A worldview is a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or

entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or

inconsistently) about the basic make-up of our world.

Choosing A Worldview

How well does the worldview relate to itself?

Consistency - It does not violate the law of non-contradiction.
Coherence - Do its parts fit together; do separate statements support one another?
(For instance the following statements are true [grass is green; 2 + 2 = 4,
Springfield is the Capital City of Illinois] however they do not support one another
in any way and therefore taken holistically they are not coherent)

How well does the worldview explain the world?

Comprehensiveness - Does it cover all the bases?
Congruence - Does it fit with reality; does it fit the data?

How well does the worldview explain humanity?

Compensation - Does it provide a sense of satisfaction; is the worldview livable?

Is the worldview the best alternative?

Comparability - Does it do the best job of answering all the questions?
 Christian Theism

God/Prime Reality:
Creator, Infinite, Personal, Triune, Rational
Transcendent And Immanent
Sovereign And Good

Cosmos:
Created Ex Nihilo
Operates With A Uniformity Of Cause And Effect
Open System (Miracles Possible Through God’s Immanence)
Fallen World

Humans:
Created In The Image Of God
Possess Self-Transcendence, Rationality, Personality, Morality, Creativity, Sociability
Originally Good, Now Fallen But Capable Of Redemption

Knowledge/Revelation:
Can Have Adequate Knowledge Of The World And God
Available Through General And Special Revelation

Ethics:
Transcendent
Based On the Character Of God As Good (Holy And Loving)
Some Ethical Principles Are Universal (Not Relative)
Given By General And/Or Special Revelation

Death:
Gateway To Eternity With Or Eternity Separated From God
Outcome Determined By Relationship With Christ
Individuality Retained

History:
Linear
Meaningful
Leading To the Fulfillment Of God’s Purposes
Guided By God’s Providence And Miraculous Intervention
 Deism

God/Prime Reality:
Creator
Transcendent Not Immanent
Not Fully Personal

Cosmos:
Created
Operates With A Uniformity Of Cause And Effect
Closed System (Miracles Not Possible/Actual Because God Lacks Immanence)
Not Fallen

Humans:
Personal
Part Of The Clockwork Universe
Capacity For Morality Is “Built In”
Not Currently Dependent Upon God’s Involvement

Knowledge/Revelation:
Cosmos Is Knowable Via Human Reason
God Is Knowable Only Through Natural Revelation

Ethics:
Moral Principles Based On God’s Transcendent Nature
Knowable Only Through Natural Revelation
What “Is” Must Be “Right”

Death:
Possibly Devine Judgment With Rewards And Punishment Based On Merit
Possibly Death As The End Of Personal Existence

History:
Linear
Determined At Creation
God Does Not Act In History
 Optimistic Naturalism (Secular Humanism)

God/Prime Reality:
Eternal Or Self-Generated Matter
No God

Cosmos:
Uncreated
Operates With A Uniformity Of Cause And Effect
Closed System (Miracles Not Possible Because There Is No God)
Everything Is Within The “Box” Of The Universe

Humans:
“Fee Yet “Complex Machines”
Personality Not Yet Understandable
Appears To Be Nothing More Than The Interaction Of Physical And Chemical Properties

Knowledge/Revelation:
Possible To Discover
Important To Effect Progress
Not Divinely Revealed

Ethics:
Created By Human Consensus
Autonomous (Not Dependent On Any God)
Situational

Death:
Extinction Of Consciousness, Personality, And Individuality

History:
Linear Stream Of Events Linked By Cause And Effect
No Overarching Purpose
 Pessimistic Naturalism (Nihilism)

God/Prime Reality:
No God
A Cosmos That Appears Not To Care, To Value Goodness, Or To Be Rational
Absurd

Cosmos:
Operates Either From Necessity Or Chance
No Inherent Value Or Meaning
Provides No Answers
Absurd

