Worldview Class

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Worldview Class

• 25 August 2009

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A Knights Tale

• Inspired by "The Canterbury Tales," as well as
  the story of Ulrich von Lichtenstein, this is the
  story of William, a young squire with a gift for
  jousting.
• After his master dies suddenly, the squire hits
  the road with his cohorts Roland and Wat.
• On the journey, they stumble across an unknown
  writer, Chaucer. William, lacking a proper
  pedigree, convinces Chaucer to forge genealogy
  documents that will pass him off as a knight.
• With his newly-minted history in hand, the young
  man sets out to prove himself a worthy knight at
  the country's jousting competition, and finds
  romance along the way.

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Armor

• Kate commented that the armor which Ulrich was
  wearing was not originally made for him, and she
  offered to make new armor. Ulrich asked how much
  would it cost.
• She said it would cost nothing, but instead take
  her as far as Paris. Ulrich refused and said that
  they walk alone, then asked her to take her gold
  (a payment for the vest fix).

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Armor of God

• Ephesians 6

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Worldview

• attempt to provide a comprehensive explanation of
  reality
• The comprehensive framework of ones basic
  beliefs about things (al wolters)
• Things anything about which it is possible to
  have a belief.
• Beliefs a claim to some kind of knowledge
• A set of assumptions we hold about the basic
  makeup of the world. (james sire)
• An explanation and interpretation of the world,
  and an application of this view to life.
• A model of the world which guides its adherents
  in the world.

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More Worldview

• A worldview is an internal belief system about
  the real world what it is, why it is, and how
  it operates.
• Within a persons mind, it defines the limits of
  what is possible and impossible.
• it is all encompassing, there is not one area of
  interpretation that the worldview does not
  affect.
• Primarily concerned with the ultimate nature of
  reality, and is a set of beliefs that produces a
  framework of meaning for interpreting life as a
  whole.
• The term worldview refers to any ideology,
  philosophy, theology, movement, or religion that
  provides an overarching approach to understanding
  God, the world, and mans relations to God and
  the world. Noebel

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Common Components

• Something exists
• Universe is rational
• Universe is predictable
• All people have absolutes
• All of us seek a reference point, whether it is
• God
• State
• Love
• Power
• Man
• Two contradictory statements cannot both be right
• Only one WV can ultimately mirror reality
• Contradictory WVs can not both/all be true
• Tolerance vs intolerance
• All people exercise faith
• All presuppose certain things are true without
  proof

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Elements of a Worldview

• Theology
• Philosophy
• Science
• Psychology
• Ethics
• Sociology
• Politics
• Law
• Economics
• History

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Worldviews every body has one

• Movies
• Television
• Music
• Magazines
• Newspapers
• Government
• Education
• Science
• Art
• All of culture affected by world views

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Worldview Tools

• An inquiring mind
• A friends that discuss things
• Appreciation for opposing viewpoints
• A chance to fail
• The truth
• Knowledge of logical fallacies

Fallacy Detective
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Testing Worldviews

• Should be rational
• Not ask us to believe contradictory things
• Should be supported by evidence
• Consistent with what we observe
• Should give satisfying comprehensive explanation
  of reality
• Explain why things are the way they are
• Should provide a satisfactory basis for living
• We shouldnt have to borrow elements from another
  worldview in order to live in the world.

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Questions

• Why is there something rather than nothing?
• Is there a God?
• What is the nature of reality?
• How do you know that you know?
• What is the origin of life?
• What is the nature of man?
• What is right?
• How do you determine what is right and wrong?
• How do we live?
• How are we governed?
• What are the rules?
• What about property and work?
• What is the meaning of history?
• Where did we come from?

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Need for a worldview

• Unify thought and life
• Define the good life and find meaning and hope in
  life
• To guide thought
• To guide action
• To help us deal with an increasingly diverse
  culture
• Many claims to truth
• How do we sort through them all?

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So What?

• Imagio Dei
• Personal
• Rational
• Volitional
• Emotional