Worldviews : Exposed!
A much celebrated post at Tilde’s place takes issue with popular manifestations of what is being called "the Christian worldview." While his disagreements over various applications of this particular worldview may be debated, what struck me was his call for a definition of a worldview. After all, if we claim one, we should know what we are talking about and be able to describe it to others. Tilde offered a conceptual beginning to the discussion that attempts to center on Christ. In the interest of bloggers considering "the Christian worldview," I would like to offer a more robust explanation.
Noetic structure : the sum total of everything a person believes.
Worldview : the conceptual scheme by which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we interpret and judge reality
A person’s worldview is how they answer questions raised by their noetic structure. There are several ways to categorize a discussion of worldviews. I like the method presented by James Sire in
The Universe Next Door. He asks seven basic questions that get to "the essential, rock bottom answers" that a particular worldview provides. I will list them and then give a brief (very brief) introduction as to how Christianity answers them.
1) What is the prime reality – the really real?God is the "really real." He is trinitarian – Father, Son, Holy Spirit are three distinct centers of consciousness sharing fully in one divine nature and activities of each. The second person of the trinity (Son) is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the creative agent of the triune God. Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully Man (doctrine of the incarnation). God is infinite, personal, transcendent, omniscient, sovereign, and good. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
2) What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us?The world was created by Christ, through Christ, and for Christ. God created the universe out of nothing. For his own good reasons, God created the universe with a uniformity of cause and effect in an open system. (i.e. cause and effect are consistent and personal actions in the
now can determine what happens in the
next)
3) What is a human being?Human beings are created in the image of God and thus possess personality, self-transcendence, intelligence, morality, social capacity, and creativity. Every human being lives in a condition of sin and alienation from the Creator. As such, each person’s fate depends on their relationship with God. Human beings exist for God’s own good pleasure. The chief end of humans is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
4) What happens to a person at death?Since God rejects sin, humans are separated from God for eternity in a place called Hell. Jesus Christ took on the form and very nature of a man becoming fully God and fully Man. He committed no sin and died as an atoning sacrifice for all humans who would admit their sin and trust his sacrifice to be sufficient for their salvation.
5) Why is it possible to know anything at all?Human beings can know both the world around them and God himself because God has built into them the capacity to do so and because he takes an active role in communicating with them (Sire). The foundation of human knowledge is the character of God as creator. Everything exists that we might know God. God reveals himself by general revelation and special revelation.
6) How do we know what is right and wrong?All human beings carry the image of God. As such, we are moral creatures. But, sin has distorted the image of God in humans. This explains is why humans turn away from God and the moral law. God has provided special revelation through scripture to guide humans in proper conduct. These scriptures provide both principles (general) and rules (specific) for human behavior. In ambiguous situations, Christians will be judged on adherence to God’s rules and the attitudes of their hearts in following principles.
7) What is the meaning of human history?History is linear and meaningful. It has a beginning, middle, and end. God gives meaning to history.
So, what do we do with this information?
Well, if we are Christians then we use our formulation of theology – our worldview – to guide us in our thought, philosophy, and actions. When we articulate theological concepts, they will align with this worldview if they are to be called "Christian." If our individual thoughts and actions do not align with the definition of the Christian worldview, then we must question whether or not we may truly bear his name.
When Christians give a public opinion on the role of science and technology in culture, it should reflect this worldview. When we give opinions on public policy, these opinions should be guided by Christian teaching. When we raise our children, take care of our elderly, interact with people everyday – we should be guided by an expanded understanding of what these "rock bottom" concepts teach us. When we fail to do so, we dishonor the God who gave us life and run the risk of leading those weaker than ourselves astray.
Most people allow their noetic structures to determine their worldview. The duty of Christians is to allow their worldview to determine their noetic structure. This is submission to God. This is a step on the path to holiness. This is how faith glorifies the Creator. All Christians are fallen and personal individuals. We will have different opinions on how these things work themselves out in our daily lives. But at the core of our thought, at the base of our logic, at the center of our opinions must be an understanding of the reality that God has defined for us through Christ.
Anything less is inadequate.
Posted by Blandus at December 12, 2003 11:36 PM