We’re working through a curriculum called The Truth Project with our senior high kids this year. Del Tackett is the virtual facilitator and our own Dave and Amy Barber are our on-site coordinators – they’re doing a great job.
Last night’s session discussed, among other things, two worldviews. (A “worldview” is simply a way of describing how a person looks at life as they know it, and the parameters by which that person tries to make sense of reality.)
A materialistic worldview sees the universe as a box, and inside the box are three things: matter, energy, and man. There is nothing outside of the box, and everything in life must be viewed and explained in terms of what is inside the box. A Christian (or perhaps I should just say “theistic” worldview also sees the universe as a box, with this crucial difference – that there is a God who exists outside of the box, and has chosen to come down into the box at various points in history. This God is concerned about what happens in the box.
It’s interesting stuff that got me thinking, and as we got into last night’s session dealing with the origin and purpose of philosophy and ethics, a variety of questions came to mind…
~Where do we go to answer the “universal” questions of life? The answer that most Christians would give (obviously, I think?) is that we seek answers in the Bible. And yet what interests me about this point is the fact that the Bible was written “in the box” – not outside of the box. And on top of that, it almost always answers question in terms of particulars – not in terms of universals. Almost all of the books of the Bible, especially in the New Testament, were addressed to a particular people, in a particular place, at a particular time, and in a particular circumstance! Dr. Tackett says that we ought to go to God for the answer to these questions – and yet the way God has chosen to speak to us has come THROUGH particular philosophies and particular times and places.
What was the worldview of Jesus? He grew up in a particular culture, a place, a time, a circumstance. What impact did his time/place/circumstance have on his worldview? Would we say he had a Jewish worldview? If so, was that OK? Or did he need to repent of that worldview in order to grasp a more “godly” worldview?
What was the worldview of a good Jew? What was the worldview of a true Jew, one who would be saved upon his death?
What was the worldview of a good Gentile proselyte, who would be saved upon his death?
Would Dr. Tackett approve of the modern worldview? Can the gospel work through the modern worldview?
In referring to post-modernism and its philosophical wake, RC Sproul suggested that this might be the most “anti-intellectual” period in the history of the church. Really? REALLY???
Is it possible for the gospel (good news) to work through other worldviews? Can a Christ-follower also be a Marxist? Communist? Socialist? Nazi? Fascist? Postmodern? Modern?
I’m just asking……. Discuss.
2:28pm
Hey brother!! We did about half of The Truth Project a couple of years ago in a small group that we were involved with. (We started leading a new small group so we didn’t get to finish the series!)
I really liked it….very thought-provoking and challenging! I hope it will be a good catalyst for your students(and adults)!
11:51pm
Man, Nate. lot’s of ideas to discuss. I can’t even begin. my mind is numb. I wish i were more intellectual. then I could argue with RC Sproul! the world in general is more anti-intellectual now than ever I would say. secular humanism is at it’s peak and has really just about snuffed out any reason to use your intellect, but it is about to die and the church will be there intellectually and physically.
you asked a tough question there at the end and I would have to wonder more what you meant. I would have to think that in some way God could work through some of those worldviews, but communism, nazism, facism, even socialism to a point? i don’t know. I mean, I know a lot of people brought up in those societies still believed in Christ, but so many of them wanted out of the culture that worldview dictated. I would say if anything, God worked through those worldviews to show people what He is not. And when people see that evil cannot be cured by the governmental control of everything and by sterilizing everyone’s environment, well, they have to turn somewhere else.