#66: Evidence for God in Worldview Comparisons

This is the fourth in a series of notes concerning a dialogue I have with non-believing friends [1]. Recall, the dialogue ends with me stating that the “evidence of God can be seen in history, archeology, philosophy, worldviews, science, mathematics, etc.”

The last three monthly notes addressed mathematical, scientific, and philosophical evidence that we might share with a skeptic. This month I highlight another topic in the list: worldviews.

Many of you have taken one of my courses or classes on worldviews. I often cite the book that significantly increased my understanding and appreciation of worldviews, in particular, and apologetics, in general: The Universe Next Door, by James Sire [2]. Sire begins by explaining what a worldview is, why it is important, and identifies “Big Life Questions” that every worldview must address [3]. He then examines several dominant worldviews we see today and compares their answers.

I believe that if anyone – Christian or not - reads this book with an open mind (if this is possible given everyone already has a worldview!), one cannot help but admit that the argument for the Christian worldview is very strong. Applying criteria for determining the relative “goodness” of a worldview, the biblical perspective is comprehensive (addresses all the questions), consistent (does not contradict itself when answering different questions), and coherent (it ties its answers together into a complete explanation of reality) [4].

So, how does understanding of worldviews help us engage skeptics? My experience is that this topic is of interest to most non-believers. When my son asked me asked me what a worldview is, I told him (in layman’s terms) that it is an underlying set of beliefs that all people have – but are often not fully aware of – that cause them to see this world in a certain way, including their moral, social, and sometimes their political views. My son’s response was: "Wow, I should know what these beliefs are; let’s talk about this."

Similarly, when skeptics hear the “Big Life Questions” they immediately recognize their importance and, at least implicitly, know there must be an answer to each. Even those in today’s culture who struggle with the notion of absolute truth attempt to answer these questions from an objective truth perspective. And, since it’s usually the first time they’ve ever tried to respond to such questions, they struggle . . . and sometimes admit they have no idea what the answer might be. But, again, they sense there is a “right” answer.

If you understand worldviews, particularly those prevalent around you, you will usually have an advantage in your discussions. Most skeptics (and Christians!) do not know what a worldview is, and most have not heard or examined the “Big Life Questions." Their answers are likely to be inconsistent or incoherent because they are formed by an assortment of cultural ideas picked up from family, friends, social media, and public education (which, by the way, does not teach worldviews nor challenge students to intentionally form their own).

And the more you have these discussions, the more you will begin to recognize, and even anticipate, certain answers. For example, responses from Theists, Deists, Naturalists (e.g., atheists), Postmodernists, and Pantheists (e.g., eastern religions) are very different. You will pick up on this early in your discussions and be better prepared to ask questions that challenge the weaknesses of their responses.

Asking questions is most often the best approach to engaging skeptics. In a worldview conversation you have opportunities to not only better understand what they believe but also allow them to undergo a kind of self-discovery process. They may recognize that their worldview is incoherent . . . and untrue. This is the first big step towards them coming to realize that the most plausible explanation of reality is that of a Biblical worldview.

For an excellent overview of worldviews, I recommend the following video (4+ minutes): Why Does Your Worldview Matter?

In Christ, Doug

Academic Director, AoM

     “Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect . . .” 1 Peter 3:15

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[1] “Let’s imagine, just for the moment, that the God of the Bible exists.”  My non- believing friends usually say, “Ok”, knowing they’re not granting me anything. “Now, if the God of the Bible exists, he created this universe – this earth – as the Bible says, right?” They may be a little suspicious at this point but they usually allow me to continue. “Ok”, they say again. “So, if God created this world, wouldn’t you think his fingerprints are all over it?” My increasingly suspicious friends may no longer verbalize their agreement but they usually don’t stop me or start arguing. And even if they appear to want to question me, I quickly say, “Well, they are! God’s fingerprints are everywhere!”
[2] James Sire, The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. 6th ed., Downers Grove, IL, Intervarsity Press, 2020.
[3] The “Big Life Questions” that Sire addresses include:
        What is prime or ultimate reality? (e.g., the physical universe or God)
        What is the nature of external reality? (e.g., it is only physical or it also has a spiritual component)
        What is a human being? (e.g., a machine or a being made in the image of God)
        What happens to a person at death?
        How do we know what is right or wrong? (e.g., each person or the culture decides or we are made in the image a God whose character is good)
        What is the meaning of human history? (e.g., to make a paradise on earth or God has a plan for his Creation)
[4] There are other criteria for determining the adequacy of a worldview. I chose these three for simplicity in this brief essay.