Worldviews

What is a Worldview?
Did you ever stop and just look at a tree? I love trees. Not only are they simply beautiful, they are in many ways symbolic of life. Paul talks of trees in Romans and says, "If the root is holy, so are the branches."

This is a simple idea, but true. A tree comes up from the roots. The place where the tree gets food, the system for all its life, growth, and the strength by which it stands is buried under ground where we can't see it. The same is true of people. All of our thoughts, ideals, actions and beliefs come from a fundamental system which feeds them. I think of worldviews in relation to trees. A worldview is the root, the beginning point, the source from which all the rest of a person's thoughts, actions, beliefs, loves, hates and feelings grow. But not the part you can see. It's the part buried under the dirt where you can't see, but if you dig for it you can find.

What drives us to act the way we act and do the things we do; to decide what is wrong and what is right; what is good and what is bad? It is the most basic ideas and beliefs we have about people and life. "Where did I come from?" "Where am I?" "Where am I going?" "What is the problem with the world?" "How do we fix it?" (Walsh, p. 35). The ways in which we answer these questions are the roots of our thoughts and actions.

Our worldviews come from many places. Some parts are specifically taught to us and some of them we have soaked up or passively assumed from our society. Others we have formulated ourselves through our own experience—whether good or bad—to answer these questions. In any case, these ideas all together form a worldview.

Generally, groups of people hold very similar worldviews which bind them together and help them to shape the culture in which they live. The worldview is a corporate system which everyone in the culture holds as a basic premise for life. Our thinking about what is beautiful or ugly, moral or immoral, good or evil, prudent or inappropriate grows out of an identifiable worldview. These are the roots that hold our lives in some kind of consistent pattern and thought. Just as a tree or flower needs roots to help it stand up and be healthy, we all have a worldview holding up our lifestyles.

Everyone has a worldview. Whether that worldview provides for a healthy, fruitful and flourishing existence remains to be seen. If the root system of a plant is not healthy, the plant will begin to die. If the roots are healthy, the tree will grow strong and stand firm. The same is true of a person with a healthy and proper worldview. The life of that person will be abundant and vital. What makes up a healthy and good worldview? The best place to look to for an answer is the one who began our lives in the first place.

The Christian Worldview
The roots of a Christian's life, or a Christian's worldview, comes from the story of human history told in the Bible. There are basically three chapters to the story: Creation, Fall and Redemption. The story began with God and the making of the first garden—the making of the whole universe, in fact. Everything came from the same place. All of creation, every human being, plant, animal, and organism was designed and created by the master of all design. Every inch of creation is God's, and in a biblical worldview everything must be interpreted and understood in that context.

In the beginning, it was all good. After God created the world and everything in it, he created humankind in his own image. Being made in the image of God means that each person is a reflection of God's attributes and character. We are eternal spiritual beings. We have the reasoning, will and ability to make decisions. We are creative, moral and personal beings. We were created to be in fellowship with God, and at the beginning of creation, Adam and Eve were in perfect fellowship with God.

So, if everything was so good, what happened? Why does everything now seem so bad? Most anyone who looks around at our world and society would agree it looks pretty awful. It is diseased, broken, cut up, dry and the fruit isn't looking very healthy. Different people would explain this differently, but the biblical roots give us a very specific answer.

Genesis 3 tells the story of Adam and Eve's disobedience toward God. God gave Adam and Eve dominion over the garden. He gave them a special assignment. He told Adam to "be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the seas, and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground" (Gen. 1:28). Formally, this is called the "Creation Mandate" and is a major root of the biblical worldview. With this mandate, God has given to human beings the responsibility of developing and forming creation, of creating culture. What we do with our resources, how we form relationships in society, and the ways we order our cities is all part of our God-given dominion.

At first everything in creation was perfect, but then devastation came. It was as if fire had ravaged a forest and left behind a rift of smoldering ashes among the once beautiful trees. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and all perfection was lost. The goodness was not wiped out, but sin had entered, and now the beauty was marred by the parasite of evil. The entrance of sin into creation was devastating, because it separated men and women from God forever. As a result of sin, the earth was cursed, Eve was cursed with pain in childbirth and conflict with her husband, Adam was cursed with the toil of hard labor, and both Adam and Eve would eventually have to die (Gen. 3:14-19). The picture would have been—and would still be—hopeless had God not begun to work out a plan to fix it all. This plan is the root of our worldview; it is called "redemption."

When I was a kid, we used to play baseball with other kids from the neighborhood. Sometimes things in the game would go wrong. We'd continually strike out, or the ball would hit a tree, or we'd fight over a close play. In these situations we would call, "Do over!" This meant that we would forget what had just happened and do the play over again.

Redemption is like a "do over." When we talk about redeeming creation or redeeming culture, we mean that we will pull out the good that was already there but has been affected by something that is wrong. God is into redeeming things. From the first time Adam and Eve sinned God has been working out a plan of redemption for the entire world—all of creation. It began with a promise to Adam and Eve that Satan would be crushed (Gen. 3:15). God then promised Noah that he would never destroy the earth by flood again (Gen. 19). Next he promised Abraham that he would be the father or a nation so large it could not be counted, and he promised them a land of their own (Gen. 12, 15, &17). Later God made a covenant with David to bring a king and a New Kingdom to his people (II Sam. 7, Ps. 132). Finally, God made a promise to all people that he would redeem the entire world through a new covenant made in Jesus Christ (I Cor. 11:25).

