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Worldview

What is a “Worldview”?

A worldview is an all-encompassing perspective on everything that exists and matters to us. Your worldview represents your most fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the universe you inhabit. It reflects how you would answer all the ‘big questions’ of human existence, the fundamental questions we ask about life, the universe, and everything.

James Anderson, Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary,

So, put simply, a person’s worldview determines their attitudes towards the fundamental topics of life and death. Put even more simply, one’s worldview is one’s philosophy of life.

Types of Worldview

Some claim there are six major worldviews. These are:

  • Theism: Christianity, Judaism, Islam
  • Pantheism: Buddhism, Hinduism …
  • Polytheism: Spiritism …
  • Naturalism: Atheism, Agnosticism …
  • Humanism: Marxism …
  • Postmodernism: scrutiny of reality, truth and humanity
worldview

So, for example, a professed atheist will usually have radically different views on humankind (creation/evolution), morality (absolute/relative/non-existent), and truth (absolute/relative/revealed by science) compared to those of a Christian. These two worldviews will also generally differ in the areas of reality (material/spiritual/both), the purpose of life, and the future. On a more pragmatic level, worldviews will frequently clash on politics.

But rather than six worldviews, others claim there are really only two major worldviews: namely, Man’s view of the world, and God’s view of the world – as revealed in the Bible. This explains why many statements made in the secular (man’s worldview) media clash with the biblical worldview.

Statements made from “Man’s Worldview”

Here’s a number of commonly held secular views. Click on a statement to see a biblical response.

Man’s Views on the World

1. Science says the Earth is billions of years old

2. Darwinian-type evolution is a scientific fact

3. Science will help solve the world’s problems

4. Man can solve global warming if nations act soon

5. A One World Government is the only way forward for mankind

6. A cashless society will be a safer society

7. Same-sex physical relations (as in same-sex marriage) are OK

8. It is a woman’s right to have an abortion (pro-choice)

9. There is no such thing as absolute truth, all is relative

10. We re-incarnate when we die

11. We cease to exist when we die

12. The Church has replaced the nation of Israel

13. Israel is stealing Palestinian land

14. Israel generated the Palestinian refugee problem

15. Jerusalem is the Palestinian capital

Man’s Views on God

1. There can’t be a loving God – there’s too much suffering

2. There are many ways to God – all are legitimate

3. God is impersonal and unknowable

4. Jesus was a good man, but not God incarnate

5. God created all things good, so we can eat anything

6. Life is normal – there are no signs of Christ’s return

7. The Bible is not a scientific book

8. The Bible was written by men, not by God

9. Adam and Eve were mythical characters


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