worldview essay introduction

      What is a worldview?

      Every individual has their own personal worldview.   It's also useful to think about cultural worldviews;  these are the worldviews of a culture (overall) and of mini-cultures within the culture.  A person is influenced by the worldviews of their culture and mini-cultures, but each person develops their own personally customized worldview, their uniquely distinctive view of the world.       A person's worldview is affected by many factors — by their inherited characteristics, plus their life-situations and background experiences (including effects from culture & mini-cultures, and other individuals), by the values, attitudes, and habits they have developed, and more — and these factors vary from one person to another.  Therefore, even though some parts of a worldview are shared by many people in a community, other parts differ for individuals, so worldviews (of different people) are shared yet unique .

      Your worldview includes your answers for a wide range of questions:       What are humans, why we are here, and what is our purpose in life?    What are your goals for life?    What aspects of life (and actions of life) are more important, and less important?   When you make decisions about using time – and thus life – what are your values and priorities?       What can we know, and how?  and with how much certainty?       Does reality include only matter/energy, or is there more?       Some worldview questions are about God:  Can we know whether God exists?  Does God exist?  If yes, what characteristics does God have, and what relationship with the universe?  Have miracles occurred in the past, as claimed in the Bible, and do they occur now?  Are natural events produced and guided by God?  Was the universe self-creating, or did God create it?  Was it totally self-assembling by natural process, or did God sometimes create in miraculous-appearing ways?  Does God communicate with us (mentally and spiritually) in everyday life, and through written revelation, as in the Bible?  What is God's role in history?  Is there a purpose and meaning in history, for each of us individually and for all of us together, or is life just a long string of things happening?  What (if anything) happens after death?        Because a worldview has multiple components – as in a person's views about these questions and others – it can be useful to think about a person's partial-worldview s that combine to form their total-worldview.

      This website encourages you to think about worldview-questions, plus practical applications:  How do worldviews affect decisions and actions in everyday life, for individuals and societies?  What should we teach students about worldviews, and how, and why?  How can you actualize your worldview, so the worldview you want to have (or claim to have) is the way you actually view the world, because it's the dominant influence that shapes your decisions and actions while you are living in the world ?

  This home page for World Views , written by Craig Rusbult, is http://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/ views/index.html

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Home — Essay Samples — Religion — Christian Worldview — What is a Christian Worldview

What is a Christian Worldview

• Categories: Christian Worldview

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Published: Nov 20, 2018

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Table of contents

External and internal factors that shape my christian worldview, final thoughts, works cited.

• Beilby, J. (Ed.). (2014). Thinking about Christian apologetics: What it is and why we do it. IVP Academic.
• Holy Bible: New Living Translation. (2004). Tyndale House Publishers.
• Holy Bible: King James Version. (2004). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
• Lints, R. (2018). The Fabric of Theology: A Prolegomenon to Evangelical Theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
• Moreland, J. P., & Craig, W. L. (2003). Philosophical foundations for a Christian worldview. InterVarsity Press.
• Naselli, A. D. (2017). Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ. Crossway.
• Osmer, R. R. (2008). Practical theology: An introduction. Eerdmans Publishing.
• Phillips, R. D. (2013). The worldview of Paul the Apostle. Cambridge University Press.
• Smith, J. K. A. (2014). How (not) to be secular: Reading Charles Taylor. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
• Yonker, D. J. (2019). Theology in Context: A Case Study in the Philippines. Wipf and Stock Publishers.

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A Christian Worldview - study manual

This paper is a collection of study guides on the structure and content of a Christian worldview, and explores how this should be operative in Christian life today.

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A worldview may be described as “the big picture,” or more accurately as “that set of presuppositions that one brings to bear upon all his perceptions.” We are best defined by what we do, not what we say and think. But, in truth, our worldview sets the direction for our life. It determines the path we follow and the goals we seek. It guides us in deciding how to live our lives. We want our worldview to be internally consistent, reasonable and pragmatic. Most of all we want to know its authority. On what is it based? If you are a Christian, you need to know that it is based on God’s Word. We each need to know that we have a thoroughly Christian worldview.” Since Christianity is a distinctly historical faith, I have attempted through a short history of “the philosophy of history” to show that distinction. If our worldview is merely cultural reflection, we will be inevitably confused. We will become subject to secular humanism and cultural captivity. From this the Christian needs to be set free. While we think we would be able to study world religions and just choose the best one, in reality, each religion is largely dissimilar to the others. This book will show that Christianity, if it be a religion at all, is unique from them all. And, it is so distinctly incompatible with other cultural or religious worldviews that we cannot successfully live in both the conviction of our Christian faith and in the persuasion of the world around us. Hopefully, this book will make clear the uniquely Christian worldview.

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The Christianity of the future will be manifold and diverse, just as there will be a multiplicity of many world views (living faiths). This double plurality is the everyday life of religious encounter. It is therefore essential for us to understand the world of religious plurality. It is essential to struggle with a Christian theology of religion that may help us to meet the religious other. And it is essential to tackle what we mean when witnessing to Christ as the unique Lord and Saviour.

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Christianity: Beliefs and teachings ■ The nature of God 'What is God like?' When Christians talk and write about the nature of God they are essentially trying to answer this question. Christians believe there is only one God, this belief in one God is known as monotheism, so Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Christians use a variety of words to describe the nature of God. ▶ omnipotent (all powerful) ▶ omnipresent (everywhere) ▶ omniscient (all knowing) ▶ omnibenevolent (all loving) ▶ transcendent (outside of this world). Christians also believe that God is timeless and eternal. All of these ideas are found in the Christian Bible, which is made up of the Old and New Testaments believed to be part of God's revelation to humanity. God is the creator and the giver of all life: 'In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.' Genesis 1:1 All Christians believe that God created everything and is still involved with the world in a mysterious way. In the Genesis text God is clearly seen as the creator of the universe and all that it contains. Humankind is made in a special way in the image of God. 'Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness. . .' Genesis 1:26 This spiritual likeness enables all human beings to have some understanding of God's nature. Christians believe all we know about God is through God showing or revealing himself to people and this process is known as 'revelation'.

