What is World View?

1. What is World View? How should I as a Christian view the world?

2. World View • The central assumptions, concepts, and premises that or more or less shared by the members of a culture or subculture which … • Are presumed to be true without prior proof or logical reasoning • Allow people to interpret their life experiences • Integrate life experiences into an explanatory whole

3. World View—Ronald Nash • “… a worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life.” • A worldview is a conceptual scheme by which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we interpret and judge reality.

4. Five Basic Worldview Questions • 1. Where are we and what is this place like? • 2. Who are we and where are we going? • 3. What’s the problem and what is right or wrong? • 4. What’s the solution? • 5. How do we know?

5. Reality? Material • Naturalism-The universe as we see it. • Atheism-There is no God. • Physicalism-Everything is physical. • Humanism-Emphasis of humanity’s status, importance, and accomplishments. • Existentialism-An attempt to overcome the hopelessness of naturalism by creating one’s own meaning for life. • Hedonism-Goal of life as pleasure.

6. Naturalism: The Universe as We See It • The physical universe is the only reality • Concerning God: “In the beginning, hydrogen” • Borders on scientism: belief that all truth is scientific truth • Given rise to atheism, agnosticism, nihilism, existentialism

7. Atheism, Agnosticism • Atheistic scientists in the 19th century were looking for an explanation for the design of the universe. Charles Darwin, Origin of the Species, 1859 • Agnosticism. Thomas Huxley (1869)

8. Naturalism • Concerning Humanity • From the dust, no breath of God • Herbert Spencer: human mind is the end product of the evolution of the nervous system • Morality is the result of social convention

9. Nihilism • Nagel: “Human destiny is an episode between two oblivions.” • Latin Nihil: “nothing” • Leads to despair. Attempts to overcome despair: • Existentialism. Every person creates their own meaning for life. • Hedonism: goal of life is pleasure, fun

10. Reality? Spiritual • Transcendentalism • Pantheism-All existence constitutes a unity that is divine. • Animism-Principle organic material that possesses spiritual material. • Panpsychism-All objects have minds or conscious aspects. • Polytheism-Belief in multiple gods.

11. Transcendentalism: The World as We want It • The currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or parcel of God • Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hare Krishna, Baha’ism, Christian Science, Unity School of Christianity, New Age

12. Transcendentalism • Concerning God • All things are a unified whole (monism) • Everything that exists came from the same “stuff” • Ultimate reality is spiritual or psychic • Transcendental God and the Universe are inseparable • Not a person being but an impersonal force or principle.

13. Transcendentalism • Concerning Humanity • We are all divine. Often ignorant of the fact. • Until we understand, we cannot escape the prison of incarnation. • Truth, salvation, peace, enlightenment are all found within. We must overcome our “ego illusion” through meditation, good works, self-denial, achievement

14. Transcendentalism • All approaches have two common elements • The need to see the unity of all things • The need to actualize the divinity within each person

15. Transcendentalism • Popularization of this world view • Lack of interest in science and technology in some Eastern countries • Ecological “gospel” of saving whale, redwoods, etc. because of our universal “harmony” with all creatures. • Animal rights • Unity of science and religion • $4 billion spent in U.S. on New Age programs in the work place.

16. Reality? A Personal God • Theism • Deism-Belief in God as Creator but not as responsive to human needs or prayers. • Finitism • Traditional Theism-Belief in the existence of God, who both transcends reality and is immanent in the world.