Christian Worldview Basics

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Questions and Answers

What do symbols represent in the context of a culture's worldview?

Historical timeline records

Events, people, and various cultural elements (correct)

Economical exchanges

Only religious artifacts

What is a significant aspect of a 'living memory' according to Stanley Hauerwas?

It must be a written narrative

It requires reinterpretation by a community (correct)

It is irrelevant to cultural identity

It should remain unchanged through time

What does the term 'ethos' refer to in the context of a culture?

The historical background of a region

The rules that govern behavior

The distinctive character formed by attitudes and beliefs (correct)

The unique economic strategies

Which of the following is NOT an example of a symbol as described?

Religious scriptures Signup and view all the answers

How can a community effectively use its remembered story?

To order new experiences consistently with their worldview Signup and view all the answers

The concept of Zeitgeist is related to which of the following?

The spirit of the times expressed through ethos Signup and view all the answers

What role do symbols play in challenging cultural narratives?

They provoke fear and backlash Signup and view all the answers

What questions does memory help a community to answer?

Who are we, where are we, what is wrong, and what is the solution? Signup and view all the answers

What does a worldview ethos express?

The collective identity and values of a social group Signup and view all the answers

Which philosopher is known for conceiving worldview as a philosophy?

Immanuel Kant Signup and view all the answers

What element of a worldview provides a vision for the future and present life?

Vision Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the term 'praxis' in the context of worldview?

A way of being and living in the world Signup and view all the answers

Who among the following is a twentieth century philosopher that contributed to the concept of worldview?

Jacques Derrida Signup and view all the answers

What role does the prescriptive character of a worldview play?

It explains how things should be Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following philosophers is associated with the philosophy of worldview in the natural sciences?

Michael Polanyi Signup and view all the answers

Which component of a worldview encompasses its narrative and answers to big questions?

Ethos Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines 'worldview'?

A comprehensive framework of one’s basic beliefs about things. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'Christian worldview'?

A vision of God, the universe, our world, and ourselves grounded in worship and spirituality. Signup and view all the answers

How does a worldview function, according to the content?

It acts as a filter and framework, interpreting and explaining experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What does the narrative component of a worldview signify?

It constitutes an irreducible narrative that forms the essence of a worldview. Signup and view all the answers

Which metaphor is used to illustrate the nature of a worldview?

A pair of glasses that shapes our perception of the world. Signup and view all the answers

According to David Naugle, a Christian worldview is rooted in which of the following?

The embodied human heart as the source of worship and spirituality. Signup and view all the answers

What role do maps and compasses play in understanding worldviews?

They guide, direct, and orient our understanding of personal and cultural journeys. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the formation of worldviews?

Formation of worldviews is influenced by various factors, including community and spirituality. Signup and view all the answers

What do worldviews establish according to their particular view of reality?

A standard for beauty or its absence Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a philosophical worldview alternative?

Christian Theism Signup and view all the answers

What does existentialism emphasize regarding individual responsibility?

Meaning is created by the individual Signup and view all the answers

What belief does nihilism hold about existence?

Nothing has real existence Signup and view all the answers

Which worldview alternative emphasizes harmony with the universe?

Taoism Signup and view all the answers

What do conflicting worldviews in society primarily lead to?

Inevitably conflicting decisions Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of postmodernism as a worldview?

Emphasis on individual experience and perspectives Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a religious worldview alternative?

Judaism Signup and view all the answers

What are the three options for the afterlife according to the content?

Personal extinction, reincarnation, Heaven or hell Signup and view all the answers

What is described as the ultimate fulfillment of human aspirations in the afterlife?

A glorified, perfected state with God Signup and view all the answers

What is the reason given for the spiritual purpose of humanity?

To have a relationship with God Signup and view all the answers

Which verse highlights the 'very good' aspect of creation?

Genesis 1:31 Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of human rebellion against God highlighted in the content?

Alienation from societal structures Signup and view all the answers

What represents a theological consequence of the Fall of humanity?

Separation/alienation from God Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, what is the cultural purpose of humanity?

To establish culture and civilization Signup and view all the answers

What does Genesis 1:26-28 emphasize about humanity's identity?

Humans are created in the image and likeness of God Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary consequence of humanity's rebellion against God?

Vanity and futility in life Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of redemption as described in the content?

Fulfillment of the Old Testament promises Signup and view all the answers

What does the New Testament primarily focus on regarding redemption?

The person of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of redemption Signup and view all the answers

What represents the 'Already' aspect of redemption?

Christ’s conflict with sin, Satan, and death Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of Christ’s coming as described in the content?

Judgment of evil and redemption of humanity Signup and view all the answers

What concept is associated with the 'Not Yet' aspect of redemption?

Final judgment and resurrection Signup and view all the answers

How is the Kingdom of God described in the context of redemption?