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This book sheds light while giving an excellent grounding in an overall knowledge and understanding the bibilical concepts based on relevant model adopted to understand Christian ethics has the Biblical worldview at its core. It dictates all the levels in the model. The biblical worldview represents the foundational assumption of Christian ethics. The biblical worldview has practical and ethical consequences across the life spectrum, including defining the principles, truths, and beliefs we value, affecting the rules we live by and discerning between good and evil and therefore morality, and impacting the decisions we make and actions we take, thus determining all the aspects of the model. This course is packed with interesting facts about the bible and yet it is founded deeply on scholarly perspective.

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How to Develop and Maintain a Christian Worldview

The poison of subjectivism - thoughts on an essay by c.s. lewis.

Click here to open a Print - Friendly PDF

For me, and I suspect for many people, the writings of C.S. Lewis have become an important supplement in my daily walk with God. Lewis himself knew the importance of reading God’s Word daily and spending time in prayer and reflection. These are hallmarks of the mature believer.

Followers of Christ also need to be equipped to navigate and live out their faith in a culture that is increasingly secularized. Many have argued that we are living in a post-Christian era. It is critical, therefore, to develop and maintain a Christian worldview where, with the help of the Holy Spirit, believers put every thought through the independent filter of our Christian faith.

My favorite Lewis piece is the essay, “The Poison of Subjectivism,” which can readily be found in Christian Reflections . I’ve read and reread it dozens of times, and it has done more to shape my worldview than anything else save God’s Word. Though published almost seventy years ago, here Lewis warns us of the “apparently innocent idea... that will certainly end our species (and, in my view, damn our souls) if it is not crushed; that fatal supposition that men can create values, that a community can choose its ‘ideology’ as men choose their clothes.” 1

Today we’ve been told by professional moralists like Dr. Phil and Oprah that we can look within ourselves to find the values necessary to make the right decisions. Good, or God, can be found within each person based on his or her own individual feelings or preferences. But by reading “The Poison of Subjectivism,” believers can understand the fallacy of this thinking and lay a foundation for a solid Christian worldview.

Prophetically, Lewis begins by warning us to beware of those who want to overthrow “traditional judgment of value” in the hope of finding something more “real or solid on which to base a new scheme of values.” 2  Just in the past twenty years there have been seismic shifts within society at large on issues such as marriage, sexuality, and the role of government. Shifts are not limited to secular society; churches and denominations struggle with doctrinal purity while fighting off the influences of relativism, individualism, and pluralism.

Lewis further warns that we can be conditioned to approve what reformers want society to believe is “good.” This can be done through “psychological manipulation of infants, state education and mass propaganda.” 3  Today we can see this happening by the almost irresistible forces of technology, both visual and audible. According to a recent study cited in  Charisma  magazine, the average seventeen-year-old has spent 63,835 hours either watching movies, videos, and television programs or playing video games, compared to only two thousand hours spent with parents.

The average person sees three thousand advertisements a day! With so many forces trying to shape and mold our minds and appeal to our senses, it is critical that believers have a Christian worldview. Lewis says in  The Abolition of Man  that “without the aid of trained emotions the intellect is powerless against the animal organism.” 4  Reading God’s Word daily, personal prayer time, and interaction and accountability with and from other mature believers is the best way to train our emotions and develop and maintain a Christian worldview.

Those who push back against subjectivism are told that progress is not possible if we maintain a permanent moral standard. To continue with “an immutable moral code is to cut off all progress and acquiesce in ‘stagnation.’” 5  As the shadows grow longer over our world, objective observers can see that society is always seeking to remove the nearest restraint, in the name of fairness, freedom, or individual liberty. Once a barrier has been eradicated, the collective forces of popular culture seem to set their sights on the next barrier.

Lewis, however, reminds us that “except on the supposition of a changeless standard, progress is impossible.” 6  Or, as he says, if the train station is as mobile as the train, how can the train make any progress toward it? This is why a Christian worldview is critical; it is our train station, our independent, immutable measuring stick, without which we can do no measuring.

Where can believers and society at large go to find that changeless, immutable standard on which to base worldview? This question has already been asked and answered. Two thousand years ago, Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38).

It is a question many are still asking today, including many who claim to believe in and follow Jesus yet live in a way that seems diametrically opposed to what He teaches. Fortunately Jesus has told us what truth is. In John 14:6 He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” In the introduction to the Gospel of John we are told that “truth came through Jesus Christ” (1:17 (NIV)). Jesus is who we are to base our worldview on.

But what does this mean specifically? If society and culture are anchored to a permanent moral standard, isn’t progress impossible? Perhaps the most important lesson from “The Poison of Subjectivism” is that “real moral advances . . . are made from within  the existing moral tradition.” 7

Once we understand that Jesus is our standard, our mission is to ensure that our thoughts, views, and beliefs (our worldview) come nearer and nearer to him. This is real progress. It involves more than asking, “What would Jesus do?” It means going deeper by putting on Christ (Gal. 3:27) and letting Him live within and through us (Gal. 2:20) with the help of the Holy Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis.

“The Poison of Subjectivism” is both a challenge and a comfort. It is a challenge in that we are warned about the direction society and individuals will take when theoretical errors remove ordinary checks to evil. Readers will be amazed at Lewis’s foresight as he accurately peers into the future and diagnoses our current condition with laser-like precision.

