Introduction Introduction to Worldviewsto Worldviews
An OverviewAn OverviewThe Universe Next DoorThe Universe Next Door
By James SireBy James Sire
WHAT IS WORLDVIEW?WHAT IS WORLDVIEW?
SET OF SET OF ASSUMPTIONSASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE ABOUT THE NATURE OF REALITYNATURE OF REALITY
THESE ASSUMPTIONS CAN EITHER BE THESE ASSUMPTIONS CAN EITHER BE TRUE OR FALSETRUE OR FALSE
THESE ASSUMPTIONS DETERMINE THESE ASSUMPTIONS DETERMINE HOW WE ATTEMPT TO ANSWER LIFE’S HOW WE ATTEMPT TO ANSWER LIFE’S BIG QUESTIONSBIG QUESTIONS
WHY IS WORLDVIEW WHY IS WORLDVIEW IMPORTANT?IMPORTANT?
OUR WORLDVIEW AFFECTS HOW WE OUR WORLDVIEW AFFECTS HOW WE LIVE OUR LIVESLIVE OUR LIVES
IT DETERMINES OUR IT DETERMINES OUR VALUESVALUES DECISIONSDECISIONS ACTIONSACTIONS
ACTIONS
VALUES
WORLDVIEW
WORLDVIEW WORLDVIEW QUESTIONS QUESTIONS
WHAT IS PRIME REALITY- WHAT IS PRIME REALITY-
THE ULTIMATE REALITY? (IS THERE A GOD?)THE ULTIMATE REALITY? (IS THERE A GOD?) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF EXTERNAL REALITY?WHAT IS THE NATURE OF EXTERNAL REALITY?
NATURAL WORLD, THE UNIVERSE, PHYSICAL REALITYNATURAL WORLD, THE UNIVERSE, PHYSICAL REALITY WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING?WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW?HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW? HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT IS RIGHT AND HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT IS RIGHT AND
WRONG?WRONG? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF HUMAN HISTORY? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF HUMAN HISTORY?
(DOES MY LIFE HAVE ANY REAL MEANING AND (DOES MY LIFE HAVE ANY REAL MEANING AND PURPOSE?)PURPOSE?)
WORLDVIEWS WORLDVIEWS TO BE STUDIEDTO BE STUDIED
HISTORICAL PERSEPECTIVEHISTORICAL PERSEPECTIVE
Basic Theism DefinedBasic Theism Defined The belief in some supreme being (god or The belief in some supreme being (god or
gods)gods)-Idea of a -Idea of a metaphysicalmetaphysical reality- something reality- something
beyond physical realitybeyond physical reality-Some notion of life after death-Some notion of life after death-Idea that there is some authority determining -Idea that there is some authority determining
right and wrong, good and evil, etc.right and wrong, good and evil, etc.- Three major - Three major monotheisticmonotheistic religions religions
Judaism, Christianity, and IslamJudaism, Christianity, and Islam
Christian TheismChristian Theism
Basic Beliefs of Christian Basic Beliefs of Christian TheismTheism
There is a There is a universal, absolute reality universal, absolute reality that can be that can be knownknown
God is the ultimate God is the ultimate (prime) reality(prime) reality The natural world (universe) is God’s creationThe natural world (universe) is God’s creation
– – general revelation general revelation The Biblical narrative is the The Biblical narrative is the universal storyuniversal story of God’s of God’s
truth revealed to humanity (meta-narrative) truth revealed to humanity (meta-narrative) Special revelation Special revelation Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God to humanityJesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God to humanity
Life has meaning and purpose Life has meaning and purpose - death is not the end- death is not the end
History is purposeful and moving toward the History is purposeful and moving toward the fulfillment of God’s ultimate planfulfillment of God’s ultimate plan
God is the standard for all moralityGod is the standard for all morality – – universal standard universal standard
Human beings are created in the ‘image” Human beings are created in the ‘image” (likeness) of God – spiritual beings who can (likeness) of God – spiritual beings who can know and relate to Godknow and relate to God
The Sistine ChapelThe Sistine ChapelThe Last JudgmentThe Last Judgment
Deism -18Deism -18thth Century Century Associated with the 18Associated with the 18thth century century EnlightenmentEnlightenment
Age of ReasonAge of Reason God was seen as God was seen as impersonal and removedimpersonal and removed from from
human affairs (NOT relational) human affairs (NOT relational) Focused on the power of the Focused on the power of the rational human mind-rational human mind-
human reasonhuman reason was the was the only source of truthonly source of truth Moved away from any emphasis on metaphysics or Moved away from any emphasis on metaphysics or
the supernatural- the supernatural- NO special revelation NO special revelation