Humans:
No Value, Meaning Or Self
Freedom And Consciousness Undermined

Knowledge/Revelation:
No Foundation For Knowledge
No Reason To Think The Brain As Pure Matter Would Give “Truth”
Truth And Illusion Indistinguishable

Ethics:
No Basis For Moral Values
Values Relative
Cannot Produce “Oughts” From What “Is” The Case

Death:
Extinction Of Consciousness, Personality, And Individuality
Final Absurdity

History:
No Direction Or Purpose
Individual And World History Are Meaningless
 Atheistic Existentialism

God/Prime Reality:
Two Disunited Forms Objective (Matter) And Subjective (My Experience Of Freedom)

Cosmos:
Consists Of Objective “Essences” Which Are Governed By Nature’s Law And Logic
Absurd

Humans:
Existence Precedes Essence (For Humans Alone)
Man Free To Define Himself
Alienated From The World

Knowledge/Revelation:
Objective Knowable By Logic And Science
Self Removed From Analysis

Ethics:
Humans Must “Revolt” Against Absurdity And Create Value
Good Actions Are Those That Are Consciously And Freely Chosen

Death:
Undeniable Absurdity
Face It Boldly As The Final Exercise Of Revolt

History:
World History Is Meaningless
Temporary Individual Meaning May Arise Through Choices And Personal Encounters
 Theistic Existentialism

God/Prime Reality:
God Is Personal, Transcendent, Immanent And Good
Accepted Without Proof Through A Leap Of Faith

Cosmos:
Paradoxical
Gives No Meaning
Offers No Evidence For God

Humans:
The “Personal” I-Thou Is Valuable
Finite
Fallen
Not Satisfied Apart From Surrender To God

Knowledge/Revelation:
Often Paradoxical
God Believed Without Reason Or Proof
Revelation Is Personal Encounter Not Revealed Propositions Or Doctrines

Ethics:
Understood Primarily In “Personal” Terms
Emphasis On Personal Relationship Not Moral Values

Death:
Personal Encounter With God Can Prompt Hope Over The Absurdity Of Death
Literal Continued Life Uncertain

History:
Uncertain And Unimportant
Can Provide A Model To Live By
 Eastern Pantheistic Monism

God/Prime Reality:
All Reality Is “Divine Oneness” (Brahman)
This “God” Supersedes All Rational/Moral Distinctions

Cosmos:
Cosmos Is One
Not Perceived As It Is, It Is Thus Maya (Illusion)

Humans:
Real Self Is Not Psycho-physical Self (Jiva)
Real Self Is A Passive Observer (Atman) That Is One With Brahman
Atman is Brahman

Knowledge/Revelation:
Transcends Logic, Language, Physical Senses
A Direct Experienced Knowledge Of One’s Oneness With The Universe

Ethics:
Distinction Between Good And Evil Abandoned Due To Oneness Of Reality

Death:
Cycle Of Rebirth (Samsara) That Is Only Stopped When Oneness Is Achieved
Future Life Determined By Karma

History:
Individual And Cosmic History Are Cyclical
Time Is Unreal As One Passes Beyond It In The Experience Of The One
 New Age

God/Prime Reality:
Self Linked To A Permeating Force Throughout The Universe
No Transcendent God, Only The Good Within

Cosmos:
Visible (Accessible By Normal Consciousness)
Invisible (Accessible By Altered Consciousness)

Humans:
Individual More Important
Atman Is Brahman
Growing Cosmic Consciousness Leads To Superior Human Race

Knowledge/Revelation:
Experiencing True Reality In Its Unity Is The Goal
Accomplished Through Altered States Of Consciousness
Assisted By Meditation, Mantras, Mediums, Etc.

Ethics:
Good Is Whatever Facilitates A Cosmic Consciousness Of Oneness
Often Involves Ecological And Human Sensitivity
Everything Part Of Mother Earth

Death:
Not The End Of Self
What Lies Beyond Unclear
Many Opt For Repeated Reincarnations

History:
Cosmos And Man Have Entered A New Age
Some Stress A One-World Government And Coming One-World Leader