And yet there is also comfort. We are reminded that “what lends divinity to all else, what is the ground of all existence, is not simply a law but also a begetting love, a love begotten . . .” 8  It is here that we find the Source and maintenance of our worldview.

Notes: 1. C.S. Lewis, “The Poison of Subjectivism,” in  Christian Reflections , ed. Walter Hooper, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 73. 2. Ibid., 74. 3. Ibid., 81. 4. C.S. Lewis,  The Abolition of Man  (New York: Touchstone Books, 1996), 36. 5. “The Poison of Subjectivism”, p. 76. 6. Ibid., 76. 7. Ibid., 77. 8. Ibid., 80.

Joseph A. Kohm

Joseph A. Kohm, C.S. Lewis Institute Vice President for Development and City Director for Virginia Beach. Joe is an attorney and formerly worked as a Certified Major League Baseball Player Agent. He earned his Master’s in Management Science from the State University of New York at Oswego and both his J.D. and M.Div. from Regent University. Joe is the author of The Unknown Garden of Another’s Heart: The Surprising Friendship between C.S. Lewis and Arthur Greeves (Wipf and Stock, 2022.)

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Randal Rauser

Home of progressively evangelical, generously orthodox, rigorously analytic, revolutionary Christian thinking (that's what I'm aiming for anyway)

An Introduction to Christian Worldview: A Review

January 13, 2018 by Randal

I have been teaching a seminary level Christian worldview class for fifteen years and I’m always on the lookout for new textbooks. So when I learned of  An Introduction to Christian Worldview (henceforth ICW), I was immediately intrigued. IVP Academic kindly obliged my interest by sending along a review copy and now here we are.

In my review, I will begin with a survey of the contents of the book followed by some positive reactions. Next, I will turn to a two-part critical interaction before drawing some final conclusions.

A Survey of the Book

ICW unfolds in three parts, each composed by one of the book’s authors writing in his own voice. And I must say, I much prefer that approach to team authorship where the individual “I” dissolves into the collective “we”.

Part 1 is authored by Tawa Anderson and consists of three chapters in which Anderson introduces the concept of worldview, explains the importance of the concept, and provides an overview of the steps in worldview analysis and evaluation.

In chapter 1, Anderson quotes James Sire’s definition of worldview as a set of fundamental convictions about the nature of reality and our place within it: worldview provides the backdrop in which “we live and move and have our being.” (13) In other words, worldview is not merely a set of abstract beliefs: it provides a holistic and encompassing framework for life and interpretation. As Anderson helpfully observes, worldview analysis can be divided into four questions: (1) What is our nature? (2) What is our world? (3) What is our problem? (4) What is our end? (19-21) Together these questions provide a template by which all the worldviews surveyed in the book are evaluated.

In chapter 2 Anderson argues for the significance of the concept of worldview. He begins by pointing out that we are shaped by confirmation bias and experiential accommodation (that is, we all tend to interpret data in accord with our worldview assumptions). We are also shaped by our assessment of live options (that is, we judge the plausibility of various truth claims relative to our background beliefs) and we find a motivation for living from within our worldview. A worldview includes a set of essential or core commitments, negotiable supplementary claims, and peripheral beliefs that can readily change without significant alteration to the worldview itself. Anderson concludes by defending the importance of worldview analysis against its detractors. In particular, he offers a nuanced and helpful response to James K.A. Smith’s charge that worldview discourse tends to be overly rationalistic (58-9).

Chapter 3 focuses on the concept of worldview analysis. Anderson begins with the concept of truth, endorsing the correspondence view as the only view consistent with a Christian worldview. That said, Anderson also admirably points out the insights that can be gleaned from coherence and pragmatic theories of truth. (On the downside, he never mentions the deflationary theory of truth, though this account is also fully compatible with a Christian worldview.) From there, Anderson summarizes three essential criteria for the evaluation of worldviews: internal consistency (does it make sense on its own terms?), external evidence (does it account for the data of experience?), and practical livability (can it be lived out?).

In Part 2, David Naugle aims to provide an overview of the Christian worldview. The task begins in chapter 4 with a focus on the Christian worldview as a narrative account of reality. Though Naugle observes that knowledge of God can be derived from nature, he bases his narrative on the special revelation drawn from Scripture. From there, Naugle provides an account of God as Trinity, the creation of all things, the fall of Adam and Eve, and the process of redemption that unfolds through Israel and which culminates in the incarnation of God the Son. He concludes with the future glorification of God’s people.

This narrative account is complemented in chapter 5 with a sort of mini-systematic theology which is structured to provide answers to our four questions: (1) What is our nature? (2) What is our world? (3) What is our problem? (4) What is our end? Naugle answers (1) by discussing the image of God in light of the divine triunity. Regarding (2), Naugle notes that the Christian understanding of creation encompasses natural and supernatural dimensions. Regarding (3), Naugle summarizes the doctrines of sin and the fall. And when it comes to (4), he emphasizes body/soul resurrection over-against the distorting influence of Platonism. As he aptly observes: “we must pay attention to the lyrics of hymns and songs we sing in church!” (176)

Finally, in chapter 6 Naugle applies the three categories for the evaluation of worldviews outlined in chapter 3 to Christianity. On the first criterion of internal consistency, he begins by seeking to neutralize the problem of evil by way of three theodicies: free will, greater goods, and skeptical theism. Next, he defends the coherence of the incarnation and the rationality of Christian belief. On the second criterion of external evidence, Naugle defends Christianity over-against naturalism whilst defending the concept of miracles and surveying the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. The chapter concludes with a treatment of the third criterion pertaining to the practical livability of the Christian worldview.

