Worldview: Introduction

A worldview is basically the way in which you perceive and interpret yourself, the world around you, and the existence of all things. Everything you process is filtered, in some way, through your worldview. It’s how you look at all things. Not all people’s worldview is refined, or complete, but regardless everyone has something of a worldview.

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In these upcoming posts I will be discussing several different worldviews. I hope we can create some sort of conversation in the comments in response to the posts. There are seven questions presented by James W. Sire in his book, The Universe Next Door. This book is used in many colleges for philosophy curriculum, and Sire writes from a Christian perspective. I will not be discussing Sire’s conclusions, unless someone asks about a particular reference to his writings—then I will look it up for you. I am currently using this book in my Survey of Worldviews class in Bible college, so while it’s fresh in my mind it will be a little more easier to discuss.

Below are the seven questions as presented by Sire, which he says every worldview must answer.

1. What is prime reality⎯the really real?
2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us?
3. What is a human being?
4. What happens to a person at death?
5. Why is it possible to know anything at all?
6. How do we know what is right and wrong?
7. What is the meaning of human history?

As you can see, it is quite inclusive. These questions forces a person to capture what they really believe about what they believe. It can be challenging to answer these questions, because the logical implications to your answers may disturb you, especially if you are a naturalist or nihilist. To begin, I will write from Christian Theism.

The answers I give to these questions are from my own wording. They are not “text book” answers, even though I have read this book. When I answered these questions, I tried to do so without using any of Sire’s words, rather tried to forget that I just read Sire and answer them from what I know and believe. So of course, they are subjective.

That’s where you come in

I want you to respond, reply, challenge, whatever. I may not be able to answer you entirely, but maybe someone else can. Maybe you have a conversation with someone else in the comments—have at it. I will be here to monitor. Let’s get engaged with this serious issue of our worldview.

We need to know and understand our own worldview, especially if you are a Christian. You will find that being able to answer these questions will prove highly beneficial to your life and ministry. Learning how to articulate your worldview—as well as other worldviews—will equip you in being able to cary on a thoughtful and engaging conversation with others, and especially equip you for effective apologetic witnessing.

That being said

This is for the non-believer also: the Atheist, the Buddhist, the Pantheist, the Islam, the Postmodernist, the New Age, the “what ever else I’m missing.”

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Come back, read, and engage.

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