The active reign of God establishing His rule among people Signup and view all the answers

What role does the Church play according to the content presented?

The body of Christ with a global mission Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Course Information

Course Name: Christian Worldview
Course Code: CWV1106
Course Lecturer: Attlee Charles M'buka BA, PDT, MTh, PhD (Candidate)

Lesson Objectives

Students will understand the meaning of 'worldview'.
Students will understand the meaning of 'Christian worldview'.
Students will learn how worldviews are formed.

Definition of Worldview

A "view of the universe and theory of the cosmos" – G. K. Chesterton
"The whole manner of conceiving of the world and humanity's place in it" – James Orr
A fundamental principle from which a complex of ideas and conceptions about reality are derived – Abraham Kuyper
A perspective on life, a whole system of thought that answers questions about existence – Francis Schaeffer
A comprehensive framework of one's basic beliefs about things – Albert Wolters
A view of the world and the resulting way of life within it – David Naugle

What is Christian Worldview?

A vision of God, the universe, the world, and humanity, rooted in the embodied human heart - David Naugle
How we view and interact with our environment in relation to how God wants us to live our lives – Attlee C. M'buka

Illustration of Worldview

Worldview is like lenses, sunglasses, or contact lenses through which we look at the world.
Lenses color everything we see, but we don't always notice them.

What a Worldview Does

Guides, directs, and orients (personally and culturally)
Sifting and sorting, accepting and rejecting; interpretation of life, explanations for the world, our place, including God, universe, our world and ourselves.
Illuminating minds about the world and our place within it

Content and Character of Worldview

A worldview includes a narrative with irreducible narrative components.
A worldview is a story-formed entity.
A worldview includes a core story (foundational myth) and multiple sub-stories.

Worldview Narratives

Involve a setting
Involve characters
Include conflict
Include resolution (Where are we? Who are we? What's gone wrong? What's the remedy?)

Big Questions

Out of the narrative resources, a worldview answers philosophical, theological, religious, spiritual, social and cultural questions about God, the universe, and human existence.

Philosophical Implications of Worldview

Metaphysical - What is real? (questions on the nature, existence, and works of God)
Epistemological - What is truth? (questions about knowledge, its sources, and justification)
Cosmological - What is the origin, nature, and destiny of the universe?
Anthropological - Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going?
Ethical - What should I be? What should I do? How should I live?
Aesthetic - What is beauty? What is the role of the arts?
Historical - What is the meaning of human history- circular or cyclical or linear

Christian Worldview Alternatives and Tests

Philosophical: Agnosticism/skepticism; Atheism/Naturalism; Nihilism; Secular Humanism; Existentialism; Modernism; Postmodernism
Religious: Theism; Judaism; Christian Theism; Islamism; Buddhism; Taoism; Confucianism; Pantheism/Hinduism

Conflict of Worldviews in Society

Worldviews guide our approaches and responses to life, shaping decisions and interactions.
People with contrasting worldviews can encounter conflicts.
Decisions based on different worldviews lead to disagreements on interpretations of right, wrong, truth, error, possible and impossible, and directions.

History of Worldview in Different Disciplines

Natural Sciences: Michael Polanyi, Thomas Kuhn
Social Sciences: Psychiatry/Psychology (Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung); Sociology (Karl Mannheim, Peter Berger); Economics (Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels); Anthropology (Robert Redfield, Michael Kearney)

Philosophical Christian Worldview

God as the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
God is infinite and personal
God is transcendent and immanent; omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, omnibenevolent, sovereign, and supreme.
God is just, holy, loving, and merciful.
God's ways are righteous and without injustice.
Genesis 1:31 ("very good")

Biblical Christian Worldview

History is linear with a purpose in God (creation, fall, redemption, and consummation)
History is teleological and has meaning (God is actively involved)
History is a form of revelation
God's creation included humanity in His image (Genesis 1:26-28)
The Fall resulted from humanity's disobedience.
Redemption through Jesus Christ (the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection)

Biblical Themes

Redemption: Already and Not Yet
God's Kingdom: actively involved in human history
The role of human intelligence in understanding the world and God
The necessity and sufficiency of both general (nature) and special (Scripture) revelation
Ethics: moral order based on God's nature (love and justice)
Aesthetics: God as the source of beauty and the arts.

Key Figures

Attlee Charles M'buka
Immanuel Kant
Søren Kierkegaard
G.W.F. Hegel
Wilhelm Dilthey
Friedrich Nietzsche
Edmund Husserl
Karl Jaspers
Ludwig Wittgenstein
Jacques Derrida
Michel Foucault

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Description

This quiz explores the foundational concepts of worldview, specifically focusing on the Christian perspective. Students will learn how worldviews are formed and how they influence our understanding of existence. Engage with various definitions and principles that shape a Christian worldview.