In Part 3, Michael Clark invites us to analyze the major alternatives to Christianity. Chapter 7 surveys three western philosophical alternatives: deism, naturalism, and postmodernism. Clark notes that postmodernism is not, in fact, a worldview. Indeed, “postmodernism rejects worldviews, unified stories that explain reality.” (256) Nonetheless, Clark argues that postmodern ideas are sufficiently widespread in society to justify inclusion in the survey. As the chapter unfolds, Clark considers how each view answers the four questions before evaluating each relative to the three criteria: internal coherence, external evidence, and practical livability. (Spoiler alert: none of these views fares well!)

In Chapter 8, Clark concludes the survey with a consideration of the two leading global religious alternatives to Christianity: Hinduism and Islam. Clark clarifies that Hinduism is not, in fact, a distinct religion. Rather, it is a term used to refer to the collective traditional religious practices and beliefs of the Indian subcontinent (269). With that caveat in mind, Clark’s Hinduism survey focuses on two interpretations of the Vedanta school. As for Islam, Clark considers the majority Sunni tradition. Once again, he surveys these two religious worldviews with respect to the four questions before subjecting them to the three criteria of coherence, evidence, and livability.

The book concludes with a brief but provocative discussion of so-called “worldyviews,” a fine neologism that refers to “perspectives or outlooks that are not full-fledged worldviews and have no articulate academic proponents, yet powerfully and persuasively prompt us to be not only  in  but also  of  the world, often without even knowing it.” (324) Like what, exactly? The list of sample worldlyviews includes scientism, hedonism, consumerism, and functional atheism, among others. (Unfortunately, the survey neglects to mention one of the most important worldlyviews: nationalism.) The book concludes with an appropriately trinitarian blessing:

“let us respectfully embrace a scripturally vibrant, Christ-centered, and faith-integrated worldview–one that places the work of salvation on Christ’s shoulders, deposits the grace of the Father into our hears, and liberally pours the anointing of the Spirit of God all over us.” (330)

Praise for ICW

No doubt about it, this is an impressive tour! ICW reminds me of J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig’s magisterial book  Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview . Like that excellent book, ICW is sweeping in its scope and is written with admirable analytic clarity and apologetic-mindfulness. Oh yeah, it also maintains a fine balance between rigor and accessibility. Each chapter includes discussion questions and concludes with a “Mastering the Material” section that encompasses bulleted points for review, a glossary, and a list of possible student term paper topics.

While ICW has many virtues, one of the most appealing parts is found in the supplementary side notes that accompany the text. These notes include worldview insights derived from scripture and explorations of current events (e.g. abortion and politics). But the best sidebars are undoubtedly the engagements with pop culture including a survey on the worldview of the Star Wars films (20), Avatar and Hinduism (282), Kung Fu Panda  and Taoism (268-9), and Shania Twain’s tongue-in-cheek critique of the “worldyview” we know as consumerism (170-1).

Critique of ICW

As good a book as it is, ICW does have some weaknesses (in fairness, which book doesn’t?). In the remainder of this review, I’ll focus on two areas of concern: the proposed definition of the Christian worldview and the critique of non-Christian worldviews. While each of the authors wrote a different section of the book, for simplicity sake I will proceed by presenting my critiques to the authors collectively.

The Definition of the Christian Worldview

The purpose of ICW is to introduce the concept of worldview, define the lineaments of the Christian worldview, and survey some preliminary critiques of non-Christian worldviews. My first point of critique is that the authors’ depiction of the Christian worldview is shaped — at times to the point of distortion — by their conservative evangelical baptistic assumptions. In other words, they occasionally confuse particulars of their token Christian worldview with the Christian worldview simpliciter, or what C.S. Lewis called “mere Christianity”.

To some extent, these types of confusion may be inevitable. Early on the authors recognize that any survey of Christian worldview is beset by the intrinsic limitations of human perspective and fallibility:

“we will never possess the authoritative, fully correct Christian worldview. That is to say, I will never see things exactly the way God sees things….” (54)

True enough. While I commend this nod to perspectivalism and fallibilism, there is one important corrective for a book like this: ensure the readers are aware of the perspective of the authors (in this case, Caucasian, North American males who work from a conservative, evangelical, baptistic perspective) and encourage the readers to be mindful of where the authors may have conflated their token worldview with mere Christianity. Unfortunately, this book lacks that kind of important caveat.

As I said, our authors write from a conservative, evangelical, baptistic perspective and at multiple points, this perspective influences their presentation of mere Christianity. I’ll demonstrate that claim by way of several examples.

To begin with, while the discussion of sin and the fall (164-71) rightly emphasizes the impact of sin upon every human individual, it lacks a commensurate recognition of the social and systemic impact of sin. This emphasis is not surprising given that evangelicals have tended to focus on individual sin over-against the mainline Protestant emphasis upon the social impact of sin. However, it nonetheless results in an incomplete account of hamartiology.

While the authors never explicitly deny that God could create by way of evolutionary processes, repeatedly Neo-Darwinian evolution is associated with atheism and naturalism. This suspicion of evolution accords well with the traditional evangelical and fundamentalist rejection of evolution, but that suspicion is rejected by Catholics, the Orthodox, and a growing number of Protestants. Again, we are given a limited perspective.

On page 133 the authors write: “We believers are pretty good at proclaiming the gospel from the epistles, but not so good at this task when it comes to the Gospels themselves.” This prioritization of the (Pauline) epistles is definitely characteristic of evangelicals and fundamentalists, but it is not true  of believers generally. Consequently, once again we have a distorted perspective.

Evangelical conservatism has long been associated with a rationalist orientation, perhaps most perspicuously in the theology of evangelical doyen Carl Henry. Not surprisingly, rationalism emerges at several points in the presentation in ICW.

We can begin with this statement: “An unexamined worldview is not worth living.” (91) While I get the Socrates allusion and the place of hyperbole, there is something uncomfortably elitist and rationalist about this kind of statement. (The same goes for Socrates, by the way.) Self-examination is important, to be sure, but it simply is not the  summum bonum  of the lived Christian worldview. On the contrary, as Paul wrote, the greatest of these is  love .

