Wouldn't you know it? Just about the time that many in the churches were beginning to feel right at home with the postmodern consensus, now it seems that great movement of tolerance and all things OK is, well, dead.

That, at least, is the view of British novelist Edward Docx. Writing in Prospect Magazine (July 20, 2011), Mr. Docx seems relieved to report on the passing of this era of nonjudgmentalism and all things pretty much the same. The postmodern consensus debunked the idea of absolute truth, celebrated diversity and equality, and mocked the notion of permanent values. Not even language was able to survive the onslaught of the postmodern juggernaut as deconstructionists challenged even the meaning of the word, "is."

Edward Docx believes the end has come, or, at least, is in sight for postmodernism. He sees "a universal longing for some kind of authenticity" in many quarters. People are looking for others they can trust, people who live well and do things well. "If the problem for the postmodernists," Mr. Docx writes, "was that the modernists had been telling them what to do, then the problem for the present generation is the opposite: nobody has been telling us what to do."

Mr. Docx sees a revived interest in values, a hunger to get back in touch with great legends and heroes of the past, and a desire for solidity. "These three ideas, of specificity, of values and of authenticity, are at odds with postmodernism.We are entering a new age. Let's call it the Age of Authenticism and see how we get on."

Will the Church be there as an authentic and good refuge and haven for those who have become disillusioned with the promise of postmodernism? Or will they find, as they come into our too-hip and all-tolerant churches, that what they have been busily leaving behind, we're just learning to perfect? In which case, if they do, where will they go? What siren voices of "authenticity" will capture their imaginations and affections before the Church wakes up from its one-night stand with postmodernism and realizes this wasn't the real thing after all?

"Do not be conformed to this world," Paul warned us. Because this world, as John put it, is passing away - always passing away. Only the Word of God abides forever.

Related texts: Romans 12.1, 2; Ephesians 4.17-24; 2 Peter 3.1-18

A conversation starter: "Wow, too bad about postmodernism going the way of all flesh, eh?"

T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.