Christian World and Life View
Outline
Outline—————————————————————————————————–1
World and life view definition————————————————————————–2
The three key questions that provide the basics of a world view———————————–3
Importance of discerning and understanding world views——————————————4
Christian answers to the three key world view questions ——————————————-5
The three answers and values in the Christian world view——————————————6
Validity of the Christian world and life view———————————————————7
Other world and life views are current in our culture————————————————8
The Christian world and life view approach to particular issues———————————–9
Other current world and life view approach to particular issues————————————9
Conclusion————————————————————————————————10
References————————————————————————————————11
World and life view definition
A world and life view is the term used to describe the different ways in which people perceive life in its entirety. It is perception with a global dimension that allows one to scrutinize each aspect of life. It also viewed as one that consists of different beliefs and attitudes that form the basis upon which people engage in different actions. It is the general outlook and attitudes of all people in the world (Wilkens, 2009). All people in the world have a worldview and different worldviews create diversity as a way of indicating the distinctiveness of ones definition of life.
Diversity in the way people interact in different parts of the world reflects their deep-seated worldview. It informs their perspective on different aspects of life and influences social factors, economy, religion, and politics among others. This explains why people subscribe to different approaches in solving global problems such as hunger and poverty. Based on their worldviews, they may opt for economic stimulus packages or foreign aid and grants to assist poverty and hunger stricken countries out of the menace. The basis of these decisions is attitudes and beliefs that particular people have concerning the problems of poverty and hunger, which is their worldview.
One’s worldview determines one’s approach to aspects such as education, marriage, leisure, pursuit of talents and gifts (Shand, 2003). People with different worldviews have different perceptions about similar things. For instance, an entrepreneur, a child, an artist may be looking at a fruit on the table but their worldviews determine what they think about it. A child may view the fruit as part of a delicious breakfast, an entrepreneur’s thoughts may explore on how to start a fruits business while an artist may think of a drawing or painting with a fruits theme.
This indicates that it is extremely important for people in leadership positions in different aspects of life such as businesses, non-governmental organizations, churches, schools, and community organization to strive to clearly establish their worldview. This is because the people that get into contact with these entities require understanding their worldview to inform their mode of interactions with them. For instance, it is important for members of a particular church to understand the worldviews of the church for them to align their conduct with the church’s worldview. This creates consistency for outsiders considering joining the church because of the beliefs and attitudes embodied in the church. Individuals alike require engaging in personal reflection and identifying personal worldviews that guide their behavior in their interactions with one another in a consistent fashion.
The three key questions that provide the basics of a world view
Both non-Christian and Christian worldviews explore three pertinent questions. One of the questions is about the origin of life and identity. It asks about the genesis of human life and who people are. The second question seeks to determine the things that are not working in life by asking about what is wrong in the world. The third question focuses on what role people have in remedying what goes wrong in the world. People identify things that go wrong in the world differently. For example when people of different cultures and world views disagree on different issues, the real essence is that it is a competition between their secular and spiritual worldviews (Colson & Pearcey, 1999).
Before one forms a worldview, it is important to engage in some reflection on the genesis of life. It is important because it allows the person to interact with God for those that pay allegiance to a divine maker. This provides a platform for the divine maker to shed light on what everyone was created to do which answers the question of who the person is. A person is able to also answer the question about what is wrong depending on the purpose that one establishes in the first question. One is able to identify sins, and other social problems that people have brought upon themselves. Identification of the problems indicates that people require taking responsibilities depending on their personal niche or purpose in life. These questions guide one’s life towards fulfilling their purpose in conformity their worldview.
Importance of discerning and understanding worldviews
Understanding other peoples and one’s personal worldviews is important for various reasons. One of the reasons is that enables one to stand firm in the face of contradicting worldviews. One is able to identify the inspiration behind others point of views regarding different issues and keeps one from being swayed into taking stands that are not consistent with one’s personal conviction. It is also important to understand people’s worldviews because they determine the type of decisions one makes or ought to make (Bulhof, 1980). When one understands a person’s worldview opinions and claims become clear. One is able to categorically understand what types of opinions certain people are likely to hold and they attain a level of clarity. This understanding also creates the avenue for effective communication between people with different worldviews. It clears potential confusion because truth is not mixed with falsehood. This understanding is necessary to ensure that people make rational decisions that are based on pure truth (Derengonwski, 2009).
