Dealing with the hot topics of a Post-truth culture

This article was first published in the Social Issues Bulletin – Issue 52: Spring 2023.

It is inarguable we are living as Christians surrounded by increasing chaos and confusion. Western society sometimes feels like a real-life version of the children’s story about the emperor who wore no clothes. The recent debacle of the rapist self-identifying as a trans biological male being sent to a prison in Scotland and the ensuing fallout for Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that, hopefully, boundaries do exist. All the same, it is important to take honest stock of where we are at and accept the Christian responsibility and necessity of dealing with our society’s specific hot-button issues from a biblical perspective with the truth and love of Christ.

Assessing where we are at

The Oxford Dictionaries’ international word of 2016, ‘post-truth’ points to a society or situation ‘in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’.

While ‘post-truth’ has many political implications, commonly functioning as an expression thrown around by opposing political groups in attempts to discredit one another, the concept goes far beyond politics.

A post-truth society doesn’t necessarily deny that truth exists. It simply doesn’t feel like seeking and finding truth is overly important. There is little knowledge or appreciation for objective facts or lessons from history in a post-truth world. Indeed, in such an environment when concrete truths are clearly presented, every attempt is made to suppress, discredit, deflect or minimise any claim to exclusive, objective truth (see Romans 1). Speaking or believing ‘your truth’ is more important than speaking and believing ‘the truth’.

Within a post-truth society exists a toxic soup of ideologies that major in self-absorption, entitlement and constant questioning of proven and credible facts, finding truth primarily in emotional reactions. Clinging to such ideologies are:

• Secularists living in the now and rejecting all forms of religious faith and worship.
• Humanists emphasizing reason, ‘scientific’ inquiry, and human fulfilment in the natural world while rejecting the importance of belief in God.
• Postmodernists claiming that realities are plural, subjective, and dependent on worldview.
• Relativists proposing that points of view have no absolute truth or validity within themselves, but rather only relative, subjective value according to differences in perception and consideration.
• Pluralists accepting two or more religious worldviews as equally valid or acceptable as paths to God or gods.
• Universalists believing that there are no mitigating factors against salvation – all will be right with God.

Despite the presence of people who consciously align with one of the above ideologies, I find that many in post-truth Britain have lived never considering whether they should believe much of anything and if so what to believe, or why to believe. Truth doesn’t really matter. Existence and purpose in being is just day-to-day routines. Practically this has led to a range of challenges which we explore below.

Identity crisis

At even the most basic, tangible, physical level people do not know who they are. Without any grounding in truth and with the widespread embrace of the idea that truth is relative or subjective, this should come as no surprise. Previous indisputable human attributes of personhood acknowledging differences between the sexes are for many now disputable. Where ‘gender confusion’ was once a concern, now many celebrate ‘gender acceptance’. You can be born male and yet identify as female or vice-versa. Confusion about sexuality and questioning personal identity and purpose are extremely prevalent in a post-truth society if not in practice, in acceptance.

Dysfunctionality in relationships

While post-truth London, England (and I imagine most post-truth environments) takes pride in multicultural pluralism – the view that all beliefs and cultural behaviours are equally acceptable and right – it is a lonely city. A post-truth society lacks moral objectivity. As such, without a clear framework that values morality and honest interaction, it should come as no surprise when trust is eroded. The consequence is that normal, open, transparent human interaction is hard to find and loneliness increases.

Suppression of freedom

A post-truth society does not get on well with any claim to objective truth. Believing something that may exclude others (eg. ‘salvation is through Christ alone’) or that denies another’s claim of reality (eg. ‘someone with male body parts is male’) is bad enough, saying it amounts to discrimination and prejudice. Freedom of belief and speech is protected unless your belief and speech offends, upsets or excludes. But of course, that isn’t free speech at all.

Distorted narratives

A post-truth society sets up its own standard of presenting facts. Both sides of the left/right political spectrum (however that is defined) are guilty of such distortion. Truths are withheld, exaggerated or spun. Post-truth society condemns fake news but enables, endorses and embraces it at the same time as it has no standard or basis on which to judge truth. This also gives rise to increased obsession with and acceptance of ludicrous conspiracy theories that have no foundation in fact.

Selfish ambition

In a place where people lack identity, are dysfunctional in relationships, suppress freedom and distort narratives, the prevalence of selfish ambition should be no surprise. Indeed, this sin issue is at the root of many of the other issues we have addressed. A post-truth society is narcissistic and entitled. It believes itself to be superior to other societies and its members view themselves as far more intelligent than those who dare disagree with them. The impact of this if unarrested will be catastrophic.

A society where such features noted above are commonplace is undeniably sick. As with any sickness, treatment is needed. I believe that the UK is very much a post-truth society, but that there are signs of potential correction on the horizon and you and I have the privilege and responsibility of being a part of that.

Considering our response

Recognition is always the first step to reformation. Having recognised our social situation it is prudent to weigh up the options:

• Revision – Should we change our message?
• Retreat – Should we stop engaging (assuming we have been)?
• Reason – Can we break through redemptively through reason alone?
• Righteousness – Should we just try and live good lives?
• Revival – Should we wake up and strengthen ourselves, engaging in meaningful spiritual warfare?

