Essay: Bible-Based Christ-Centred Worldview Shapes Our Perspectives.

Write the Contours of a Bible Based Christ Centred Worldview.

Human Beings' Capacity to Know the World and God

Christianity includes various worldviews which are also often referred to as Biblical worldview. These worldviews reflects beliefs along with ideas that a Christian individual utilizes in their interpretation and interactions. Multiple thematic elements are included in the Christianity worldview with secular authority. The scope of this report reflects and includes multiple worldviews along with their description in understanding of the same. While differing worldviews have differing perspective of Christian worldview there remains certain disputes in regards to the same.    

Human beings can know both the world around them and God himself because God has built them the capacity to do so and because he takes an active role in communication with them

God who is Almighty has knowledge pertaining to each and every aspects of human life and human knowledge has developed from God the Creator himself (Dockery, 2008). Gospel of John provided that human had been communicating with God from very beginning. God has not only created knowledge and provided that to humans but also created life. Human beings have world around them and God has built capacities to communicate with them. God plays an active role in communicating with human beings.  

According to my knowledge as well I believe that God is the source and reservoir of knowledge. Knowledge is eternal in nature and God has created as well as inherits logics, rationality as well as intelligence. Human being has been able to exists along with the intelligence due to inference of knowledge from God. Word is the light of men which is an indication of intelligence and moral capacities of men. Thus, more intelligent humans are greater is the knowledge and intelligence transferred from God (Bartholomew, 2008). Without God communicating regarding intelligence and their knowledge levels it would have been nearly impossible for humans to attain high levels of knowledge and intelligence. 

Prime reality is the infinite, personal God revealed in the Holy Scriptures. This God is triune, transcendent and immanent, omniscient, sovereign and good

God has been regarded as infinite by the Bible thus cannot be expressed in terms of any measure, concern and scope. God has been regarded as prime reality and to be of prime existent. God cannot be merely regarded as an energy or force that exists in nature. God can be considered as personal with two main characteristics as self-determination and self-reflection, which has been supported by multiple school of thoughts (Bertrand, 2007). God can self-determine and is self-conscious unlike humans. I feel that God is triune, immanent, transcendent, soverign, good and omniscient in nature. Theism of Christianity proposes God to be triune in form with all attributes being co-equal and co-eternal. God characteristics has been defined to be transcendent, omniscient, good and immanent in nature. As God creates knowledge hence he is regarded as wise, as he is above all he is regarded as supreme and God is present everywhere. This nature of God is revealed in Holy Scriptures to understand in-depth nature and power of God.    

The Prime Reality is an Infinite, Personal God

A transcendent God, as a First Cause, created the universe but then left it to run on its own. God is thus not immanent, not triune, not fully personal, not sovereign over human affairs and not providential

God is unending in nature and he is known to be the most primitive who has created the Universe along with all human beings living in it (Christ, 2013). God is transcendent to be First Cause who made the Universe and then let it run on its own. Christian theism first proposed the existence as well as character of God. Various individuals have claimed existence of God, however, there are various contradictory arguments facing the same.  According to Principle of Sufficient Reason arguments regarding God existence has to be established for the very purpose of God himself. According to first Non-Christian worldview of deism it was argued against the very existence of God or the Supreme Being. According to the theory of deism existence of God is rejected as he does not intrude in conduct of the Universe. The very existence of God was accepted on the grounds that Supreme Being had a communication with humans (Grauf-Grounds, 2008). The concept of God being immanent was rejected, also that of triune also not being personal in nature. Concept of God is being not sovereign over human affairs and not being providential was established in this cross argument.  

The cosmos God created is determined, because it is created as uniformity of cause and effect in a closed system; no miracle is possible

According to theory of cold Deism the system prevailing in the Universe has been based on two major senses as that of closed in God’s reordering and reordering of performances (Sire, 2009). The cosmos that God has created functions in a uniformity established in a cause-effect relationship of a closed system. According to this theory, possibility of miracle is ruled out as God is least interested in closed system of God’s reordering. As per the second senses it has been established that universe is a reordering performed in a clocklike manner, though there are several arguments against the same (Sorley, 2011). Humans being a part of the environment can change and are apart from reflections. However, in the argument where miracles presence is denied, the very existence of God is also denied. Hence, the deism rejects any possibility of miracle that might exists by rejection of God’s very existence.         

A Transcendent God Created the Universe

Human beings, though personal, are a part of the clockwork of the universe

According to deist human beings are not considered as personal as they compose of self-consciousness and self-determination. There are no established relationship of Supreme Beings with that of humans thus, they cannot surpass systems in which they establish themselves (Edgell, 2007). Human beings are therefore, complete clockwork of the universe and act as mere regulator of functioning of the universe. As, I am not a Christian I cannot clearly state by belief however, I feel that human beings are a part of clockwork.

God could not be good or wise in case human beings had power to carry on sins or move away from goals in reversing of orders. Thus, it can be inferred that God created the world with his wisdom. According to theory of deist it can be said that human beings does not possess capabilities for performance of various acts. thus, human beings are not puppets and have self-determination arising from their intelligence and morality. Individuals seems to possess no connection with God hence are part of clockwork of the universe (Kim, 2009).       