Understanding and discerning worldviews are also important because it affords one the opportunity to impact others. It allows one to understand how other people are different and how to effectively interact with them without inherently held misguided notions and unrealistic expectations. This understanding allows one to know how personal world views influence reactions and responses to people with similar or dissimilar worldviews and to also understand how people with dissimilar worldviews perceive others. It also allows one to strategically determine their position as part of a diverse society. Understanding and discerning world views is also important because it enables one to maneuver through different world views in dealing with people from different cultures. It enables people to meet their need of orienting ones intellectual paths (Solomon, 1994).
Christian answers to the three key questions that form the basis for every world and life view
One of the Christian answers to the three questions that are central to every worldview is found in Genesis 1:27-28 and Genesis 2:15 indicating that people originated from God. God created man and bestowed authority on man to subdue the world and to commune with Him (Dockery, 2012). He gave man from dust and then extracted a rib from man to create the woman to serve as a helper to the man. Man was given the opportunity to enjoy from God’s creation and to exercise moral restraint (Dockrey & Thonbury, 2002). God created all there is in the universe and He indicated that all that he created was inherently good. He created human beings in his resemblance and assigned him the role of ruling over the earth, procreation and to fellowship and to glorify God in everything that one does (Twit, 1974).
The answer to the second question is that man brought a curse on the earth because of disobedience as indicates in the fall of man in Genesis chapter three. Man was unable to practice moral restraint in his interaction with God’s creation and sinned which indicates that what went wrong is man’s sinful nature (Peterson, 2003). The consequences of sin are reflected in the imperfect world in which man lives and it is not what God had planned. Christians must recognize the fact that sin has detrimental consequences and acknowledge that man is weak and vulnerable to deception. This realization ought to draw man towards depending on God for guidance to solve the wrongs in the world. It also connotes that people require refraining from seeking direction from education or structures in the political realms as their solutions to the imminent problems is insufficient. Rather, Christians ought to depend on God to let his kingdom traverse all spheres of life (Twit, 1974).
The answer to the third question on what man can do, as a solution to the fall of man is that God has the power to bring back the world to its original state and it is partly accomplished through Jesus Christ who redeems people from a sinful and destructive life. Christians ought to continuously engage in activities that bring others to repentance and live moral lives as a way of remedying what went wrong (Kennedy, 2005).The death and resurrection of Jesus established His power to rule over the earth through the holy spirit. Jesus’ redemptive power is at work on the earth to fight against the advancement of hell. His rule over the earth is manifested through people’s submission to his rule through changed lifestyles that are controlled by his holy spirit, which informs their worldview. To change what went wrong, people’s lives are carefully held in God’s hands (Joiner, 2005).
How those three answers lead to particular positions or values in the Christian worldview
The answers to the three questions influence a Christian’s daily decisions. For instance the Christians derive their position against abortion from the realization of the innate worth and dignity of human life which is God’s creation. They also take a strong stance against euthanasia because they recognize that God is the only one with the power and the discretion to take the life that He creates. The question on the sinful nature of man lingers on Christian’s position on forgiveness because they realize that man is susceptible to sin (Joiner, 2005).
Christian teachings indicate that there is no man that is without sin and that people ought to forgive each other infinite times. This recognition that man is evil and prone to sin allows Christians to strive to forgive others when they sin against them. The third answer forms the basis on which Christians engage in activities that seek to draw more people to repent. This is because they realize that the kingdom of God seeks to extend its reach to as many people as possible. They strive to convince people from actions that are deemed sinful such as abortion and homosexual habits among others as a way of reuniting sinners with God through Jesus’ resurrection power. In essence, the answers to the three questions defends Christians position on seeking to let God’s glory shine over all the earth as a way ensuring that they gain life on earth and in eternity (Joiner, 2005).
