Characteristics Of Christian Worldview

As stated by the Christian world view on the origin of life, the inception of everything that exists was a result from God himself. The

Ostrander defines a worldview as “...a framework of ideas, values, and beliefs about the basic makeup of the world” (Ostrander 18). After this definition, he goes on to show the purpose of a worldview, and how everyone has a worldview that shapes the rest of their lives. A worldview explains everything one believes and that is especially important to a Christian.

Everyone has a worldview, whether we know it or not. Worldview is the way a person makes sense of the world, life and reality. For example: I view the glass as half full, but you might view the glass as half empty. We both see the glass but we do not agree on how to view it. Our worldview is formed by our education, family beliefs, the culture we live in, and media we are exposed to. For many of us our surrounding culture influences our worldview and we have never had to think about why we believe what we believe and we wouldn’t be able to defend our beliefs to others.

A Christian Worldview is one’s view on the world in Gods sight on how it should be. This is basically a different means of how a Christian might view the world compared to a non-Christian. Some may see a sinful world but may not think

A worldview is the way a person views and interprets the world around them. Life experiences and spiritual influences play a part in forming one’s worldview. A person’s worldview helps them to determine beliefs on creation, humanity, morals and what happens after death. According to Waddell, (2014) “Worldviews are also like lenses found in eyeglasses that serve as the means through which a person sees the world.” (para. 43) In this paper, the main components of the Christian worldview will be discussed, to include God, humanity, Jesus, restoration and analysis of Christian Faith as well as a reflection of my own beliefs.

The first foundational aspect of the worldview is found in who God is. The Christian’s worldview of God is that God is part of the Trinity, which is made up of three persons: The Father, the Son (who is fully God and man), and the Holy Spirit, but they are all one God (Diffey, 2014). God is the sovereign creator of all things, “All things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together,” (Colossians 1: 16-17, English Standard Version). Love was the defining factor for God creating the world, “God’s act of creation is an act of love of the purest sort” (Dodds & Dodds, 2011, p. 210). God created the world and is still actively involved in it because, “If God’s creative activity is needed to account for the first existence of the world, there is every reason to think that it would be needed to account

The first foundational aspect of the worldview is who God is. The Christian’s worldview of who God is that God is part of the Trinity. The Trinity is made up of three persons: The Father, the Son (who is fully God and man), and the Holy Spirit, but they are all one God (Diffey, 2014). Existence is possible because of God. God, “created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, English Standard Version). God created the world and is still actively involved in it because, “If God’s creative activity is needed to account for the first existence of the world, there is every reason to think that it would be needed to account for the world’s persistence” (McCann, 2012, p. 24). God did not create the world and leave it because, “God’s act of creation is an act of the purest sort” (Dodds & Dodds, 2011, p. 210). God’s love goes hand in hand with God’s wisdom. Wisdom is a

Everyone has a Worldview. “A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.” (1) Some have a Biblical Worldview. A Biblical Worldview is founded on the word of God. It is how a Christian views the world. Both belief systems are equally important to each individual, but there are differences in the way they view the natural world, human identity, human relationships, and culture.

2 Part I According to (Merriam-Webster, n.d.), worldview is defined as a comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world especially from a specific standpoint. This definition implies that the way an individual view the world may be due to a variety of factors such as their culture, ethnicity, and/or religion. For Christians, our worldview is shaped by the Holy Bible. Often, this book

Throughout this class we have discussed the different worldviews that an individual may have. This class has taught me that a worldview is how an individual understands the world and their place in it. “A worldview consist of what a person believes to be real and true, what a person values, how a person makes decisions, and what forms a person’s desires, longings, and goals” (Fuller, Lecture One). An individual’s worldview is the motivating force behind their every emotion, decision, and action. A worldview is what helps an individual make sense of life and this world. A worldview will provide answers for many different questions in life. A few of the questions that a worldview helps answer are questions of origin, human dilemma, hope, and destiny.

I. A worldview is a person's concept of what the world is, how the world operates, and the place he or she has in the world. The worldview can also encompass the philosophy of life held by the person, because life philosophy and understanding of the world are generally linked to one another. In other words, a person who has a highly religious worldview would very likely have a philosophy of life that encompassed the need for a kinder world, and that included the relationship between what happens in this world and the promise of an afterlife. The person who has an atheistic worldview would be expected to have a philosophy of life that was different from that of a religious person, and that encompassed different things that were important to that person. A worldview can change over time, of course, because it is generally shaped by parents and school at an early age. As a person ages, he or she explores the world and sees it differently, which can lead to a change in the overall worldview held by that person and how he or she will choose to respond to the world in the future.

Defining a Christian worldview is both very important and very difficult. It is important because Jesus Christ Himself sent us into the world with a commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20, ESV). With that commission, we need to understand how Christianity fits into all nations of the world. The reason for its difficulty is that we all have our cultural biases that we impose on our Christianity. It is not intentional, but because we do not live in a vacuum, cultural influences become part of us with every breath we take.

Today’s society consists of many worldviews. Most people tend to pull beliefs from different religions, but often stick to one main worldview. A worldview to me is the gathering of beliefs that shape what we do on a daily basis and forms our overall view on life. When I look at my beliefs critically, I am able to see my worldview and see how it compares to different worldviews, but also how it compares mainly to the Christian Worldview.

Whether clearly defined or not, everyone holds a worldview. Through life, travel, study, and contemplation, I have sought to clarify and substantiate my worldview. When comparing my beliefs to various other worldviews, mine stands up as logical and rational. Most importantly, my Christian worldview can be applied to contemporary problems and even explain many of the world’s issues. Though the Christian worldview is one of the most criticized, it provides substantive answers instead of more philosophical questions. After all, a worldview is only worthwhile if one can explain and defend their beliefs.

What is a worldview? How does it influence our daily lives? A worldview is how we see reality. It influences the way we live our lives. It influences the way we interact with each other. A worldview is a belief system of who we are, why we are here, and what our destiny is.