A good example of rationalism is found in the authors’ overly optimistic assessment of arguments for God’s existence. For example, they suggest that all atheists are fools, a claim justified with a regrettable proof-texting of Psalm 14:1 (100). And after surveying cosmological and design arguments for God’s existence, they draw a reference back to Paul’s reference to general revelation in Romans 1:

“Paul insists that what has been made clearly displays God’s power. As Aquinas’s Five Ways argue, there is no way to account for motion, causation, and teleology without a prime mover, an uncaused cause, and a transcendent intentional designer.” (102)

The message appears to be that Aquinas’ five ways (and other similar arguments) provide clear demonstrations of God’s existence and attributes which leave people without excuse in the manner of Romans 1 (Cf. 249-50). But that’s a highly dubious claim. Christians and non-Christians alike debate the veracity of these arguments, and critics surely are not rejecting God’s general revelation simply in virtue of failing to be compelled by these arguments.

The authors express a similar optimism when it comes to the support that they allege science provides for theism: “through cause and effect, science, which is based on cause and effect, tells us that there must be a Creator.” (118) Later, they provide the Kalam Cosmological Argument as a specific example where science allegedly establishes the existence of a creator. But this too is  highly contentious . All I’ll note here is that Christians who work in science and theology (e.g. John Polkinghorne; Philip Clayton; Nancey Murphy; R.J. Russell; etc.) are far more nuanced in their understanding of the evidential relationship between science and theism.

I referred above to the great Baptist evangelical theologian Carl Henry. I would submit that one finds a clear example of Henry’s influence in the authors’ equation of the Bible with the “Word of God” and special revelation simpliciter (98). The fact is that this simple identification of the Bible with special revelation simpliciter is highly idiosyncratic in the Christian tradition. To begin with, it obviously contrasts with non-Protestant traditions that recognize the revelatory role of tradition (e.g. Roman Catholicism). So it is unfortunate that the authors failed to acknowledge this fact in their survey. (As an aside, it is interesting to note that the authors implicitly acknowledge the critical role of tradition in biblical revelation when discussing the formation and recognition of the biblical canon relative to emerging church traditions (114-15).)

The problem isn’t simply with the Catholics, however. This simple identification of the Bible with special revelation also alienates many Protestants such as those who point out that special revelation first comes through historical events (see Wolfhart Pannenberg, for example) as well as those who point out that it culminates not in the Bible but in Jesus Christ,  the  Word of God (see Karl Barth).

Evangelicals have also tended to be deeply suspicious of form and redaction criticism (e.g. the documentary hypothesis). So it is hardly surprising when the authors write that “there are two authors behind each book of the Bible: the human author who wrote the words down, and the Holy Spirit who inspired and guided the human author to write God’s words.” (112) That said, many Christians are open to the gradual development of biblical texts like the Torah, Psalms, and Isaiah and so they repudiate the assumption that each biblical book has a single author. Once again, the conservative evangelical view is mistakenly presented as a mere Christian view.

After introducing the concept of inspiration, the authors also include a defense of biblical inerrancy under the aegis of “truthfulness” (112-13). While this emphasis on biblical inerrancy is a hallmark of conservative evangelicalism, it is widely criticized by many other Christians. (The authors also relegate the important fact that Christians disagree on the canonical list to a footnote. (114))

When it comes to the atonement, the authors write: “Theologians emphasize that Jesus’ death was an atoning sacrifice and a propitiation.” (166) This claim about propitiation is incorrect. To be sure, many theologians have taken that view, but many others reject it. In our own age, the most important critique of propitiation arguably comes from the Anglican theologian N.T. Wright: indeed, he provocatively derides the view as a vestige of pagan thinking. Suffice it to say, once again a particular view characteristic of conservative evangelicals finds its way into a description of what is putatively mere Christianity.

My final example is concerned with the doctrine of hell. While Christians have agreed historically that there is posthumous judgment for those outside Christ, they have disagreed on the nature of that judgment. The majority view is shared by the authors of ICW that the unregenerate suffer in eternal conscious torment (ECT). But while they claim that ECT is the only Christian perspective on posthumous judgment (173-74), there are two minority traditions: annihilationism and universalism. Both of these views date back to the Patristic period and have had theological defenders throughout church history. Annihilationism has been defended explicitly from Arnobius in the late third century down to contemporary evangelical stalwarts like John Stott. And universalism has been defended by theologians like Gregory of Nyssa (the fourth-century Cappadocian father of Nicene orthodoxy) down to contemporary defenders like evangelical Robin Parry.

To make matters worse, the authors characterize universalism as one of those “worldlyviews” that are fundamentally inimical to Christian faith (327). On the contrary, Christian universalists offer a range of careful exegetical, theological, philosophical, practical, and historical considerations in support of their view. Needless to say, it is curious indeed to see the pious conviction that Christ’s atoning work may save all being branded an impious capitulation to non-Christian culture.

The Critique of Non-Christian Worldviews

I’ll begin this section by stating the obvious: the authors of ICW are Christians because they believe Christianity is true and thus that it offers the most satisfactory account of reality. I share that assumption. However, they also appear to believe that Christianity’s explanatory superiority should be demonstrable to every reasonable and objective person. This is a far more dubious claim.

I recognize that the survey nature of the book all but ensures that the treatments of opposing views will be of a cursory nature. What is missing in ICW is a suitable caveat to the reader, one that emphasizes the necessarily provisional and introductory nature of the enterprise. On the contrary, by the end of the book, one is left with the message that Christianity has been demonstrated to have explanatory superiority over-against all other major worldviews. And that simply isn’t the case.

