What Is a Worldview?

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Waynetta Little

Prof. Chris Winchester

Contemporary Worldviews APOL 104

7/March/2016

Worldview Paper

Part I:

What is a worldview?

It’s the framework for which we view reality and make sense of life and the world.  It is the simplest idea of how we understand God and how he relates to the World.  Different denominations have different views but it all makes up the framework of understanding God or what you believe.                                                                   Word count 52

Part II:

The Question of Origin – (How did life begin? How did mankind come into existence?)

The Biblical/Christian worldview is Theism.  Theism claim that everything that exists, including humans, is a result of God (2 Pet 1:21) He created everything “out of nothing”.   Theism states that is all begin with God and everything exists because of him (Gen 1:1).

The Question of Identity – (What does it mean to be human? Are humans more important than animals?)

Theism is the only view that God created man and female both in his image. (Gen 2:15)  God also gave them the responsibility to rule over the animals and to be their caretakers.  God

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created mankind above the animals and man was created, “a little lower than the angels” (Ps 8:5).    

The Question of Meaning/Purpose – (Why does mankind exist? Why do I exist?)

Theists believe mankind is to know God but it is interpreted in several different views like Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  Believe that the purpose of mankind is to know God. However, the way this is interpreted varies greatly within theistic worldviews such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  Traditional Judaism teaches Jews that man is to love the Lord and serve Him with "all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut 11:13) and to "love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord" (Lev 19:18).   Christianity is about a relationship with God and not simply following the tenants of a religion. Mankind’s purpose according to John 17:3, this is salvation in Christianity. It is about having a personal intimate relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Muslims think the Bible was corrupted and that God needed to communicate His plan for mankind through His final prophet, Muhammad.

The Question of Morality – (What is meant by right and wrong? How should I live?)

Theists answer the questions of morality and ethics primarily through special revelation or their religious texts. Their ethics are based upon the nature and character of God.  There is not right or wrong, it’s base on God’s standards.  They do fall and don’t always live holy lives but they believe in the fall of Adam and how he disobeyed God. (Gen 3)  We are all born a sinner (Ps 51:5) and cannot save himself and this is only done by God’s grace with faith and one’s work.