Human beings may or may not have a life beyond their physical existence

Various theories have argued for the fact that established that human beings might have a life that is beyond their physical existence. Arguments against the theory as views of deist inferred commitments along with beliefs from Christianity being unrestricted in nature (Schultz, 2013). Thus, God’s image as being of Trinitarian nature and that of full personhood was abolished. Scholars have established God as merely a force rather than of Supernatural nature. Final results that are gained from nihilism not neutralism does not indicate any relevance of human beings having any existence beyond their physical existence (Beckwith, 2009). My views in this matter differs as I feel that there might be life after death. Supportive arguments of life beyond human’s physical existence are not robust to defeat contradictory arguments. In case rationalistic arguments were to be established then there can be no humanistic worldview that can support existence of humans after their death. Secular thinkers are fully opposed to the ideas of life after death or any human existence after life.  

Prime reality is matter. Matter exist eternally and is all there is. God does not exist

Scholars and thinkers lay immense stress on Prime reality which is matter which is said to exists eternally. God being the prime proposition is connected with basic existence but cannot be eternalize (Goheen, 2008). Christian theism believes in the existence of God along with various measures as well as being personal. Deist theory laid belief in single God having a major role to play in the creation of the Universe and given to human beings for their functioning. The main focus of deist is on God not existing and matter being most important and eternal in nature. As there were no evidence from which conclusion or reference can be made regarding god’s existence (Olthuis, 2012). I do trust that prime reality is matter however, along with it I trust that God also exists. God existence is questioned as there is really stress on existence of matter. Prime importance and reality is made on matter rather than on existence of God.

The Cosmos God Created is Determined

The cosmos exist as a uniformity of cause and effect in a closed system

The close system as proposed of the universe performs in a cause and effect manner. Cosmos existence has been regarded as being uniform in nature hence functionalities in the Universe can be regarded as clock-work or mechanical (Esqueda, 2014). As one things is performed after another in a closed system of the Universe there are no roles whereby an external force can reorder it as God. I have faith in cosmos as a uniformity of cause and effect relationship. God knowingly created cosmos exnihilo for its clockwork like performance and to maintain uniformity in open system. According to deism alterations to cause and effect relationship has been totality made redundant. This view proposes cosmos being composed of subjective and objective matter with no existing differences amongst them. There is a view that an individual’s soul is synonymous to that of cosmos hence, reality along with truth is completely unknown in nature.      

Human beings are complex ‘machines’; personality is an interrelation of chemical and physical properties we do not yet fully understanding

Human beings as created by God acts as complex machineries where personality is interrelated with chemical along with physical properties that is beyond comprehension. As human beings have no relation with Supreme Being and only functions as a clockwork as per deist theories, they can be regarded as complex machineries. Complex machines are in turn made up of matter that are difficult to comprehend and understand (Chryssavgis, 2007). Therefore, drawing from the fact it can be said that human beings composed of such matter making them complex machineries are rather of complex personalities difficult to understand. I feel that human beings are not machines hence, I contradict the view. Personality is regarded as an interrelation composing of physical as well as chemical properties that cannot be completely understood in truest form. An individual’s personality can be understood as exchange of chemical as well as physical parts. The very existence of human beings is on what they want to make themselves and as preceded by essence as defined by men. As human beings regard themselves as prime reality they are on a verge of a change that is radicle in nature.   

Various scholars have provided multiple types of death but with two main categories. In the first category death is considered as being a separation with God and in the other theory it is proposed that death is the path to spend life eternally with God (Kraft, 2008). With death personality of an individual ceases to exists as it cannot translate and continue post death. According to deist theories as human beings are composed of matter death is regarded as disorganization of such matter. As personality of a person is not maintain post death it can be regarded as ultimate for of absurdity with nothing remaining post death of an individual. I believe that death does make an individual’s personality extinct in nature. With death an individual’s personality and individualism is ceased to exists and fear of death with human life is ended. As human beings is created from matter and regarded as complex machineries there are no scientific evidence proposing life or any remaining after death of an individual.

Reference Lists

Bartholomew, M. W. 2008. Living at the Crossroads: An Introduction to Christian Worldview. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 

Beckwith, F. J. 2009. To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview. InterVarsity Press. 

Bertrand, J. M. 2007. Rethinking worldview: Learning to think, live, and speak in this world. Crossway. 

Christ, T. W. 2013. The worldview matrix as a strategy when designing mixed methods research. International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches, 110-118.

Chryssavgis, J. 2007. Ecumenical patriarch bartholomew: Insights into an orthodox christian worldview. International journal of environmental studies, 9-18.

Dockery, D. S. 2008. Renewing Minds: Serving Church and Society through Christian Higher Education, Revised and Updated. B&H Publishing Group. 

Edgell, M. S. 2007. Afrocentric Christian worldview and student spiritual development: Tapping a global stream of knowledge. . Journal of education and christian belief, 49-62.

Esqueda, O. J. 2014. Biblical worldview: The Christian higher education foundation for learning. . Christian Higher Education, 91-100.

Goheen, M. W. 2008. Living at the crossroads: An introduction to Christian worldview. Baker Academic.

Grauf-Grounds, C. E. 2008. Developing graduate curricula faithful to professional training and a Christian worldview. Christian Higher Education, 1-17.

Kim, D. F. 2009. Modernism, Christianity, and business ethics: A worldview perspective. Journal of Business Ethics, 115-121.

Kraft, C. H. 2008. Worldview for Christian witness. . William Carey Library. 

Olthuis, J. H. 2012. A vision of and for love: Towards a Christian post-postmodern worldview. koers, 1-7.

Schultz, K. G. 2013. A three-dimensional concept of worldview. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 227-243.

Sire, J. W. 2009. The universe next door: A basic worldview catalog. . InterVarsity Press. 

Sorley, C. 2011. Christ, creation stewardship, and missions: how discipleship into a biblical worldview on environmental stewardship can transform people and their land. . International Bulletin of Missionary Research, 137-143.