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Culture War Roundup for the week of March 30, 2026

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The point about the nature of postmodernism is good, yes. Postmodernism, as the name implies, is a critique of modernism, and modernism is a type of progressive model narrative that is itself at odds with traditional faith. I take one of the claims of postmodernism to be that no theory or model of the world can ever be sufficient to the reality - this to the extent that it is impossible, in principle, to adequately describe the world in language. Thus their obsession with using language in destabilising ways, to trouble categories once thought to be certain. Even though postmodernists usually include religious narratives (I would argue simplified strawman versions of religious understandings) within the category of theoretical models of the world that must be destabilised, they are just recapitulating the insight of Augustine and his seashell.

That said I think it is a valid critique of postmodernism to say that often its adherents have gone too far, or become obsessed with destabilisation for its own sake. By contrast I'd argue that theology must always find a balance between its kataphatic and apophatic modes - nothing we can say of God can ever be wholly adequate to his being, but nonetheless we are commanded to speak of him. Theological speech must occur, despite its always-contingent nature.

Speaking of religion, to Catholicism...

I suppose, as a traditional and even somewhat doctrinaire Protestant, I feel obliged to push back a little here, albeit in what I hope is a charitable manner, aimed at our mutual growth in faith. To the extent that you are deeply immersing yourself in the broader Christian tradition and growing in knowledge of God and love of Christ, I have nothing to say but "amen", and I affirm the necessity of growing in the understanding of the gospel, even knowing that you will never be able to wholly comprehend it.

Even so I would like to suggest, tentatively and as kindly as I can, that the heart of Christian faith does not lie in all the prayers you know, or in following mass without a missal, or participating in polyphony. All those things can be good, and the deliberate effort to discipline yourself so that you can more fully attend to divine things is good, but we must always be careful not to mistake the tools for the things the tools are there to point us to.

I'm sure you understand this principle, but just as a reminder, I suppose, there is little need for a lay Catholic to understand the details of canon law. The administration and good order of the church is important, but you don't need to understand the science of architecture to live in a house, nor the science of nutrition to benefit from a well-cooked meal. Sometimes I see converts, whether to Catholicism or to any other tradition, become obsessed with understanding everything, even things that are not needful for them, and they pile up so many burdens on themselves that they stumble in their walk towards God.

The catholic faith - both in the small-c, universal Christian sense, and inthe capital-C, Roman Catholic sectional sense - is in some ways the most complex thing in the world, but in other ways it is very simple, and to be received with the simplicity and humility of a child.

Master the intellectual doctrines, the liturgy, the public performance of worship, all these things are good, but it is worth occasionally pausing to ask ourselves the question, "Is my work at these things helping me grow closer to God?"