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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 6, 2012 at 4:44pm

Jenny,

         Excellent questions, and I am sure you will get many responses.  Due to length, I am going to unpack my answer to your multi-faceted question in two separate responses.

 

*/ What is a worldview? /*

         Very simply, as I understand it, a "worldview" or "world view" is one of those expansive, overarching, catch-all terms that describes the way each of us frames our view of the society, culture, and world around us, and how we make sense of it all. What are our core values, attitudes and beliefs? What is right and what is wrong? Why do we believe what we believe? How do we see the world?

          Each of us views the world through our perceptions, which are filtered through the lens of our personal upbringing, socio-cultural milieu, cultural and ethnic identification, socio-economic status, religious beliefs, politics, nationality, prejudices, biases and suppositions. For Christians, how we view the authority of the Bible and denominational upbringing/identification and its associated distinctive beliefs and practices, as well as our understanding and interpretation of scripture, come into play.

 

*/ What does it mean then to have a "Christian worldview" or a "Biblical worldview?"

          To hold a "Christian worldview" or a "Biblical worldview" means, therefore, in the broadest sense, to see yourself, as well as the culture and world around you, from a scriptural point of view. To put it more bluntly, to have a Christian worldview means that we understand the Gospel message, which Paul articulates in First Corinthians 15, and further that we hold up Jesus Christ as our model for how to live. We seek to emulate Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds.

          In addition to getting the gospel message and thinking and acting like Jesus, it means that we hold up the Bible as our standard and final authority in matters of faith, morality, and practice. We understand the Scripture to be the infallible repository of redemptive revelation, from the beginning to the end of history, the unfolding story of man's relationship with the one true God.

          The worldview that the Bible presents begins by introducing us to the one and only true eternally existent, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God. It follows with the incredible story of the creation of the universe, including God making man in his own image. It continues with the story of the Fall of our first parents, Adam and Eve; the stories of the people of God who lived in the days of the Old Testament, including Noah, Moses, Abraham, Job and others; the earthly ministry and redemptive death of Jesus Christ (the God-man) on the cross and his resurrection; and the prophetic promise of bodily resurrection and a new earth and heaven recorded by John in the Book of Revelation.

 

*/ Can a Christian lack a worldview? /*

Yes.

 

More to follow ...

Faith, hope and love with blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Messiah,

Colby

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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 6, 2012 at 4:52pm

Jenny,

          Here is the second and final part of my response, continuing where I left off with the next question you posed.

*/ If it's true that "most Christians don't have a Christian worldview," what are the reasons for this? /*

          I am no authority, but one respected organization contends that only 1 in 11 born-again Christians in the U.S.A. have a Biblical or Christian worldview.Others may disagree with this finding, of course. Some will say the actual number is more or less.

          The Barna Research Group, a Christian public-opinion research organization, provides some startling conclusions on this question through their extensive polling. "The research indicated that everyone has a worldview, but relatively few people have a biblical worldview - even among devoutly religious people. The survey discovered that only 9% of born again Christians have such a perspective on life." Click here to read more.

          But, why, you ask? The Barna Research Group offers this explanation. Despite the fact that the Bible is more accessible to more people than ever before--widely available in print in many English translations and in virtually every other language, as well as in electronic form on the Internet and in powerful software applications with incredible features--biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high. That should be a cause of great concern; most disturbing to the body of Christ.

• "The primary reason that people do not act like Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what we think - our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges and opportunities of life. We're often more concerned with survival amidst chaos than with experiencing truth and significance."

          It is ironic that while many (if not most) Christians will vigorously defend the Bible as the inerrant Word of God, few of them will bother to read it from cover to cover.

          In many Christian churches today, particularly those that place a premium is placed on membership growth, the sharp edges of the gospel are played down and the message is carefully presented by pastors employing modern business management and marketing principles as well as the latest technological gimmickry to meet the consumer-driven needs of a materialistic and self-centered culture. In many ways, the church has failed because it has become greatly influenced by rather than challenging the culture. Hence, we see the incredible growth of the seeker-sensitive mega churches in affluent and fast-growing suburbs, the religious world's equivalent of Wal-Mart and big-box stores, as well as success the "word-faith" and "health-and-wealth gospel" churches.

