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Worldview

Worldview . Considering the Options With a Focus on Postmodernism Wisconsin Pathfinder Leaders 12-14 October 2012 John Matthews, PhD. Worldview: 6.7 Billion Options. http://skychasers.net/ Photo by Bobi Kuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia. Worldview: Theism.

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Worldview

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  1. Worldview Considering the Options With a Focus on Postmodernism Wisconsin Pathfinder Leaders 12-14 October 2012 John Matthews, PhD

  2. Worldview: 6.7 Billion Options http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  3. Worldview: Theism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  4. Worldview: Pantheism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  5. Worldview: Philosophical Naturalism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  6. Worldview: Theism What is Theism? . . . Does it Make Sense, & Is It Consistent & Defensible?

  7. Worldview: Christian Theism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  8. Christian Theism: Who is God? The Christian God: Who is he/what is he like? • Holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immanent, sovereign, good, etc., etc. . . . • Job 38-42 • How much do we know about God?

  9. Christian Theism: Challenges • Can a God who transcends nature be proven? • If God is omnipotent, is he responsible for both good and bad? Why is there suffering? [Potentiaabsoluta & ordinata] • If God is omniscient (knows past/present/future), is the universe determined & freedom an illusion?

  10. Christian Theism: Strengths • Theism allows for the possibility of rational thought , in an ordered but open universe • Theism gives meaning to life because it gives purpose to the universe (teleology) Consider: “God is dead!” Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844-1900 • Theism allows for a coherent system of ethics. C. S. Lewis

  11. Theism: Why I am a Christian Christianity offers hope for the human dilemma

  12. Worldview: Pantheismand New Age Eastern Thought and Its Influence in the West

  13. Worldview: Eastern Monistic Pantheism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  14. Pantheism: Who Are Eastern Pantheists? A Simplistic Response to the Question Above: • Hindus • Buddhists • Taoists • Etc., [as there is a myriad of western ideologies, so is there a myriad of Eastern philosophies and religions]

  15. Pantheism: Basic Questions In Eastern Monistic Pantheism: • What is real cosmically? • What is real in terms of human existence? [Atman is Brahman]

  16. Pantheism: Challenges If one accepts Eastern Monistic Pantheism, how does one explain: • the need to develop positive karma in an amoral universe? • the fact that, as the essence of an amoral monistic universe, and therefore “god,” an individual is capable of doing bad things

  17. Pantheism: Strengths Eastern Monistic Pantheism • allows humans to control their own destinies • offers hope to all, in that all paths lead to the “divine,” i.e., to achievement of Nirvana • encourages peace, harmony, and positive relationship • encourages a positive ecology

  18. Worldview: New Age 5th DIMENSION: Spiritual (but in the box, not supernatural) 4 DIMENSIONs: Length, breadth, height, time (the “natural” world as normally experienced) http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  19. Worldview: New Age Three versions of New Age “reality”: • Occult • Psychedelic • Conceptual Relativistic

  20. New Age: Challenges If one accepts New Age, how does one explain: • The conflict that arises in the natural or spiritual realms if I am the god of my world & you are the god of yours • moral behavior in a system made of individual kingdoms

  21. New Age: Strengths New Age • allows humans to direct their destinies by tapping the power of the “5th Dimension” • offers hope to all, in that the individual soul is indestructable • builds on relational aspects of eastern philosophy without losing individuality • encourages a positive ecology

  22. New Age: Influences How has New Age Changed the World? • Anthropology & Ecology • Natural Science (the prophetic nature & influence of Sci-Fi) • Health (alternative medicine) • Religion (spirituality, as opposed to religion) • Entertainment

  23. Worldview: Philosophical Naturalism What is Philosophical Naturalism? . . . And Why Should I Care? The Secular Option

  24. Worldview: Philosophical Naturalism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  25. Worldview: Philosophical Nihilism http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  26. Worldview: Philosophical Nihilism Edvard Munch, The Scream”

  27. Worldview: Atheistic Existentialism      http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  28. Worldview: Humanism – Transcending beyond the box http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  29. Worldview: Humanism – Transcending within the box http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  30. Worldview: Humanism – Tne Quantum leap http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  31. Worldview: Postmodernism – Is their a box ? http://skychasers.net/ Photo by BobiKuzmanoski Comet 17/P Holmes; Location: Skopje, Macedonia

  32. Philosophical Naturalism: Challenges If one accepts philosophical naturalism, how does one explain: • human freedom in a closed system? • moral behavior in an amoral cosmos? [What can be done with the problem of guilt?] • Evolutionary natural selection (survival of the fittest) in a world that argues for the rights of the oppressed & marginalized? • the postmodern dilemma (everything is a lie)

  33. Philosophical Naturalism: Strengths Philosophical naturalism in its humanistic form • allows humans to be responsible for their own destiny (good or bad) • Gives the appearance of being logical, rational, consistent, coherent, & scientific (with one “little” faith-based presuppositional exception)

  34. Worldview: Which Option? Islam Xtianity Theism Judaism Deism Realism Idealism Etc Buddha Hindu Xt Exist NewAge Postmod Pantheism Naturalism Nihilism SecHum AthExist

  35. Worldview: Which Option? • Theism? Believed but not proven – it requires faith because its concept of reality cannot be empirically verified • Philosophical Naturalism? Apparently logical but – it requires faith because of an epistemological conundrum • Pantheism? Offers hope to all but – it requires faith in an inconsistent axiology (ethical framework)

  36. Worldview: Engagement Strategy 1. Know your story, both as an ideology & a lived experience 2. Know the strengths & challenges of the story of those whom you wish to engage, so you may dialogue about their story, exploring its challenges 3. “Capture” your audience, retelling the story, to show how the challenges of their story are met by the strengths of your story Curtis Chang, Engaging Unbelief

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