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Worldview Definition Assignment
Berreka B. Franklin
Department of Social Work, Liberty University
Professor Michael Eiras
RLGN 104: Christian Life and Biblical Worldview
July 10, 2023
Table of Contents
Worldview Definition Assignment
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3
Definition of Worldview
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3
The Question of Origin
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3
The Question of Identity
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4
The Question of Meaning/Purpose
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4
The Question of Morality/Ethics
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5
The Question of Destiny
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5
Reference
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Worldview Definition Assignment
Definition of Worldview
A worldview is a collection of attitudes, values, stories, and expectations about the world
around us that inform our every thought and action (Sire, 2004). It is widely accepted that the
term, weltanschauung (worldview), was first coined by the Prussian philosopher, Immanuel Kant
in his Critique of Judgment, published in 1790. Weltanschauung was later translated as "our
intuition of the world." According to David Naugle in Worldview: The History of a Concept, by
the time the idea reached the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, the word was
translated in English as worldview (B&H Academic, 2000, p. 58).
The Question of Origin
Every human has questioned the beginning of time. Whereas humans have been created
through evolution and other worldviews, according to Gutierrez and Weider, Atheists such as
Christopher Hitchens, God Is Not Great, and Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, also propose
the idea that God is not necessary for life or morals and that the answer to mankind’s existence is
found only in nature itself (B&H Academic, 200, p. 65). But the Bible opposes these allegations.
Theism contends that everything that exists, including humans, is the result of God, the Creator
God. God is said to have created ex nihilo, "out of nothing." Although differing in their concept
of His nature, God is the first cause, the answer to why there is something rather than nothing.
For example, the Bible says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1)
(B&H Academic, 2000, p. 65).
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The Question of Identity
During your walk with Christ, have you ever wondered why the Lord favors humanity
more than other living things? Theism views God as eternal and says that mankind is a special
creation of God. God created mankind above the animals, and man was created "a little lower
than the angels" (Ps 8:5). Male and female were both created "in the image of God" and were
given the responsibility to rule over the animals and to be their caretakers (Gen 2:15). Although
the earth and animals are not to be worshiped, mankind is responsible for taking care of God’s
creation. Christians should be leading the charge as environmentalists and animal rights activists
while at the same time appropriately reaping the benefits of the earth for its natural resources and
animals for food (B&H Academic, 2000).
The Question of Meaning/Purpose
According to Gutierrez and Weider, the question of meaning or purpose asks, "Why does
mankind exist?" And more specifically, "Why do I exist?" These are some of the most
fundamental questions that mankind seeks to answer. Theists believe that the purpose of
mankind is to know God. Christianity is about a relationship with God, not simply following the
tenants of a religion. Religion is viewed as man’s attempt to reach God. Christianity interprets
the Bible as God’s plan to reach man. The purpose of mankind, according to John 17:3, is "that
they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." This is salvation
in Christianity. It is about having a personal, intimate relationship with God through His Son,
Jesus Christ (B&H Academic, 2000).
The Question of Morality/Ethics
This question seeks to know, "What is meant by right and wrong?" and "How should I
live?" If a person does not start with the presupposition that God exists and that He has
communicated His will for man through some type of revelation, how does he or she determine
what actions are right and which ones are wrong—if right and wrong even exist? Theists answer
the questions of morality and ethics primarily through special revelation or their religious texts.
Ethics is based on the nature and character of God. Right and wrong are not relative to man’s
perspective but are based on God’s holy standard. This is not to say that theists are consistent and
always live holy lives. The biblical worldview answers the question of morality by using the
Word of God, the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible is the filter used to determine what is
morally right and wrong (B&H Academic, 2000).
The Question of Destiny
According to Gutierrez and Weider, this final question asks, Is there life after death? What will
happen to me when I die? Will I have to answer about the choices I made and how I lived my
life? The answers to these questions can have immediate results as well as eternal consequences.
Your worldview can affect how you act daily and direct the legacy that you leave behind. It can
also potentially influence your eternal state. Christians believe in two eternal states for all human
beings: heaven or hell. Heaven and hell are both literal places where people exist eternally either
in the presence and blessings of God in heaven (Rev 21:1–7) or in a state of separation from
God, being punished in hell (Rev 20:11–15). The choice of receiving Christ as one’s Savior or
not making that choice while on this earth determines a person’s eternal state (B&H Academic,
2000).
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Reference
Sire, J. W. (2004)
Naming the Elephant: Worldview as a Concept
. Intervarsity Press.
Ben Gutierrez and Lew Weider,
Finding Your Worldview: Thinking Christianly about the World
(B&H Academic, 2000), 58.