 

*/ Is a Christian worldview something that a Christian gradually gets? /*

          If the findings of the Barna Research Group are reliable and accurate, the answer would be "no" -- at least for most self-identifying Christians.

          Most born-again Christians, they found, do not have and are not in the process of forming a Christian worldview. This is evidenced by their finding that a shocking 91 of every 100 self-identifying born-again Christians do not have a Christian or Biblical worldview. And unless they begin to take the Bible seriously as the Word of God, commit to sustained life-long Bible study, and are active in a church that emphasizes the same, they are likely to make little (if any) progress.

          As for those born-again Christians that do have a Christian worldview, whether it is the 9 in 100 that the Barna Research Group claims (or a larger number)--I suspect the extent to which they hold such a point of view is directly related to their knowledge and understanding of the Holy Scripture. The more we know and apply the written Word of God, letting it guide our thoughts and actions, the more firmly planted will be our Christian worldview.

Faith, hope and love with blessings in the name of Jesus Christ our Messiah,

Colby

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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 6, 2012 at 9:08pm

P.S.  Here are the definitions used by the Barna Group.

Biblical Worldview

For the purposes of the research, a biblical worldview was defined as believing that absolute moral truths exist; that such truth is defined by the Bible; and firm belief in six specific religious views.
Those views were that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life; God is the all-powerful and all-knowing Creator of the universe and He stills rules it today; salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned; Satan is real; a Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Christ with other people; and the Bible is accurate in all of its teachings.

"Born again Christians" 

Defined in these surveys as people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "born again."

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 6, 2012 at 9:29pm

 

Jenny,

 

>>how, in a spiritual sense, can a born again believer not have a Biblical worldview?

 

1. The desire to still be accepted by the world contributes. Many confessing Christians work hard at letting the world know that we are no different than them, when we are to be different and not be ashamed of our holiness.

 

2. Most Christians do not know the word of God, which renews the mind, which like a domino effect does the work in us, by the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. The work of renewing our minds is necessary for us to attain a biblical world view. 

 

3. Most Christians are not familiar with what a statement of faith is; hence they are not well educated in the historical Christian doctrines, which have also shaped our world view.

 

The Westminster Confession of Faith is my favorite one.

 

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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 7, 2012 at 4:34pm

*/ Is it even possible for a Christian not to have a Biblical Worldview? /*

David and Jenny,

David's answer accurately and succinctly captures the main reasons why many Christians lack a "Biblical Worldview." 

 

Being born again or born anew by the Holy Spirit (which regenerates, justifies and saves us) does not implant in a "Biblical Worldview" in the believer.  This comes with reading and studying God's Word.  Many Christians are still being sustained by spiritual milk and unable to move on to the meatier teachings of Scripture.  They grasp the basic gospel message that they need a Lord and Savior, that he is Jesus Christ, and that in him is eternal life.  But, beyond that, many see themselves, others and the world around largely through a secular rather than biblical lens.

 

The threshold or bar that respondents had to meet in order for the Barna Group to say they had a "Biblical Worldview" was rather low, which makes their findings even more disturbing.  I have posted separately in green text the six beliefs that they deemed necessary, at a minimum, to have a "Biblical Worldview."

 

Why Is Biblical Illiteracy Prevalent Among Many Christians?

• Many Christians have not committed themselves to a serious and sustained study of Scripture.  Many reasons are offered as excuses.  They are too busy; they are distinterested; or they have tried, but each time found the Bible too difficult to comprehend.

