February 21, 2023
Katherine Schultz
How do I know if someone–maybe me–has a biblical worldview? What would I see, hear, suspect, wonder? What wouldn’t I see? Can I even know?
A 3-D Worldview
I thought it would be a good idea to give a few of the many areas that are part of a person’s worldview a quick description of a biblical perspective on each.
One definition of worldview comes from James Sire’s book, The Universe Next Door.
Definition
A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true, or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being. (Sire, 2009, 22)
The 3 dimensions in this definition are propositional (beliefs), behavioral, and heart-orientation (attitudes). The propositional dimension is the presuppositional or assumption dimension of worldview: what a person thinks, knows, or believes to be true. The behavioral dimension of worldview is that which a person does: the “live and move” of every day. The definition of heart in use for this study is “the religious, intellectual, affective, and volitional center of a person” (Naugle, 2002, 270).
Within each of these dimensions, there are many parameters that contribute to a complete worldview. What a person believes about theology, morality, history, what happens after death, how a government should operate, how to educate children are all part of that person’s propositional worldview. How a person behaves includes traditionally religious behaviors like prayer, worship, and Bible study. But it also includes behaviors in every other part of life, like managing money. Treatment of friends. Raising children. Jobs. Hobbies. And the heart-orientation dimension of worldview includes what a person worships, symbolic meaning, and important rituals.
I’ve chosen three parameters from each of the three dimensions of worldview to illustrate some characteristics of a Biblical worldview.
Beliefs: Propositional Dimension of a Biblical Worldview
Theology
In the propositional dimension, many people start and end with the area of theology. While that isn’t the entirety of a person’s worldview, it is an important starting point. And though there are many religious worldviews, a biblical theism would align with historic orthodox Christianity as expressed in something like the Apostle’s Creed. There is one God, in three Persons: Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit.
History
A biblical worldview of history means that history is viewed as linear, not cyclical (even though there are instances that repeat and are familiar because there are patterns of cause and effect). History is shaped by God’s sovereignty, and because He has given humans free will, it is also shaped by human choices.
Morality
A third parameter of the propositional dimension is morality–how we can know right from wrong. A biblical worldview of morality has a couple of important qualities. First, right and wrong do indeed exist. Second, people can know what they are. And third, people do not actually set the standards of right and wrong: God does that, and he lets us know what is right and wrong in the Bible. So we don’t have to be confused. Even if we don’t like what it says, the bible does indeed clearly set up right and wrong, from the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17) to the Greatest Commandment (Matt 22:36-40)
Behaviors: Behavioral Dimension of a Biblical Worldview
Religious
Religious behaviors in a Biblical worldview may be what people think of first. They can include actions like going to church, spending time praying or reading the Bible. A Biblical worldview looks at these behaviors as an expression of a person’s beliefs. But it is also the case that a person’s behaviors begin to form his or her beliefs–it’s a two-way interaction. Traditionally “religious” behaviors are not the only part of a person’s worldview behaviors, however.
Relational
How a person treats others is also a part of his worldview, and for a biblical worldview. Of course, this is a result of the commands to love God and love others, so a person’s relationship behaviors are also intertwined with his beliefs. A Biblical worldview would also use the Bible to understand the nature of families. And, how to behave in a community like a church or neighborhood, and how to behave toward duly authorized authorities like governments. And a biblical worldview would expect a person to behave with kindness, patience, integrity, and other virtues described in the Bible.
Habitual
A biblical worldview also forms a person’s habits. Habits like gratitude and generosity. It would prompt a person to develop particular habits in his or her daily life that are regularly building understanding of God, His Word, and His Will through Bible reading and prayer. Again, these behaviors integrate with a person’s beliefs, influencing worldview dimensions both ways.
Attitudes: Heart-Orientation Dimension of a Biblical Worldview
Worship
What we worship has a powerful impact on our worldview, and the reverse is true as well. To be clear, worship is not limited to a religious worldview. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary online, there are two common definitions of worship: a) to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power; or b) to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion (Merriam-Webster, 2023). For Christians, this leads to a sense of awe and wonder at God’s worthiness. Worship is fundamentally part of the heart-orientation parameter of worldview because without this internal God-facing attitude, it’s just hypocrisy. Although many people use the term worship to describe what they do, a person’s actions are actually a result of an attitude of worship, while what he or she does is behavioral.
Embodiment
Embodiment can be defined as making tangible or visible an idea, quality or feeling (Collins Dictionary, n.d.). What is in our heart will express itself in concrete ways, and this is another parameter of heart orientation in worldview. For Christians, embodiment is important because we embody the message and purpose of God to the world. We are the most immediate way that others can actually see God at work in the world, which is why the Bible tells us to be like him. Further, we are imitating one who himself became tangible at the incarnation. He took on human form, even humbling himself to death (Phil. 2:8). This is the prime example of embodiment.
Ritual
Most people understand the role ritual has played throughout Christian history. In fact, for many, rituals are actually one of the things they resist in formal worship settings. However, rituals are a part of everyday life for every person. A general definition of a ritual is “a way of behaving or a series of actions which people regularly carry out in a particular situation, because it is their custom to do so” (Dictionary for English Learners, n.d.). So for Christians, rituals do include annual celebrations from the Church calendar like Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. But they also include gathering weekly with other Christians, baptism, communion, and the practice of spiritual disciplines like prayer, Bible study, and generosity. And the simple repeated practices in a person’s everyday life which are the rituals of that person’s life are a critical and revealing element of his or her worldview.
What do I do now?
If you want to develop your own worldview, the best place to start is by regular Bible reading and study. Getting God’s Word into your life, knowing Him through that Word, and letting that be the ultimate authority in your own life is the best way to develop a mature biblical worldview.
Understanding a person’s worldview is complicated, but you can gain some insight. If you struggle to know if you have a mature biblical worldview, or you work with students whose worldview you are trying to develop, asking questions can be a great place to start. Grab a copy of the free PDF “10 Questions to Understand Your Worldview” linked below.
References
Collins Dictionary. (n.d.). Embody definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. Collins Dictionary. Retrieved February 18, 2023, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/embody
Dictionary for English Learners. (n.d.). ritual combat definition | English dictionary for learners | Reverso. Reverso Dictionary. Retrieved February 18, 2023, from https://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild/ritual+combat
Merriam-Webster. (2023, February 7). Worship Definition & Meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved February 18, 2023, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worship
Naugle, D. K. (2002). Worldview: The History of a Concept. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Sire, J. W. (2009). The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. InterVarsity Press.
