of the systems of thought that may have replaced them.

Such uncertainty makes it particularly difficult to evaluate, interpret and explain the shift that everyone agrees has occurred'. Hence the attachment of the 'post' to 'modern', rather than a completely new term. Some writers see us as living between times - 'we live between the ages when the previous culture of modernity still holds sway and power but the emerging culture is present with vigour'. Others see that modernity is dead and buried and still others that the postmodern times are nothing more than 'the latest move on modernity's chessboard'. However postmodern times are in some ways a reaction to modernity, so it helps to have some grasp on modernity.

The Crisis of Modernity

Modernity is the term used to describe the worldview of the Enlightenment era. Its foundations were laid in the Renaissance whose thinkers had elevated humanity to the centre of reality. Whilst modernity is characterised by rationality, objectivity, human autonomy, mastery of the world, universal knowledge and absolutes, the heart of the matter is that 'the spirit of modernity is the spirit of progress'.

This is most succinctly expounded by Goudzwaard in his work 'Capitalism and Progress'. In this he identifies the religious nature of modernity's faith in Progress as its grounding conviction:

The theme of progress has penetrated Western society so profoundly because it was able to present itself as a faith in progress, as a religion of progress. This is also why the present day crisis of the idea of progress has the depth of a crisis of faith.

With the tools of science to give knowledge, technology to give power and mastery of the environment and with the goal of economic growth, human beings sought to build the promised land, a new world, the new Jerusalem. What was envisioned was:

a veritable utopia of prosperity and progress in which the whole human race would be united... Human progress is not only possible but inevitable if we allow autonomous human reason the freedom to investigate our world scientifically. By this free and open investigation we have confidently believed, humanity will be able to acquire the technological power necessary to control nature and bring about the ultimate goal: increased economic consumption and affluence, with resulting peace, fulfilment and security.

This story no longer rings true. It sounds like a fairy tale, too good to be true. Walsh and Middleton use the metaphor of a building for the project of modernity with three floors of science, technology and economic growth, under girded by a foundation of human autonomy. The building is rotten from the foundation up and now this is finally becoming manifest to its dwellers.

Put another way, 'The old certainties of the Enlightenment are no longer secure, and there is a widespread feeling that science and technology have ultimately failed to deliver the goods'. Two world wars, the realisation that much of the vision was built on African slavery, colonialism and imperialism, the environmental crisis, AIDS, escalating poverty, and the Vietnam war, are just some of the factors that have contributed to its demise. This isn't to deny the many positive benefits of modernity, but to recognise the widespread loss of faith in its grounding convictions.

Postmodern Times

Postmodern times then come in the wake of this crisis of faith. It is impossible to make sense of them without realising that this is so. What then are the contours of postmodern times pertinent to a discussion of religion to help us make sense of the Labyrinth? It seems every author has their own take on what these contours are, and each one differs in some way. I am particularly focusing on ones that seem to relate to religion and contemporary culture.