No miracles, virgin birth, Jesus as the incarnation of GodNo miracles, virgin birth, Jesus as the incarnation of God Universe came to be seen as a kind of mechanism Universe came to be seen as a kind of mechanism
governed by rational natural lawsgoverned by rational natural laws ““closed” - determined system closed” - determined system
The universe was compared to a The universe was compared to a great “clock” and God was the great “clock” and God was the
“clockmaker“clockmaker””
VoltaireVoltaire1818thth French Philosopher French Philosopher
Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson
Mark TwainMark Twain
Naturalism- 19Naturalism- 19thth Century Century Matter is the Matter is the ONLY ONLY reality - NO Godreality - NO God
matter is prime realitymatter is prime reality Rejects any metaphysical or supernatural Rejects any metaphysical or supernatural
realityreality Focus is on Focus is on empirical scienceempirical science and and human human
rationalityrationality Developed as a result of the Developed as a result of the
Scientific Revolution- 17Scientific Revolution- 17thth century century Enlightenment- 18Enlightenment- 18thth century century Industrial Revolution- 18Industrial Revolution- 18thth century century
Science and ReasonScience and Reason
Charles Darwin and the Charles Darwin and the Theory of EvolutionTheory of Evolution
NIHILISMNIHILISMlate 19late 19thth century early 20 century early 20thth
centurycentury Denies the meaning of everythingDenies the meaning of everything Existence has Existence has no meaning or purposeno meaning or purpose Life is nothing but Life is nothing but despair and lonelinessdespair and loneliness
No GodNo God No hopeNo hope No knowledgeNo knowledge No philosophy No philosophy No beautyNo beauty No right and wrong No right and wrong
Friedrich Nietzsche - German philosopherFriedrich Nietzsche - German philosopher-Saw Christianity as producing a “weak, slave” mentality-Saw Christianity as producing a “weak, slave” mentality
Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. We have “God is dead. We have
killed him.”killed him.”
““The Scream” by Edvard MunchThe Scream” by Edvard Munch
Meaning found in Meaning found in destruction and the “will to destruction and the “will to
power”.power”.
ATHEISTIC ATHEISTIC EXISTENTIALISMEXISTENTIALISM Mid 20 Mid 20thth
Century Century ((a response to a response to nihilism)nihilism) If life has no meaning, man must If life has no meaning, man must create create
meaning for himself.meaning for himself. People must People must make themselves who they make themselves who they
want to bewant to be Man Man CREATES his ESSENCE OR CREATES his ESSENCE OR
BEING BEING through through ACTIONS (existence) ACTIONS (existence) There is no GodThere is no God There is There is no single objective truth or realityno single objective truth or reality
“…“…life is like a box of life is like a box of chocolates…”chocolates…”
New Age MovementNew Age Movement Blend of Eastern mysticism and other religious Blend of Eastern mysticism and other religious
beliefs and practicesbeliefs and practices Emphasizes the Emphasizes the oneness of all thingsoneness of all things Belief in Belief in reincarnationreincarnation Dualist view of good and evil. Dualist view of good and evil. KarmaKarma- we receive back what we give out- we receive back what we give out
Good for goodGood for good Evil for evilEvil for evil
Emphasis on Emphasis on nature nature – – nature embodies the divine- pantheism nature embodies the divine- pantheism
POSTMODERNISMPOSTMODERNISM Rejection of any universal truth Rejection of any universal truth
relativism- all views are validrelativism- all views are valid Rejection of Rejection of any universal storyany universal story
There is not meta-narrative- “BIG” storyThere is not meta-narrative- “BIG” story Reality is Reality is subjective- subjective-
dependent on one’s perceptiondependent on one’s perception Reaction against Reaction against Enlightenment rationalityEnlightenment rationality
and Christian theismand Christian theism The human mind (reason) cannot be trusted The human mind (reason) cannot be trusted Focus on the Focus on the subjectivesubjective over the objective over the objective
A story that runs A story that runs backwards. What is time? backwards. What is time?
Can we really know Can we really know anything for sure?anything for sure?
We can create our own reality in death. We can create our own reality in death.
Heaven is what we want it to be.Heaven is what we want it to be.
Lady Gaga Lady Gaga
WORLDVIEWS TIMELINEWORLDVIEWS TIMELINE
CHRISTIANTHEISM
DEISM
18H CENTURY
NATURALISM19TH CENTURY
NIHILISM19TH CENTURY
EXISTENTIALISM20TH CENTURY
NEW AGE1960’S---
POSTMODERNISMMIDDLE AGES RENAISSANCE