 

• The Church also deserves its share of blame.  Modernist churches have come to downplay the authority of Scripture, seeing it as a collection of fairy tales with a good moral to them.  Seeker-sensitive mega churches preach a Gospel-lite that is made palatable for our consumer-driven and materialistic culture.  Other churches, many experiencing rapid growth, caught up in the winds of changing doctrine,  have strayed off course from the historic biblical Christian faith through such novelties as the "prosperity gospel" and the "Word-Faith" movement.

 

Faith, hope and love,

 

Colby

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on August 7, 2012 at 6:44pm

thank you Colby, 

thanks for the reminder that, "Being born again or born anew by the Holy Spirit (which regenerates, justifies and saves us) does not implant in a "Biblical Worldview" in the believer.  This comes with reading and studying God's Word."

good to remember, especially in loving those Christians who do not necessarily have a biblical worldview. 

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Permalink Reply by Jenny on August 7, 2012 at 6:42pm

thank you David

this all makes me see even more how vital regular time in the Word is

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 7, 2012 at 3:58am

Colby,

Based on the Barna Research, I have a Christian worldview. However, I did not, in my earlier days have a Christian worldview. So for myself, I am growing into a Christian worldview. 

I just hijacked this paragraph from the report:

The Difference a Biblical Worldview Makes

One of the most striking insights from the research was the influence of such a way of thinking upon people's behavior. Adults with a biblical worldview possessed radically different views on morality, held divergent religious beliefs, and demonstrated vastly different lifestyle choices.

People's views on morally acceptable behavior are deeply impacted by their worldview. Upon comparing the perspectives of those who have a biblical worldview with those who do not, the former group were 31 times less likely to accept cohabitation (2% versus 62%, respectively); 18 times less likely to endorse drunkenness (2% versus 36%); 15 times less likely to condone gay sex (2% versus 31%); 12 times less likely to accept profanity 3% versus 37%); and 11 times less likely to describe adultery as morally acceptable (4% versus 44%). In addition, less than one-half of one percent of those with a biblical worldview said voluntary exposure to pornography was morally acceptable (compared to 39% of other adults), and a similarly miniscule proportion endorsed abortion (compared to 46% of adults who lack a biblical worldview).

As I read through this paragraph, I honestly asked myself how do I think on these issues. I condone none of them. As I have grown in the Lord, my worldview has changed. I would hope that every Christian's would to some extent. My worldview isn't complete yet, but growing every day. I find myself considering God's Word more and more to examine my outlook on things. I think that will continue throughout my life.

Blessings....

Rita

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on August 8, 2012 at 9:30am

>>a Christian worldview?

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 8, 2012 at 10:38am

Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias says this about worldviews:

“I am convinced that the most effective defense of the faith and offense against falsehood must be based on an examination of worldviews.”

 

“Every questioner has a worldview. If you do not appeal to the legitimacy or the illegitimacy of the worldview, you will never give satisfactory answers to the skeptic. In short, apologetics may begin in specifics but inevitably moves to the general, which then explains the specifics.”

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Permalink Reply by Colby on August 8, 2012 at 10:29am

*/ WHAT IS A WORLDVIEW? /*

"Worldviews are the basic stuff of human existence,
the lens through which the world is seen,
the blueprint for how one should live in it, and above all
the sense of identity and place which enables human beings to be what they are.
To ignore worldviews, either our own or those of the culture we are studying,
would result in extraordinary shallowness."

*/ N.T. Wright /*

* * *

"A worldview is the framework of basic beliefs that we hold,
whether we realize it or not, that shapes our view of and for the world.
Everyone has a worldview.
The question is not whether one has a worldview,
but which worldview one has."

*/ John Stonestreet /*

* * *

"When it comes to worldviews—how one looks at life and the world—
the confessional Christian is guided by Holy Scriptures
to the only worldview that saves:
justification by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
But God's people are influenced by other worldviews and
often harbor deceptive philosophies unawares."

*/ Mark W. Tacke /*

* * *

"A properly thought through worldview will deal with all the big questions of life:
Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?
What is my purpose or meaning? Why is there suffering in the world?
How can things be made right in the world?"

*/ Bill Muehlenburg /*

* * *

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