Just as sin affected all of creation, redemption affects all of creation. When Jesus died on the cross, he freed us from sin and made it possible for us to once more have perfect relationship with God. It is critical to remember that even though evil was added to the picture, the goodness of creation was not erased. Even though evil touched everything through the Fall, God is still in control of everything in creation. There is a basic good structure to everything; however, good things can be twisted, skewed or misused, making them bad. On the other hand, the basic good structure can be sought out and directed closer to God's original plan. There are two important words here. Structure refers to what makes a thing the entity that it is, and direction refers to whether creation is moving towards God in obedience to him or against God in disobedience to him (Wolters, p. 49). Even now, in the midst of what is often overwhelming evil in our culture, the goodness of all God has made is still present. As culture-shapers, we are responsible for our actions which push our culture in one direction or the other.

The knowledge that redemption is a healing agent in creation and culture brings much hope, but that is not the end. Although the direction of things we live with can be changed, it is obvious that there is still not perfection. Our ultimate hope lies in the promise God has given to renew and restore all that is His. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, he defeated death and sin and inaugurated the Kingdom of God. One day he will return to earth and overthrow Satan and evil forever (I Cor. 15:24-26). We will not always live in a creation marred by sin. Christ will bring everything back to perfection. Everything will be fully redeemed. We are guaranteed an inheritance with Christ (II Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13) and a place in his future kingdom.

The Secular Worldview
Now that we have taken a look at what a good root system or worldview should be, let's look at a system that is struggling to keep the tree in good shape. The secular worldview, which dominates our western culture, did not develop overnight, but slowly and subtly through a series of historic events. George G. Hunter defines secularization as "the withdrawal of whole areas of life, thought, and activity from the control or influence of the Church" (Hunter, p. 26). He then goes on to describe six major historical events/eras which caused the rise of Secularism.

First, the rise of secularism began with the Renaissance. This period of history, which ran from the mid-fourteenth century to the sixteenth century, was a rediscovery by the West of ancient Greek philosophy, science and literature. Emphasis was placed on the potential of human beings. People began to try to understand the world through human progress and pushed aside the idea that God had control over the earth. An ancient Greek, Protagoras, said that "man is the measure of all things." This epitomizes the idea of the age: God is pretty much irrelevant to life and through the potential of humanity, we will better ourselves."

This is very similar to what many people of our modern world believe. If people have enough affirmation, if their self-esteem is at a good level, if they are accepted by others, they will have the confidence to work to their potential and make a difference in society.

The second event was the Protestant Reformation. Hunter says that the theological debates, along with the renewal and reorganization of the church, caused Christians to focus their attention away from society and in on themselves. This withdrawal from the management of society allowed secularization to get moving.

Third is the rise of Nationalism. As countries across Europe began to unite and struggle for independence, wars began to break out across the continent. Disillusionment spread, especially after World Wars I and II, causing great doubts about God.

Fourth, and one of the biggest factors in the development of secularism, was the Scientific Revolution. Walsh and Middleton call this "the age of exploration and discovery" (p. 121). Scientism, they say, "is the absolutization of science, the elevation of human scientific prowess to a place of salvific or redemptive significance. In science do we trust! This is the clear application of the postulate of human autonomy to the conquest of nature by scientific enterprise" (Walsh, p. 122). All of life was reduced to what could be measured. This included everything that could be seen or touched. But those things that could not be measured—like love, beauty, virtue and wisdom—lost importance. Science, technology and knowledge were looked to as the answers to all of life's problems, and other non-tangible things were left by the wayside to be picked up by the Romantics.

The fifth event leading up to secularism was the Enlightenment. Here reason was seen as the savior of mankind. Human beings were thought to be basically good creatures who, if nurtured in good environments, would lead to morality and a well-ordered society. All the religions of the world were part of one "naturalistic religion." Human rights and human dignity were emphasized, and again, the powers of reason were heralded as the answer to all of society's problems.

Lastly, urbanization played a role in shaping the secular worldview. During the Industrial Revolution, people began flocking to the cities, where social problems abounded and faith in God was hard to hold in the face of human poverty, injustice and suffering (Hunter, 26-29). Science, Reason and Knowledge were made the gods of the age, and they are still standing.

The similarity between the Christian worldview and the secular worldview is the idea that culture and creation is under human control and can be changed. The problem with the secular worldview is that mankind has made him/herself the god over all of it (Walsh, p. 128). Human potential, technology, science, knowledge and reason are the redeeming factors which will bring good to everything, and God, the sovereign creator, is at best the one who began everything and let it spin out of control, and who at worst is a simply a myth.