We can put it like this: imagine for a moment how satisfied the academic Christian would be with a partial chapter critique of the entire Christian worldview. The answer, one can guess, is  not very . No doubt, a well-written review might raise legitimate objections to some particular aspects of Christian belief, but it would by no means offer a significant refutation of mere Christianity. By the same token, while the critiques of naturalism, Islam, and Hinduism within ICW raise legitimate objections to aspects of these worldviews, they do not offer anything approaching a definitive refutation.

Much virtual ink could be spilled on this topic. But arguably, the parts of these critical surveys that are most objectionable are those where the critique of other views can be turned back upon Christianity. And so I will focus on highlighting some of those examples.

To begin with, the authors critique deism (235-6) and Islam (308-9) by charging that these worldviews lead to determinism while undermining free will. But the same objection can be raised against several  Christian versions of providence and free will, including that of historic Calvinism. While the authors recognize the Calvinist view of providence and free will is a distinctive Christian option (23), they never acknowledge that the same objection raised against deism and Islam can be turned back on Calvinist theology.

As our second example, the authors claim that relativists cannot ground absolute moral prohibitions of heinous actions like “slavery, torture, cold-blooded murder” (87). But what about Christianity? Note that the Israelites practiced slavery, the Torah outlines punishments that would today be considered torture (e.g. hand amputation in Deuteronomy 25:11-12), and the Bible describes God as commanding actions that we would today call cold-blooded murder such as genocide and ethnic cleansing (e.g. Deuteronomy 20:10-20; Numbers 31; 1 Samuel 15). This leaves the Christian with a dilemma: either concede that slavery, torture, and genocide are morally permissible today, or claim that the ethics of such actions are morally relative to a divine decree.

My final example concerns the Islamic conception of jihad. The authors recognize that some Muslims interpret jihad as an internal spiritual struggle rather than a violent, socio-political agenda (313). But they reiterate that other Muslims retain a violent interpretation of jihad. The problem with that mode of argument is that the exact same thing could be said of Christianity. For every St. Francis of Assisi there is a Constantine, Charlemagne … or  Scott Roeder . And while the authors rightly point out that Muhammad “spread the political domain of Islam through the sword” (313), so did the ancient Israelites … to say nothing of the Crusades.

I can hear the authors already objecting that many of these violent individuals were not t rue Christians. Maybe so, but of course, many Muslims will say the same. So unless we care to embark on a discussion of the no true Scotsman fallacy, it would probably be best to concede my point and move on.

Conclusion`

As you can see, I have a lot of criticisms of ICW. While those critiques are significant, they should be kept in perspective. So let me extend an olive branch: the prospect of composing a single introduction to the entire Christian worldview is a gargantuan undertaking, and I doubt I could do any better than these authors. (The lesson: it is easy to critique from the sidelines. It’s rather more daunting to get into the game!)

Indeed, if anything, the developed extent of my criticisms should be taken as evidence that this is an engrossing book which is absolutely packed with information and provocative analysis that is worthy of serious engagement. I may disagree with the authors at points, but that’s in large part because they write with clarity, concision, and savvy cultural awareness. Oh yeah, and they cover a dizzying range of topics in an intriguing and thought-provoking manner. All told, the result is an excellent and comprehensive introduction to worldview thinking.

So what’s the final verdict? To sum up, ICW is a great value for money and is an ideal textbook for upper-level undergraduates or seminary students. That is why I am enthusiastically adopting ICW as the main textbook in my seminary worldview course. It’s also why I commend it to every interested reader.

You can order An Introduction to Christian Worldview here .

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• How to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples

How to Write an Essay Introduction | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on February 4, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A good introduction paragraph is an essential part of any academic essay . It sets up your argument and tells the reader what to expect.

The main goals of an introduction are to:

• Catch your reader’s attention.
• Give background on your topic.
• Present your thesis statement —the central point of your essay.

This introduction example is taken from our interactive essay example on the history of Braille.

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

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Table of contents

Step 1: hook your reader, step 2: give background information, step 3: present your thesis statement, step 4: map your essay’s structure, step 5: check and revise, more examples of essay introductions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the essay introduction.

Your first sentence sets the tone for the whole essay, so spend some time on writing an effective hook.

Avoid long, dense sentences—start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

The hook should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of the topic you’re writing about and why it’s interesting. Avoid overly broad claims or plain statements of fact.

Examples: Writing a good hook

Take a look at these examples of weak hooks and learn how to improve them.

• Braille was an extremely important invention.
• The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

The first sentence is a dry fact; the second sentence is more interesting, making a bold claim about exactly  why the topic is important.

• The internet is defined as “a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities.”
• The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.

Avoid using a dictionary definition as your hook, especially if it’s an obvious term that everyone knows. The improved example here is still broad, but it gives us a much clearer sense of what the essay will be about.

• Mary Shelley’s  Frankenstein is a famous book from the nineteenth century.
• Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement.

Instead of just stating a fact that the reader already knows, the improved hook here tells us about the mainstream interpretation of the book, implying that this essay will offer a different interpretation.

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Next, give your reader the context they need to understand your topic and argument. Depending on the subject of your essay, this might include:

• Historical, geographical, or social context
• An outline of the debate you’re addressing
• A summary of relevant theories or research about the topic
• Definitions of key terms

The information here should be broad but clearly focused and relevant to your argument. Don’t give too much detail—you can mention points that you will return to later, but save your evidence and interpretation for the main body of the essay.

How much space you need for background depends on your topic and the scope of your essay. In our Braille example, we take a few sentences to introduce the topic and sketch the social context that the essay will address:

Now it’s time to narrow your focus and show exactly what you want to say about the topic. This is your thesis statement —a sentence or two that sums up your overall argument.

