Worldview Matters: An Introduction to Christian Worldview
Tawa J. Anderson, David K. Naugle, and W. Michael Clark, An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God's Perspective in a Pluralistic World. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2017. ISBN: 978-0830851232
Christianity
is a world and life view and not simply a series of unrelated doctrines.
Christianity includes all of life. Every realm of knowledge, every aspect of
life and every facet of the universe find their place and their answer within
Christianity. It is a system of truth enveloping the entire world in its grasp.
(Edwin
Rian)
Worldview
is a contentious term. Some philosophers complain that
it has become an abused and misused term. Others complain that worldview is
regretfully neglected and overlooked in philosophical and theological conversations.
Others still insist that its use is on the rise, that it has not yet hit its
heyday. Still others do not even know what the concept is all about. Finally,
some assert that worldview is simply an unhelpful term that can be
dispensed with altogether without any profound loss. I am convinced that “worldview
matters” matter: thinking
worldview-ishly is essential for responsible, intentional Christian
discipleship.
“All
truth is God’s truth.”
Arthur Holmes’s ringing words
exhort institutions of Christian higher education to pursue an integrated
Christian worldview throughout their curricula. God is truth, and what God sees
is what is true and real. As followers of God, we likewise seek acquaintance and
familiarity with truth.
To
that end, we pursue God’s perspective on
the world, for his perspective is true, reliable, and trustworthy. We desire to
see things the way that God sees them—to
understand ourselves, our sin, our redemption, our relationship with Christ,
our relationship with fellow human beings and the rest of creation, our
surroundings, and our terrestrial ball the way that God sees, understands, and
knows things to be. We do not presume to have a corner on all of God’s
truth; we take seriously the remonstration delivered through the prophet
Isaiah:
“My
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. (Is 55:8)
Yet
we strive and strain forward, alongside the apostle Paul (Phil 3:14), to attain
a truer understanding of God, ourselves, and our world.
God’s
perspective on the world is another way of designating God’s
worldview or the divine worldview. The goal of the thoughtful Christian is to
pursue God’s perspective—that
is, to intentionally and consciously cultivate a Christian worldview. Our goal
of becoming Christlike includes our goal of embracing God’s
perspective, seeing the world the way God sees the world. The goal is not Icarus’s
prideful sailing into the sun or Satan’s
rebellious inclination to usurp the divine throne or Adam’s
misguided desire to attain that which is forbidden; rather, our goal resembles
a child’s devoted desire
to become like his heavenly Father. This book, then, is an appeal for a
continued revival in Christian worldview thinking.
The
book is split into three parts of approximately equal length. Part one, authored
by me (Tawa Anderson), focuses on the theoretical side of worldview thinking.
Chapter one explores the concept of worldview itself, tracing its philosophical
origins and development, basic components, and universal existence. Four core
worldview questions are identified as the heart of every individual and
corporate worldview: (1) What is our nature? (2) What is our world? (3) What is
our problem? (4) What is our end? Chapter two identifies the importance and
impact of worldview on the thoughts and actions of human persons. Anderson
argues that worldview exerts considerable influence through confirmation bias,
experiential accommodation, the pool of live options, and life motivation. Six
benefits of intentional worldview thinking are tentatively identified and
explored. Chapter three outlines the process of worldview analysis, identifying
three primary criteria that can help gauge the truthfulness of various
worldviews and their individual components—internal,
external, and existential consistency.
Part
two, authored by David Naugle, expounds on the contours of a specifically
Christian worldview. Chapter four outlines the narrative core of the Christian
story—creation, fall, redemption, and
glorification. Chapter five approaches Christian worldview through the lenses
of our four core worldview questions. Chapter six applies our three criteria
for worldview analysis to Christian worldview, assessing how well it stands up
to rational scrutiny.
Part
three, authored by Michael Clark, engages in comparative worldview analysis.
Chapter seven explores three prominent Western philosophical worldview
alternatives (deism, naturalism, and postmodernism), comparing them to a
Christian worldview and applying the three worldview tests. Chapter eight
explores two influential global religious worldview alternatives (Hinduism and
Islam), comparing them to a Christian worldview and applying the worldview
tests. The goal of these chapters is threefold: to better understand these
significant worldviews, to subject them to intentional analysis, and to help
the reader begin to gain competence at identifying worldview components and
alternatives expressed by others. We then close with reflections on pursuing and
living out a Christian worldview, God’s
perspective, in our complex pluralistic world.
Each
of us writes unapologetically from within the orthodox Christian tradition. We
have been transformed through our relationship with Jesus Christ and are
persuaded that Christianity is true—not
just true for us but true for all people at all times in all places. We have
also been greatly stretched and formed by intentional worldview thought and
consideration.
Our
hope and prayer is that you will be challenged, convicted, exhorted, and
excited by An Introduction to Christian
Worldview.
Our co-authored book will be released by IVP Academic on October 10, 2017. I encourage you to purchase a copy via Amazon.
Tawa J. Anderson, David K. Naugle, and W. Michael Clark, An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God's Perspective in a Pluralistic World. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2017. ISBN: 978-0830851232
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