"Worldviews in Conflict
Pt. 1"

Introduction

Our current president generated quite a stir when he declared that we are “no longer just a Christian nation.” However offensive we might find such a statement, for all practical purposes, this has been true for some time. It reflects the general cultural climate the world over. Many sociologists, theologians, and historians have observed this departure from a Christian worldview and suggested that we are now living in the “Post-Christian Era.” The pervasive worldview that now characterizes this age is the product of various secular ideologies that have been tirelessly promoted by influential people for the past several centuries. It seems that their persistence has paid off. Secularism has come to dominate our culture.

Many evangelicals resist such a description of contemporary American society. They make their case by pointing out that our country has enjoyed a resurgence of spiritual interests. Likewise, the latest polls reveal that the majority of people in America claim to be Christians. However, a closer examination of this research leaves little justification for such naive optimism. We should remember that profession is not the same as possession. Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

The same polls that boast of American spirituality and rank a majority of the population as professing Christians also reveal a worldview that is inconsistent with historic, orthodox Christianity. Secular perspectives have even infected the thinking of those who claim to be evangelical Christians. For example, 77% of today’s evangelicals believe that human beings are basically good despite the clear witness of Scripture to the contrary (cf. Jeremiah 17:9, Mark 10:18, Romans 3:10 ff.). Likewise, many Christians are unable to articulate a biblical definition of something as fundamental as sin. Few evangelicals are able to explain the nature of biblical salvation. Thus, as it turns out, the pollsters are not the bearers of very good news. It seems that our culture has had a profoundly negative impact on our spiritual perception.

While most people who refer to themselves as evangelical Christians still maintain that the Word of God is the foundation for their belief system, the ideals cited above are far more consistent with the spirit of our age than the truths revealed in Holy Writ. This should not be surprising. It is not uncommon for people to force the Scripture to conform to societal perspectives. Everyone in inclined to interpret the Word of God through a grid of cultural conditioning. However, when we are unaware of that tendency, we are particularly susceptible to the subtle corruptions that follow. In the end, we are robbed of a genuine biblical understanding and secularism displaces the authority of Scripture in our lives.

A Problem of Worldview

The American Heritage Dictionary defines “worldview” as “the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world; a collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group.” The concept comes from the German word “weltanschauung” which refers to a comprehensive philosophy of the world. Thus, one could say that a worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life.

Regardless of whether or not it is clearly defined, everyone has a worldview. Our mental functions utilize a specific matrix of ideas that has been formed from our fundamental commitments and beliefs. Through this ideological framework we assess information and evaluate the experiences of life. In other words, this foundational set of beliefs is the means by which we discern and interpret reality. We rely on this worldview every time we attempt to “make sense” of something. For example, one person might analyze a tragedy and conclude that it was a random occurrence while another might attribute the same set of circumstances to divine providence. These divergent conclusions reflect the differences between the worldviews of these particular individuals.

Perhaps an example might serve to illustrate the way our worldview determines the conclusions we reach. If a person believes in boundless, innate human potential, he will likely see a beautiful painting solely as the product of human invention. Ultimately, the glory rests with humanity. However, if a person believes (as the Apostle Paul declares, cf. 1 Cor 4:7) that every ability human beings have is a gift from God with which they may reflect His goodness, he will see a beautiful work of art as a reflection of God’s kindness and splendor. Ultimately, the glory rests with God who endows His creatures with skill and talent.

A worldview does not have to be fully consistent in order to function. On a basic level, human beings often hold competing and even contradictory beliefs. Many times, those incompatible beliefs are not readily apparent because they do not come into direct conflict in the reasoning process. However, when they do collide, confusion naturally results. Most often, people begin to tinker with their basic beliefs in order to compensate for the tension. For example, let us say that a person believes that 1) God is fully sovereign and, 2) God always does what is “good” for His children, and 3) “good” is determined according to human perception. As long as pleasant and comfortable circumstances occur in the Christian’s life, there appears to be no tension. With no apparent difficulty, the person readily acknowledges God’s sovereign hand in the events that transpire. However, when tragedy arises, the person finds himself in a quandary. How will he make sense of this event? He must question whether 1) God really is fully sovereign, 2) God truly does “good” for His children in every instance, or 3) human perceptions of good are genuinely trustworthy. Either a change must be made in one or more of these basic beliefs or a new proposition must be adopted. Whatever the case, a new formulation of some kind generally emerges. In this instance, if proposition 1 is permitted to stand, then the tragedy unveils the conflict between propositions 2 and 3. Either God does not always do “good” for His children or human beings are not always capable of assessing what is “good.” Nonetheless, as long as circumstances do not occur that will bring these contradictory beliefs into direct conflict, inconsistencies in a person’s worldview may continue indefinitely.

The late Dr. Ronald Nash suggested that a worldview is like eyeglasses. Our vision undeniably needs correction. However, the wrong prescription will blur our vision even more and further obstruct our ability to make sense out of life. Even the things we are able to see clearly enough to recognize may be misperceived because we cannot see those things distinctly or else we cannot relate them to their proper perspective. This is precisely what has occurred in our age of secularism. The fundamental commitments of our culture are tenants that center on humanity and relegate God to the periphery (if He is given consideration at all). Therefore, our society has a vision problem that is even worse than many cultures that have come before us.

If the wrong worldview distorts our vision and hinders us from making much sense out of life, the right prescription will bring everything into proper focus. However, the correct worldview is derived only from the Scriptures, rightly divided. God’s revelation alone will provide the clarity of vision needed for a proper view of reality.

Conclusion

There are many aspects of a worldview. The propositions that comprise one’s worldview include what a person believes about God, material and immaterial reality, knowledge, ethics, and humanity. However, a worldview generally contains a “touchstone proposition,” a fundamental belief about reality. Clearly, the “touchstone proposition” of Christianity has to do with God as the source of reality, our place in that reality, and the revelation of Himself in time and space. We will turn to such matters in part two.

- Stan McGehee Jr