Out of the roots of this secular worldview has grown a tree which is proving to be very barren. Modern men and women are still searching for hope, peace and happiness through human potential. People try to find fulfillment and purpose in life through work. They work harder in order to get more money in order to be able to buy more possessions which are supposed to make life more comfortable so they will be happy. Materialism is a god as well. In an endless search for truth outside of God, people have become disillusioned with the world and see it as pointless chaos. From this point many other worldviews come into the picture, such as naturalism, nihilism and worldviews of many other religions. The secular worldview has permeated modern western society. Its roots are wide and deep.

Perspective on Campus Ministry
Looking out my window, the skyline is dominated by one building. The Cathedral of Learning [at the University of Pittsburgh] is standing tall and well-lit above all the other buildings. The Cathedral is very symbolic of what secularism has made the university. It is the orientation point of life. Science, logic and reason are the gods and the classroom is the place of worship. Not every campus has a building named the Cathedral of Learning, but the same activities going on in this cathedral take place at every campus. Students come looking for answers. They are trying to fulfill dreams, prepare for careers, become successful and make it to the top, and a degree is supposed to insure that this will happen.

The reality, however, is that these promises made by the gods of our age are rarely kept. The fruit from this secular worldview is turning out to be quite mealy. What is not known is that, without the God of Creation, who can redeem learning, reason and our minds, these trees will remain unhealthy, because their root system is not healthy.

The Old Testament tells a story of the prophet Nehemiah who decided it was time to rebuild the broken down wall around the city of Jerusalem (Neh. 1-7). When he begins this project of renewal, nobody thought it was possible. But Nehemiah began anyway, in the face of much ridicule. The people of God began to work together and "worked with all their heart" (4:6). They were mocked, threatened and in physical danger, yet they worked with one hand while holding a weapon in the other. At one point, a plot was uncovered to kill Nehemiah, but he refused to hide in the temple, because there was work to be done. Nehemiah was confident that God would fight for him so that he could do the work of rebuilding the wall. Through Nehemiah's work, not only was the wall rebuilt, but people were rebuilt. The poor were cared for and issues of injustice within the government were corrected as a result of his vision and work (Neh. 5).

God has called us as campus ministers to a similar task of renewal. Culture is lying ruined around us and we say with Nehemiah, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace. The God of Heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding...” (Neh. 2:17; 19). If we take the biblical worldview seriously, we have to recognize areas within the university which are structurally good but need to be directed toward God. Science, technology, reason, logic, education, art, music, literature and every other area of study is not wrong of itself. But unless these areas of our culture are brought under the lordship of Christ and are used in obedience to him, they are idols. As ministers to students, we need to help them do this.

Here are some "bricks" to help build the wall:

1. Remind students of their heritage. We need to be reminded that we are people made in the image of God, and therefore have great value. As Christians, we have a great heritage and a history of God's faithfulness. We are children of the King of kings and co-inheritors with Christ.

2. Tell the story until they can retell it. Most children have a favorite story which they can recite from memory before they can even read. How do they know the story? Because they have heard it over and over and over again. God told the Israelites many times to recount their history to their children so that they would not forget their God and his faithfulness to them. We need to repeat the story of the Bible (Creation, Fall and Redemption) again and again until our students know it so well they can tell it themselves. This old, old story is the foundation of a Christian worldview and should be weighing our thoughts all the time.

3. Initiate the worldview conversation. Continually keep your eyes and ears open to media, magazines, movies, music, commercials, clothing styles, etc. Ask questions about the messages these forms of popular culture are sending. Talk to people who have different worldviews than your own. Teach students to critique the culture and worldviews around them. What is good and bad about our culture? Where does it need directional change? How can we help bring redemption?

4. Sponsor lectures and seminars. Invite faculty from the university to talk about their worldviews and philosophies in different academic areas. Hold panel discussions with people from the same profession who hold a variety of worldviews and critique each one. Hold different kinds of seminars that will bring students together and get them talking.

5. Write papers. Help students to write papers in their field from a Christian perspective. Help them to find resources and think through how their profession would be different if it grew out of a biblical worldview. Encourage students to hand in these papers for a grade or share them with other students or professionals.

6. Form clubs. Encourage students to form clubs or discussion groups with other students in their majors where they can dialogue about what they are hearing and reading. Invite students from other colleges to participate in your activities.

7. Expand your horizons. Get to know students from a wide variety of majors and learn about their interests. Read books written from a Christian perspective about areas that are in and outside of your area of expertise. Always be developing your mind and learning something new.

8. Live what you say you believe. James says that teachers should be careful, because they will be judged by a higher standard than other people. Students will watch your example and do what you do, not what you say. Actively be participating in the kinds of activities you ask of them. Read, write, think and discuss with them. Be involved in ministry to people on campus and in the community with special needs and bring students with you so they can be involved in service. (James 3:1)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. —John 15:5-8

Bibliography

Hunter, III., George G. How to Reach Secular People. Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN, 1992.

Walsh, Brian J. & Middleton, J. Richard. The Transforming Vision. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1984.

Wolters, Albert M. Creation Regained. Eerdmans Publishing Co.: Grand Rapids, MI, 1985.