Perhaps there are areas where we do need to revise our message. Maybe it is more culturally driven than scripture driven. In other cases, perhaps it’s not so much our message, but our messaging. Our communication – yes, including sermons – may not be getting through. Perhaps we are boring, too imprecise, too nuanced, too samey week in and week out. Maybe it’s obvious we are not dealing with difficult subjects strongly yet sensitively and so people don’t trust us or find us relevant. People in our post-truth context are increasingly dissatisfied with purportedly progressive, but actually regressive agendas and are looking for answers. They may come into churches looking for answers and find we are just like the world or not really addressing specific matters of concern. Where we do see ‘revision’ – the Church of England approving gay marriage blessings and even discussing neutering God’s pronouns – we also see division and collapse into irrelevance.

‘Retreat’ is similarly unsatisfactory when weighed up with scripture – it is a far cry from the apostolic witness and that of the ever-active and engaging early church. ‘Reasoning’ is important but cultural answers provide no lasting solution to spiritual problems. It is good that righteous works accompany our words – otherwise we have no power behind what we say and these may draw people to open conversations but we must be willing to have those conversations when opportunity arises! Ultimately, I hope we are in agreement that we need a spiritual revival – a revival that only comes when we value the Spirit’s words as a whole, wielding the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).

Stamina, energy and strength are required for ministry in any environment; this doesn’t change when serving in a post-truth culture. The challenges will at times be similar but in many, perhaps most, cases very different. In order for one to prevail and endure the discouragements, depression, difficulties and desperate situations the strength required must be other-worldly. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, writes, ‘Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.’ (Ephesians 6:10)

As we consider our response to the social situation we find ourselves in here are some principles to have in mind:

• People lack trust, so you must build trust and show yourself trustworthy.
• People lack truth, so you must expose lies and exhibit truth in word and action.
• People lack time (or think they do), so you must be flexible with yours for them and also be willing to spend longer periods of time for meaningful interactions on Sundays and at other church meetings.

Taking the bull by the horns

And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)

The message of salvation at the heart of preaching must always be the same and consider that which is of primary importance. Paul reminded the Corinth church of this primary message:

For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,… (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

As people come to faith and as they grow in the faith, other matters can then be addressed and more difficult passages and biblical concepts expounded. This gradual process is at the heart of disciple-making – where a person grows from learning the truth to believing the truth to following the truth to, themselves, teaching the truth (Hebrews 5:12).

One feature of post-truth culture is how it champions diversity and inclusivity – often at the cost of moral and intellectual objectivity. With emotions and feelings overriding anything objectively true, religious pluralism – the belief that all religious beliefs and traditions are equally true and valid – is embraced at least verbally. Any claim to absolute, exclusive, truth is seen as ‘bigoted’, ‘prejudiced’ and ‘intolerant’. In some cases, attempts will be made to shut down dialogue and discussion. This is often why we may be reluctant to preach on some subjects from the pulpit or at Bible study

Doubtless, the claim of Christ ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6) as a claim to absolute, exclusive, objective truth does not sit well with a post-truth society. Much of the moral transformation that Scripture speaks of itself is unpalatable because it assumes that our lives are in need of such transformation – that we are doing something wrong. The best response is not to shrink back and offer borderline apologetic qualifiers on one hand or to attempt to steam-roll and destroy others with the Bible’s teaching on but to graciously and clearly attempt to reason and win over the individual or individuals being addressed.

Chipping away successfully at these post-truth presuppositions occurs best in the course of organic person-to-person conversation (dialogue, not monologue!). Such conversation will usefully:

• Show a healthy toleration of other religions as consisting of adherents made in God’s image, seeking to find their way towards God.
• Acknowledge elements of truth in other religions, while clearly and unequivocally indicating areas of difference.
• Be honest about Christ’s teaching as the one and only way to righteousness with God.
• Be unapologetic in showing and proving how Christ and his way are better than anything else this world has to offer.

This is where small groups, interactive Bible studies, and orderly allowance for interaction in Sunday services can be very helpful. Discipleship will take time, and effort, and will upend many of our culturally assumed church structural norms, but is worth it in the long run as it actively gets people to engage with the text themselves in a way that is truly powerful.

There may well be risks and some consequences to dealing with hot-button issues. But if we do not teach about bioethics, abortion, law and order, sex and sexuality, gender issues, true and false religion, financial management, environmental and social responsibility, masculinity and femininity then others will who are not doing so from the sound foundation of the Bible. The risks of not teaching on such issues are, I submit, far greater. People are crying out for answers and we have them! Let’s be found faithful in giving them for God’s glory.

Regan King is the lead pastor at The Angel Church in Islington (London). He is married to Rachel and has two children, Randall and Arielle. He also serves on the board of Pregnancy Crisis Helpline, is an author (#TBH: Basic Challenges to Millennials Who Can’t Even) and is a presenter for Revelation TV (R Mornings, Behind the Headlines, God Day, and Bible Topics).