Theological Term of the Week: Worldview

worldview
“A network of ultimate beliefs, assumptions, values, and ideas about the universe and our place in it that shapes how a person understands their life and experiences (and the lives and experiences of others) and how that person acts in response.”1

• From scripture, on having a Christian worldview:

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 ESV)

• From What is a Worldview? by James Anderson:

A person’s worldview represents his most fundamental beliefs and assumptions about the universe he inhabits. It reflects how he would answer all the “big questions” of human existence: fundamental questions about who and what we are, where we came from, why we’re here, where (if anywhere) we’re headed, the meaning and purpose of life, the nature of the afterlife, and what counts as a good life here and now. Few people think through these issues in any depth, and fewer still have firm answers to such questions, but a person’s worldview will at least incline him toward certain kinds of answers and away from others.

Worldviews shape and inform our experiences of the world around us. Like spectacles with colored lenses, they affect what we see and how we see it. Depending on the “color” of the lenses, some things may be seen more easily, or conversely, they may be de-emphasized or distorted—indeed, some things may not be seen at all.

Learn more:

1. Got Questions: What is a Christian Worldview?
2. Bethinking: What in the World Is a Worldview?
3. James N. Anderson: What in the World Is a Worldview? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
4. Josh Blount: 5 Questions to Analyze Any Worldview

Related terms:

• apologetics

1 From What It TAKES to Make a Worldview by Dr. James N. Anderson.

Filed under Apologetics

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Sunday's Hymn: Come, We That Love the Lord

Come, we that love the Lord,
And let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord,
And thus surround the throne.

Let those refuse to sing
That never knew our God;
But children of the heav’nly King
May speak their joys abroad.

The men of grace have found
Glory begun below;
Celestial fruits on earthly ground
From faith and hope may grow.

The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets,
Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
Or walk the golden streets.

Then let our songs abound,
And ev’ry tear be dry;
We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground
To fairer worlds on high.

—Is­aac Watts

 Other hymns, worship songs, or quotes for this Sunday:

• Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts at The Happy Wonderer
• Christian Life is Open Warfare at The Outspoken Tulip
• Show us Jesus our Lord at Tried With Fire
• Lord’s Day 38, 2019 at The Thirsty Theologian

Selected Reading

I read these recently and recommend them to you.

Bible Study

3 Steps to understanding a tricky passage
“So you are reading your Bible, and you come across a passage a verse that you are having a hard time understanding. It seems like a straight-forward reading of it would contradict what the Bible teaches elsewhere, or at the very least it seems like the passage teaches something unusual. What should you do?”

Christian History

Hymn Reflection: Now Thank We All Our God
After the Thirty Year’s War, Martin Rinkart wrote a hymn. “What kind of song could come out of such tragedy? A lament? A plea for vindication? A cry for mercy?” An imprecatory song? 

None of the above. “Instead, Rinkart wrote a hymn of gratitude.” 

Anne Dutton and Her Reasons for Writing
The story of Anne Dutton, who was yet another intelligent, wise, and strong historical Christian woman: “Anne was described as a lively and outspoken girl. Over the course of her life, she combined this zeal and candor with her natural clarity of thought and expression in order to provide Scriptural encouragement and advice.”

But not everyone approved. Some questioned the propriety of her work: “Was it proper for a woman to provide counsel to others – men included – especially when this counsel was published for all to read?” 

Christian Living

What Is Real Repentance?
“We enter the Christian life through repentance and we remain in the Christian life through repentance.”

Then we need to know what repentance is, don’t we?

Seasonal

The Reason Why Americans Refer to Autumn as Fall
Here’s the story behind the two English language names for this season. (Canadians use fall, too, so I guess it’s a North American phenomenon.)