How valid is the Christian world and life view and how would it be defended
A Christian worldview is anchored on the Bible, which Christians consider as the foolproof God’s word. Christians make the Bible their reference point for life decisions and everything that they do (Davis, 2009). The Christian worldview is validated through numerous ways including miracles, the actual testament of Jesus life, death and resurrection as documented in history. The scripture in 1Corinthians 15 documents that Christ died and rose and Christian world and life view is anchored on the recognition of his resurrection (Morey, 1980). Historical critics argue that history is only based on the historian interpretations of an event making it impossible to know the truth about historical events. To defend the Christian world and life view, one could argue that a historian’s personal opinions do not necessarily alter truths about the occurrence of the actual event. It can also be argued that people are naturally skilled in identifying bias in addition to providing physical evidence of the interpreted past events (Milne, 1995).
God created the universe in six days indicating that creation is finite and one can observe that creation is not a continuous process. Scientists however came up with the big bang theory that indicated that the universe came to be through a self-perpetuating way but mathematicians have undertaken research to show the weaknesses of this worldview (Gentry, 1997). They indicate that for the world to produce life it requires infinite time indicating that there is insufficient time for the process to take place. It is also imperative to note that scientist have been unable to create DNA. Theologically, one can defend the Christian world and life view as valid because of the transforming power and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This spirit enabled people to endure persecution for the sake of spreading the gospel and it is evident even in the present day (Milne, 1995).
Other world and life views are current in our culture, their answers to the three questions and how their answers lead to their perspectives on other issues
One of the other life and worldviews in the contemporary world is naturalism. The worldview answers the question on creation is that it occurs through a natural process and life goes through inevitable changes as illustrated using the big bang theory. This is contrast with the Christian belief in supernatural creation. On what is wrong is that people are competitive in nature and they strive to secure their niche in self-centeredness. To solve the problem people engage in learning activities to gain skill and knowledge on how to utilize their full potential and survive in the universe. Naturalism influences people’s perception on issues such as governance and affirmative action, which advocates for allowing more women to serve in political positions of particular countries. The worldview informs their position against affirmative action indicating that women require exerting effort equal to men to acquire political positions and not rely on affirmative action to place them at privileged positions to secure political posts. The worldview advocates for rewards that are based on merit.
Buddhism is another worldview whose answer to the first question indicates that there is no distinct creator. The worldview also indicates that life in the world is temporary and people just pass through the universe. This indicates that their worldview on accomplishments is not important and that they value life less than other life and worldviews such as Christians (Morey, A Christian Student’s Survival Guide, 2010). The answer to the question on what is wrong is that there is insurmountable suffering on the universe that emanates from peoples desires. The answer to the question on how to solve the problem is that people require ridding themselves of cravings and deep seated desires that cause suffering such as sexual desire (Wallace, 2012). Buddhism life and worldview encourages people to take responsibility for their actions. It indicates that people require relieving their suffering through taking measures that prevent the occurrence of suffering. For example, Buddhists may blame hungry African countries for being lazy and unproductive thus leading to hunger problems. It may necessitate the condemnation of donor aid and food aid as the wrong solution to hunger in Africa and other parts of the world.
How the Christian world and life view approach a particular issue based on the on its answers to the three questions of every world view
The Christian world and life view on the issue of pornography provides an answer to the question about people’s origin and why they exist. The answer is that those that participate in this filming are created by God in his resemblance. It is also worth noting that their bodies are temples where his spirit should dwell and not evil spirits of moral decadence. The Christian world and life view would indicate that porn stars are sinning and that they should remedy their situation through repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ’s redemption and salvation. Upon attaining salvation, the porn stars ought to commit to a life of worship and fellowship with God the creator.
