Non-Places and Urban Church Planting

Every so often you come across a book or concept that you feel is essential but never heard of before. You may ask yourself, “Am I the only one that hasn’t heard about this?” Or maybe a little more harshly, “Am I an idiot for not knowing?” I had this experience recently when I found Non-Places: An Introduction to an Anthropology of Supermodernity by Marc Auge. In it, he discusses the idea of ‘non-places’ and ‘supermodernity.’

It was not the fact that I had never seen Auge’s book; my self-awareness came from not even having a mental category for either term. After doing some searching, I came to the conclusion I had not missed the boat or faked my way through life. These concepts, while helpful, do not seem to be mainstream in missiology or church planting thought. Therefore, I wanted to write a description, and reflect on some ways I feel they interact with Christian mission.

Who is Marc Augé and What Does He Say

Marc Augé (1935-2023) was a French anthropologist and author known for his contributions to the fields of anthropology, ethnology, and cultural theory. Augé's concept of "non-places" challenges traditional notions of space, introducing the idea that certain environments in our modern world lack identity, history, and interpersonal connections. Augé explores spaces such as airports, shopping malls, and highways, labeling them as "non-places" where individuals experience transient and anonymous interactions. He says these spaces lack the capacity to make meaning in our lives in these spaces, and turn us inwardly towards the individual.

Augé’s reflection of non-place and supermodernity are interesting enough (for me at least) to share and begin to include as categories in my thought towards understanding urbanization. I am particularly interested in the categories as we pursue church planting. Augé’s thesis inherently mixes religious thought and space. For instance, he talks about historically, a place for a people has spiritual significance. However, with the rise of supermodernity, the significance (religious or otherwise) erodes. So, as I synthesize his thoughts with ministry, it isn’t just that we seek to plant churches, but we are planting churches . . . against the current. By design urban cities are against religious “place.” He argues that supermodernity is a reality among every globalized, urbanized city. If true, this could have significant implications to ministry within these places.

Definitions of Non Place and Supermodernity

Non-place – a location that is devoid of identity, history, and relations. As a foundation, historically we think of place in the terms of these three categories. A place to belong, a place that has historical significance, a place that forms us. However, with the rise of globalization, these places are eroding of these three key characteristics that “make meaning.”

For Augé, travel is the epitome or prototype of non-place. These are transient spaces associated with modernity, characterized by anonymity, uniformity, and a lack of social interaction. Many of us recognize the feeling of being alone in a sprawling urban space. My sense is that most of us reason that it is an eroding of manners, values, or culture. However, Augé reasons that the space inherently creates the anonymous nature and lack of interactions.

If a place does not promote identity, history, or relationships it cannot be a place; it is the opposite. A Non – Place.

Supermodernity – Most of us as we seek to understand the world, have heard of the posture of postmodernism. A rejection of grand narrative that escalates local perspective and relativism. Deconstruction of thought because of the power structures inherent in knowledge production. And critical theories that examine the power distinctions in our world. Postmodern thought could be seen as a reaction away from modernity.

Supermodernity sees a different perspective to explain urban realities. Supermodernity sees a radical or accelerated adoption of globalization, consumerism, and individualism present in modernity. Both postmodern and supermodern thought attempt to understand life after modernity (Enlightenment, individualism, industrialization, globalization); but they emphasize different perspectives. Postmodern is often a critique and rejection of modernity where supermodern is the results of modernity fast-tracked, almost like a run-away train without breaks.

Implications on Church Planting

1. Supermodernity may explain the development of urban centers better than postmodernism. It is the language of infrastructure, transit, and consumerism. I personally feel these languages drives the construction and mobility of our mega cities more so than the more academic postmodern understanding that speaks the language of worldview and communication.

2. Non-places both describe and prescribe opportunity in meeting people in urban centers. Augé emphasizes that spaces are moving towards meaning making (identity, history, and relationships) or away from meaning making towards non-places. As we observe our community, it gives us language to identify opportunities and barriers as people transit through the places we may physically meet them. Non place describes the reality of the difficulty in meeting people as the space promotes anonymity and lack of relation. But it can also give language to prescribe opportunity as it gives our job definition that we seek to build identity, history, and relationships. Specifically, in church planting, just as the interstate offers exit ramps to communities; we offer “exit ramps” from the non-places into identity, history, and relationships through the narrative of the Bible.

3. The theory of supermodernity speaks to the use of space, a big felt-need in church planting in the city. Space is always an issue in church planting. Real estate is expensive in urban centers, and difficult to come by. Through understanding the erosion of place, church planters can reverse engineer how to build community in new realities. The gospel of Jesus is always able to find a cultural home as the vision of Christianity is for every nation, tribe, and language to be incorporated into the people of God (Rev 7:9). By giving gospel answers to urban/supermodern questions; the people of God will build a community of God in a local church.

Examples of Practical Questions

1.     Is this a good place for me to engage spiritually? Does the place/non-place promote more relationship building or relationship erosion? Visually think of a dog park, subway, and street corner. How do we offer “exit ramps” into the kingdom of God or is it impossible in this space?

2.     How can we equip members of the church with “exit ramps” into our local congregation that they can offer to their relationships in different parts/sections/networks of the city?

3.     How does the gospel interact with hyper-individual retreat from relationships in our city?

4.     How does the gospel interact with hyper consumerism of our malls, jobs, and leisure in our city?

So now, do you think supermodernity and non-places are worthy concepts to adopt as categories in urban church planting?