In the modern era, the same pattern emerges in subtler guises. So-called “color revolutions,” mass movements, and waves of political upheaval show how easily the species can be manipulated. A well-placed narrative, a few powerful symbols, and a heightened sense of grievance can move millions. The neurological and ontological vulnerabilities of humans make them susceptible to propaganda, fear campaigns, and moral panics. They consider themselves free, yet often march in lockstep to tunes they did not compose.

Lately, I've been thinking that many of us, for generations now, have been living in a state of “crisis of belief.” I challenged myself to genuinely believe in what I am about to share with you, and I feel my life would be in a much better place if I truly did. As I read these words to myself, I constantly ask whether I genuinely believe what I just read. This is my way of personally addressing my crisis of faith and encouraging you to do the same.

When I read this passage a decade ago, it became clear that I had a long way to go before I truly understood. And why was “it” hidden in Christ? That is for later. My thesis statement is that for any of us to grasp our existence and what it truly means to be human, we must align ourselves with Christ and start there to get it right, or we risk being just another “lost” barbarian making tracks on planet Earth, ultimately dying without ever comprehending it at all.

How to share the gospel with a post-modern society. Here lies the challenge we face. Postmoderns live in the left hemisphere of their brain. They live in an abstract reality that they’ve created for themselves. They have done this to make a space they can be comfortable in, where they feel no threat. Berdyaev and McGilchrist both speak of this phenomenon in great detail.