Fostering hope: Christian religious education in a postmodern age

How should Christians address our often ambiguous and increasingly postmodern world? The article explores some of the ways cultural postmodernity is affecting Christian communities. The tendency to trivialize understandings of meaning and value is highlighted as one of the greatest challenges posed by the negative aspects of postmodernity. It is argued that religious educators can help to overcome this trivializing tendency by fostering hope in the continuing viability of the church and Christian traditions and practices, turning to youth as natives of postmodern culture to guide us in addressing contemporary trends, and focusing on a common commitment to Christian discipleship.