INTRODUCTION TO WORLDVIEWS

Christian StudiesDaniel Rey Z. Lastrella

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Why are we here? What is the meaning and purpose of life? Is there a difference between right and

wrong? What is it? Are humans just highly evolved animals? What is moral?

WHAT IS YOUR WORLDVIEW?

DEFINITION“A world view is a way one views the whole world.

And since people have vastly different views of the world depending on the perspective from which they view the world it is clear that one’s worldview makes a world of difference. A worldview is a way of viewing or interpreting all of reality. It is an interpretive framework through which or by which one makes sense out of the data of life and the world.” -Norman L. Geisler and William D. Watkins, Worlds Apart, 11.

 “A worldview is the perspective through which you

understand and approach life and the world.”

KEY VERSESColossians 2:8“See to it that no one takes you captive through

hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

KEY VERSES2 Corinthians 10:3-5“For though we live in the world, we do not

wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

KEY VERSES2 Timothy 2:22-26“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue

righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

ILLUSTRATION

ILLUSTRATION

ILLUSTRATION

ILLUSTRATION

WHAT IS GOD? Atheism - there is no God Agnosticism - no one can know if there is a

God Polytheism - there are many Gods Pantheism - everything is God Monotheism - there is only one God Deism - there is a God but he has nothing to

do with the world today

WHAT IS HUMANITY?Subsequent Questions: Do we have a sinful nature? Are we basically good? Are we perfectible?

THE WORLDVIEW TRIANGLE

Discipleship

Discernment

DEVELOPING YOUR OWN WORLDVIEW Don’t read your Bible. Study them. Read other worldview materials Put yourself in challenging situations Stretch your intellectual boundaries Engage in cultural analysis Watch your time closely

GOALS OF DEVELOPING A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW To be a faithful disciple of Christ Know why we believe what we believe Learn to think consistently Learn to engage our culture without

compromise Be faithful ambassadors of Christ

10 CREATIONAL DISCIPLINES1. Theology2. Philosophy3. Ethics 4. Biology 5. Psychology 6. Sociology 7. Law 8. Politics9. Economics10. History

JOURNAL 101Reflection about:1. Key principle: “Ideas have consequences”2. Does a person belief in existence of God

affect his/ her life? Give examples of how that belief may affect his/her ideas about life.

MEMORY VERSE #12 Corinthians 10:5

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”