This is the most important part of your introduction. A  good thesis isn’t just a statement of fact, but a claim that requires evidence and explanation.

The goal is to clearly convey your own position in a debate or your central point about a topic.

Particularly in longer essays, it’s helpful to end the introduction by signposting what will be covered in each part. Keep it concise and give your reader a clear sense of the direction your argument will take.

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As you research and write, your argument might change focus or direction as you learn more.

For this reason, it’s often a good idea to wait until later in the writing process before you write the introduction paragraph—it can even be the very last thing you write.

When you’ve finished writing the essay body and conclusion , you should return to the introduction and check that it matches the content of the essay.

It’s especially important to make sure your thesis statement accurately represents what you do in the essay. If your argument has gone in a different direction than planned, tweak your thesis statement to match what you actually say.

To polish your writing, you can use something like a paraphrasing tool .

You can use the checklist below to make sure your introduction does everything it’s supposed to.

Checklist: Essay introduction

My first sentence is engaging and relevant.

I have introduced the topic with necessary background information.

I have defined any important terms.

My thesis statement clearly presents my main point or argument.

Everything in the introduction is relevant to the main body of the essay.

You have a strong introduction - now make sure the rest of your essay is just as good.

• Argumentative
• Literary analysis

This introduction to an argumentative essay sets up the debate about the internet and education, and then clearly states the position the essay will argue for.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

This introduction to a short expository essay leads into the topic (the invention of the printing press) and states the main point the essay will explain (the effect of this invention on European society).

In many ways, the invention of the printing press marked the end of the Middle Ages. The medieval period in Europe is often remembered as a time of intellectual and political stagnation. Prior to the Renaissance, the average person had very limited access to books and was unlikely to be literate. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century allowed for much less restricted circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.

This introduction to a literary analysis essay , about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , starts by describing a simplistic popular view of the story, and then states how the author will give a more complex analysis of the text’s literary devices.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale. Arguably the first science fiction novel, its plot can be read as a warning about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, and in popular culture representations of the character as a “mad scientist”, Victor Frankenstein represents the callous, arrogant ambition of modern science. However, far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to gradually transform our impression of Frankenstein, portraying him in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

The “hook” is the first sentence of your essay introduction . It should lead the reader into your essay, giving a sense of why it’s interesting.

To write a good hook, avoid overly broad statements or long, dense sentences. Try to start with something clear, concise and catchy that will spark your reader’s curiosity.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

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Understanding What the Christian Worldview Is Essay

Introduction, christian worldview, diverse cultures and me.

Understanding what the Christian worldview is is a necessary stage of obtaining it for a faithful Christian. Knowing the basics of cultural studies, such as culture and civic and global engagement, allows one to teach others different viewpoints and involve them in a common cause.

The most straightforward answer to what the Christian worldview constitutes is that it is the personal philosophy of Christians. A more complex one would be that it is a cognitive, interpretive, and responsive model of the Christian person where the moral, ethical, psychological, and theological core is scripture. As with any other element of Christianity, “the Bible is the foundation for the Christian worldview” (Elliott, 2021, para. 5). A believer can enhance their world perception by communicating with local religious leaders, reading canonical and non-canonical books and academic works on Abrahamic theology, and performing Christian rituals.

The purpose of my life as a Christian is to follow the commandments and not commit deadly sins. My principal life goals now are becoming a better contributor to society and developing a proficient knowledge of my profession and Abrahamic theology. Paradoxically, having a Christian worldview makes it both easier and more challenging to achieve these goals. It shows the best yet the most challenging and demanding path to achieve them. Education is a journey to the truth, and God has commanded people to seek it, so pursuing professional knowledge is paramount to me.

Culture is the accumulation of a particular community’s historical activities and achievements, including language, writing, societal lifestyle, art, industry, architecture, military affairs, and methods of obtaining food and natural resources. People of different cultures can cooperate through cultural similarities or by understanding their differences. Having a Christian worldview means being a messenger of God and his Word, a channel and mouthpiece of His Will to those who have not yet revealed the truth. Others can be engaged through educational activities, preaching, and religious charity.

Religious introspection is as crucial for a true believer as a scriptural study or theological research. Knowing how their faith affects the way one sees the world develops their morality and character and reveals how to share their worldview with culturally distinct individuals and communities effectively.

Elliott, M. (2021). Exploring what a Christian worldview is based on . Reporter-Times . Web.

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Bibliography

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Sample Essay On The Christian Worldview

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: God , Christians , Jesus Christ , Human , Life , Wisdom , Religion , Humanity

