c. 2007 Religion News Service
(UNDATED) The end of a paradigm is a strange phenomenon to behold.
First gradually, then suddenly, what had made sense no longer seems sensible. Structures and ideas that had made the world comprehensible no longer convey meaning.
Consider the nuclear-family paradigm (mom, dad, two kids), which began to fade in the mid-1950s and, except in certain religious circles, has been accepted as one among many forms of family.
Even though it happens continually throughout history, the end of a paradigm seems surprising, a betrayal. Some look for a villain.
Today I count at least five primary paradigms ending at once.
First, big automobiles powered by cheap gasoline _ a dinosaur whose 100-year feast on prehistoric carbon is giving way to electric power, ethanol, public transportation and walking.
Second, daily printed newspapers _ the very essence of “free press,” undermined by costs and giving way to Internet-distributed information.
Third, universal public education as a ticket to advancement _ giving way to private schooling for the few and survival-oriented public schools for the many.
Fourth, suburbs as a destination for better living _ dimmed by expensive driving, excessive commutes, changing families, and young professionals’ dash to big cities.
Fifth, “church” as building, membership-based flock, full-time clergy and Sunday worship _ undone by changing economics and lifestyles.
Each of these was a new paradigm in its day, with revolutionary impact on daily life. Their fading unsettles the landscapes of our lives and leaves us vulnerable to demagogues offering easy answers and the naming of villains, as well as charlatans offering escape. What are we to do?
Many, of course, will cling to the old paradigm until the last light is turned off. Consider Ford Motor Co.’s staggering losses in 2006 after resisting the reality of unsold SUVs. Consider the guilt and recriminations that accompany dying churches.
Others take action, as the Los Angeles Times recently did in unveiling plans to shift its news-distribution focus to the Internet, or as wise homebuilders do in renovating downtown factories and warehouses for housing.
I see two keys to dealing with dying paradigms.
One is to avoid absolutizing a paradigm, as if it were anything more than a convenient and valued method that no longer seems convenient or valued.
Suburbs, for example, were a convenient way to house people returning from war and to support family formations. Needs changed, as did values. With the majority of American adults living as singles, for example, who needs a 4 BR/2 BA suburban manse designed for a family of four owning two automobiles?
The other key is to avoid subsidizing the old paradigm. Institutions need to survive by serving effectively, not by exploiting nostalgia or guilt. Yes, it is painful to pull the plug on a small-town church or neighborhood pharmacy,but life moves on. The government doesn’t need to wage wars to preserve cheap gasoline for cars people aren’t buying to live in suburbs some are abandoning.
In the world of religion, we need to think deeply and humbly about the difference between a temporary paradigm and a timeless truth. This won’t be easy for us, for we have been casual about absolutizing our preferences and traditions, and we find it hard to say “no more” to our own failing enterprises.
How much shorter and sweeter can we make Sunday worship, for example, before we realize that a 30 percent attendance rate means 70 percent seek meaning elsewhere? If parents aren’t bringing children to Sunday school, we should stop cajoling and condemning them and rethink the enterprise of transmitting faith.
God is still God, but our paradigms for comprehending God might need some refreshing.
(Tom Ehrich is a writer, consultant and leader of workshops. His book, “Just Wondering, Jesus: 100 Questions People Want to Ask,” was published by Morehouse Publishing. An Episcopal priest, he lives in Durham, N.C. His Web site is http://www.onajourney.org.)
DSB/LF END EHRICH
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