How other current world and life view approach the same issue
A Buddhist world and life view would approach the issue of pornography as an activity that would cause suffering to the porn stars. This is because the worldview outlines that people bring suffering upon themselves through illicit activities. It would also not take a very strong condemning stance on the activity because Buddhists believe that they are travelling through life and life ends at death. This worldview would tolerate people making choices to engage in pornography because there are no rules as to how one lives. Buddhists are not accountable to particular gods because they have no absolute creator.
A naturalist world and life view does not uphold dignity of life and would tolerate people engaging in pornography even though it may be seen as demeaning to people with a feminist worldview that seeks to protect women’s image. The worldview has no allegiance to a supernatural creator and thus is not obliged to be consistent with expectations of any particular deity. Naturalism also promotes competition against each other to survive and would tolerate pornography as a viable way of acquiring an income for one’s daily sustenance. This is particularly true in the current economic times where employment opportunities are scarce.
Conclusion
Indeed, there are different types of worldviews that influence how people interact with each other in the society. Worldviews seek answers to three common questions that concern origin, identity, problem detection and providing a solution. Recognizing worldviews is important as it allows one to communicate with clarity and to maintain a strong stance in consistency with one’s worldview. The Christian world and life view provides direction for Christians as they pursue the overarching goal of redemption and pulling people towards salvation and holy lifestyles. A Christian worldview enables a Christian to stand firm against other world and life views such as naturalism and Buddhism, which have contradiction perceptions on different issues such as pornography and euthanasia among others. Christians all over the world strive to transform the lives of others and to steer them away from sinful lives. They also engage in charity work to assist people in the most remote places in the world and spread the Gospel as they offer compassion. In the age of global interconnectedness, preachers are able to spread the gospel with much ease and to draw people towards salvation and obedience to God, which is the central Christian worldview.
References
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Colson, C., & Pearcey, N. (1999, September 1). How Now Shall We Live. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Center for Science and Culture: http://www.discovery.org/a/3569
Davis, F. (2009). What is So Important About Understanding WorldView. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Market Faith Ministries: http://www.marketfaith.org/what-is-so-important-about-understanding-worldview/
Derengonwski, P. (2009). Understanding the Importance of World Views. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Christian Aplogetics Project: http://capro.info/Apologetics/Understanding_the_Importance_of_Worldviews.html
Dockery, D. S. (2012). Shaping a Christian Worldview: An Introduction (Part I). Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Union University: http://www.uu.edu/centers/faculty/resources/article.cfm?ArticleID=364
Dockrey, D. S., & Thonbury, G. A. (2002). Shaping a Christian Worldview: The Foundations of Christian Higher Education. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group.
Gentry, K. L. (1997). Let God Be True: A Brief Defense of the Christian Faith. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Covenant Media Foundation: http://www.cmfnow.com/articles/pa500.htm
Joiner, P. (2005). How to Have a Biblical World View. RUF Campus Minister, 1-4.
Kennedy, D. J. (2005). Lord of All: Developing a Christian World-and-Life View. Wheaton, IL: CrossWay.
Milne, R. (1995). Defending the Faith: Christian Apolgetics in a Non-Christian World. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from The 1995 Evangelical Theological society Annual Meeting: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/ets-mtg.html
Morey, R. A. (1980). A Christian Handbook For Defending the Faith. Phillips-burg, NJ.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publ. Co.
Morey, R. A. (2010). A Christian Student’s Survival Guide. Maitland, FL: Xulon Press.
Peterson, G. R. (2003). Minding God: Theology and the Cognitive Sciences. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.
Shand, M. (2003, January). World And Life View Paper. The Evangelical Presbytarian, 1-5.
Solomon, J. (1994). World Views. Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Probe Ministries: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/w-views.html
Twit, K. (1974). A Biblical World and Life Review. Westminister Theological Journal, 37, 57-73.
Wallace, J. W. (2012). Could Buddhism Be True? Retrieved January 14, 2014, from Please Convince Me: http://pleaseconvinceme.com/2012/could-buddhism-be-true/
Wilkens, S. (2009). Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives. Westmont, IL: InterVarsity Press.
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