Words: 1100

Published: 2021/03/31

Introduction

Making sense of the world essentially begins with a worldview. A worldview provides the necessary framework through which the world will be perceived in a unique way that has meaning to the person. It is a fundamental conviction on how the world should be seen, understood, and experienced (Hiles & Smith, n. d.). For Christians, such worldview centers upon Jesus Christ, the living Son of God (Matt. 16:16), the reason Christianity came to be. The Christian worldview is essentially God-centered (monotheistic). It gives priority to the prerogatives of God over human prerogatives, shaping it to conform former (Hiles & Smith, n. d.). A human-centered worldview cannot be a Christian worldview as these two worldviews are radically different. Either Christian worldview is embraced or the other worldview is accepted automatically (Matt. 6:19-24). This essay will briefly explore the Christian worldview at its core and most essential and provide an analysis of it centered upon the strengths and weaknesses of the Christian belief and the manner it influences human thought and behavior. All scriptural citations found herein came from original English version of The Jerusalem Bible (Jones, 1966). God: The Christian monotheistic worldview about God is considered first-order points of doctrine, which are nonnegotiables to preserve the authenticity of the Christian faith as received from Christ and the Apostles (Hiles & Smith, n. d.). One fundamental belief about God includes His one, uncaused, Trinitarian nature (Jn. 1:1-18; Matt. 28:19; Gen. 1:26) in three Persons: the Father who is the Sovereign Creator (1 Cor. 8:6); the Son who is Jesus from whom all things were made and all existence came through (1 Cor. 8:6; Lk. 1:35-36; 1 Jn. 4:15; Heb. 1:2; Col. 1:16-17); and the Holy Spirit who is the Comforter, Paraclete, and Renewer of life (Jn. 14: 16, 26). Thus, the Trinity is actively involved in the creation (The beginning of wisdom notes, 2015). Humanity: Humanity is the bearer of God’s divine image, being created in His image (Hiles & Smith, n. d.; Gen. 1:26). Being so, it is the highpoint of God’s creation: spirit, soul, and body in one created being. This likeness describes God’s special and intimate relationship with mankind. Moreover, humanity was created to know God intimately and worship Him, and accomplished by loving God and obeying His commands (Jer. 9:23-24; Jn. 14:15). The root cause of the human problems is idolatry, ascribing an ultimate value to anything not God. Instead of seeking to know God and worship Him, the primordial parents decided to be like God, an idolatry of self (Gen. 3:2-5). They attempted to dethrone God from their lives and then make themselves their gods. This is still true among humans today: self-worship, of man’s ‘unlimited power’ to scale the heavens and be like God just as what happened at the tower in Babel. Jesus: Jesus the Christ or Messiah (‘Anointed One’) is fully God and fully human. He is the Son of God, the second Person (the Word) of the Trinity. Jesus taught about the coming of the Kingdom of God (e.g. Matt. 10:7), which is the reign of God over humanity and the rest of creation (Hiles & Smith, n. d.). His identity as God-Man is crucial in the Christian worldview as only Him can be the sacrificial lamb that atones for the sins of mankind. Only His salvific work made possible the Christian worldview in the first place (The beginning of wisdom notes, 2015). Restoration: The solution to the human problem is the restoration of pure worship of God to humanity through an act of profound love by God for mankind (Hiles & Smith, n. d.). What God did was to embrace the human flesh and offer Himself as an expiatory sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Restoration is also the reconciliation of humanity to God, to a right relationship that sin severed (The beginning of wisdom notes, 2015). Before restoration even begins, humanity should go through an ongoing redemption, the rebuilding of the Kingdom of God. Restoration can and only commences not before but after the judgment (Matt. 25:31-46) in the New Heaven and the New Earth. Redemption (justification), the outcome of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, transpires only as a work of God’s free grace received by faith. Christians think that transformation of the self and society (through those transformed) occurs through renewal, by the Holy Spirit, once people accept Christ as Savior and Lord, becoming a new creation and transforms society with them.

Strengths of Christian belief: The strength of the Christian belief rests upon Jesus Himself, His resurrection, the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesies in Him, and the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Abraham in the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which will bring blessings to mankind as God promised him. As such, its foundation and reason is Jesus the Christ. Moreover, Christianity is always consistent with sound philosophy and science, properly and holistically interpreted. Human wisdom when properly used reflects God’s wisdom. Confusing Christianity: Much of the confusions that Christianity generated generally came from its radical differences with the views and values of the world. In a world where success is paramount, Jesus was a relative failure; died a criminal’s death on the cross. He was passive against the evil people put Him into. He was embarrassment to His family (Lk. 2:48; 8:19-21). The crowd who followed Him turned against Him (Lk. 28:18-23). His disciples abandoned Him at a time of suffering and death (Lk. 22:54-62). Those genuinely drawn to Him were the misfits (Lk. 19:1-10) and the public sinners (Lk. 7:36-50). He embraced total obedience to the Father who sent Him to die a shaming death; and died without a fight. To the untrained ears, this is heretical (Francis, 2014). The Christian influence: The means by which Christianity influences human thinking and behavior does not primarily rest on the strength of its discourses, but in Christ’s love and light that is manifested in the lives of all Christians (Paul VI, 1964). Lives full of love and understanding, even imperfect lives, attract through a strong bond and link with mankind’s hunger for a genuine love and a wisdom that guides. Above all, it is the Holy Spirit’s grace that touches the human heart. It is His movement in others that makes possible the influencing of their thoughts, hearts, and behaviors.

Being a Christian, I live the beliefs of the Christian worldview by attempting to follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Central to this living is my submission, as total as I can possibly do to or fathom of the will of God in very specific moments of my life, like Jesus did, which I discern through the events of my life, through contemplation of the Scriptures, through other people, and through many things that God will use to communicate His message to me. Corollary to this submission is the surrender, or a continuing effort to completely do so by His grace, of my future into God’s hands, not making plans for the future away from what God clearly wants me to do and be. If Christian faith is walking blind with only God’s hands holding and guiding the believer, then that’s how following God’s will in my life will be and shall be.

The Christian worldview is non-negotiably God-centered, specifically Trinitarian. It understands the human purpose, understands clearly the role of Jesus in Christian life, believes in a lifelong process of transformation and reconciliation with God, and looks forward to the time of the restoration of their union with God. Christianity is strong only as long as it stays within the embrace of Christ, within the purview and protection of the Holy Spirit, even amidst a world that radically opposes the Christian lifestyle and values. This is the world that Christ called all Christians and all people of good will to work at transforming through God’s love and wisdom.

Francis, Pope. (2014, September 26). The scent of a sinner: Morning meditation in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. L’Osservatore Romano (39): no page. Hiles, J. & Smith, A.F. (Eds.). (n. d.). The beginning of wisdom: An introduction to Christian thought and life; pp.102 (in Word doc format). [Attachment] Paul VI, Pope. (1964, November 21). Lumen Gentium. Vatican, Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. The beginning of wisdom notes. (2015). [Attachment]

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