By James WaddellChapter 1 SeekingWisdomThe Beginnin.docx

By James Waddell
Chapter 1: Seeking
Wisdom
The Beginning
of Wisdom
An Introduction to
Christian Thought and Life
CHAPTER 1CHAPTER 1
TOPICS
Introduction: A View of the World
What Is a Worldview?
How Do Worldviews Work?
Private and Shared Worldviews
Worldview Analysis and the Pursuit of
Wisdom
Conclusion
Chapter Review
References

Introduction: A View of the World
If, in essence, wisdom may be understood as the art
of successful living, then it is important to consider
what constitutes successful living. Sharp
disagreements can arise when someone reports to
know better than others about how one should live.
However, as mentioned in the introduction,
everyone must choose to live in one way or another
because he or she believes that one way of living is
better than others. People live according to
fundamental convictions about the nature and
purpose of the world around them, and they seek to
make sense of the world based on those
convictions. These convictions form what is called a
worldview, which is the central focus of this
chapter.
Fundamental convictions about reality reside deep
within the human heart where passions, affections,

and motives are impossible to see, but these
convictions visibly shape the ways people behave.
Their actions display the ways they think about
themselves and the world around them. This is not
to say that one’s entire worldview may be observed
in each action a person makes. Rather, everything
that one does is rooted in his or her views of the
world, to such a degree, that worldviews emerge in
tangible and observable ways throughout the
course of everyday life. A few examples may be
helpful in illustrating this concept.
Consider Joan, an employee at a local humanitarian
aid association located in a rough neighborhood in
the downtown section of her city. She interacts with
the homeless, the mentally unstable, the broken,
and the needy as well as prostitutes and drug
addicts every day. In meeting with people in crisis,
Joan always makes sure to remind each of them of

something that is also one of her core beliefs in life:
“Every person matters because every person has
value and worth,” she says.
In her car, however, Joan always seems to get
intensely frustrated at those driving poorly around
her on her commute home. It begins with a simple,
“C’mon.”
Then she grumbles, “Learn to drive! I can’t believe
this moron.”
And finally, with much honking of her car horn, she
screams, “Get off the road, you waste of space!”
along with several words that cannot be repeated
here.
Therefore, the questions arise: What does Joan
really believe about the world around her and the
people who live in it? Does she truly believe that
every person matters because every person has
value and worth? Or does she believe what she says
and demonstrates in her car: namely, that each

person needs to learn to drive or get out of her way
because they are seemingly not worth her time?
Why does she sometimes think and act according to
one belief and later think and act according to what
appears to be an opposite belief? What ultimately
drives her thoughts and actions in these ways?
Perhaps her deepest convictions are more complex
than the simplistic statements she articulates when
she is in a professional setting.
The nation’s highest court offers a second example
of the ways in which actions display fundamental
convictions. It seems that every time the Supreme
Court decides a politically charged case, social
media explodes with diverse and extreme posts,
pictures, and articles. The court's decision is
presented in a fairly objective way that involves a
majority ruling and a minority dissent. Yet, as one
reads the deluge of public opinions that follow the

court’s decision, it is possible to become confused.
Many of the responses use language like “victory” or
“landmark decision” while others use language like
“travesty,” or “reprehensible decision.” For example,
in wading through the swamp of politically charged
issues such as reproduction technologies, one
quickly encounters claims that this or that action
“advances human potential” as well as claims that it
“eliminates human life.” Why do people describe the
same issue in such radically divergent ways?
Although people responding to these issues are
clearly observing the same world, they seem to be
evaluating it based on very different standards.
These examples raise several questions about the
ways that individuals and groups of individuals
make sense of the world around them and things
that happen during the course of their lives. In
order to make sense of these complex dynamics, it

will be necessary to bring the concept of worldview
a little more clearly into focus.
What Is a Worldview?
A good starting point for the exploration of any new
concept is a clear definition. Essentially, a worldview
is a foundational set of assumptions to which one
commits that serves as a framework for
understanding and interpreting reality and deeply
shapes one’s behavior. This definition can be divided
roughly into four key parts that need to be carefully
expanded and explained. While, initially, worldview,
as a concept, may seem rather straightforward,
worldviews are diverse in content and incredibly
complex at the functional level. In many ways, they
are as complex and mysterious as the people who
hold them, and everyone has a worldview.
Therefore, it will be necessary to look at the
individual elements that make up the concept of

worldview further before considering how a
worldview shapes human action and interaction.
A Set of Assumptions
First, note that worldviews are composed of
assumptions that form something like a foundation
for every individual. Worldviews should not be
thought of only as intellectual frameworks or
philosophies that are simply made up of ideas and
theories. Worldviews certainly provide an
intellectual framework that enables the mind to
make sense of data and interpret experience, but
they are more fundamental than theories and
philosophies. Before a person begins to theorize or
develop a philosophy, that person already has in
place a set of assumptions upon which to develop
ideas and understandings. Theories are always built
on the basis of underlying assumptions that enable
the development of ideas and systems of thought.
An assumption is an underlying belief that is

presupposed or presumed in advance of careful
reason and reflection. A person’s fundamental
assumptions serve as a framework for thoughtful
analysis and judgment that make it possible to
develop ideas and theories. When people interact
with one another, they do not simply discuss ideas
and opinions as if they have no preconceived notion
about what they believe. They interact with others’
ideas and opinions on the basis of the ideas and
opinions that they have already assumed to be true.
In other words, assumptions are in play from the
beginning of each conversation. They may be
shaped through interaction with others, but
everyone starts with underlying beliefs that enable
meaningful interaction in the first place.
In this way, worldviews provide the intellectual
foundation upon which people build as they
encounter and engage the world. Worldview

assumptions typically involve content related to the
following categories: theology (God), metaphysics
(universe), anthropology (humanity), eternity
(afterlife), epistemology (knowledge), ethics
(morality), teleology (purpose), and personal
commitments (Sire, 2009, pp. 22-23). Additional
content may be incorporated into this set of
assumptions, but these categories form the
essential foundation upon which further
understandings are constructed and refined.
Commitment
Second, a worldview is composed of assumptions to
which a person commits. It is difficult to
overemphasize the significance of this aspect of a
worldview. One does not hold to a set of
assumptions coldly and dispassionately as if they
are merely a matter of theoretical significance.
These commitments form the basis for the

conceptual and imaginative world in which a person
thinks and feels, lives and breathes, and acts and
interacts with others. A person’s entire life is lived
out in ways that are committed to particular ways
of seeing, understanding, and evaluating the world.
In this respect, one’s fundamental assumptions
function as beliefs, whether religious or
nonreligious, because the person who holds the
assumptions must trust in them and live by them.
It is important to note that a worldview relates to
the whole person, not just the mind, in that it is
shaped by an individual’s passions, beliefs,
affections, and experiences in addition to the ideas
that a person finds compelling. Individuals reason
on the basis of worldview assumptions with their
minds, but they also commit to assumptions with
their hearts. This emphasis on both the mind and
the heart helps people to understand what

differentiates worldview from opinions and
reasoning. Worldview is much more than just one’s
opinion on a variety of topics. It involves the
philosophical underpinnings for questions of
ultimate reality, expressing what one understands
the world to be. Worldview studies as a discipline
gives attention to the mind and the rational process
of determining truth, but worldview as a concept
goes beyond a rational account of life, just as
wisdom goes beyond knowledge. Each emphasizes
not only the mind but also the heart.
While the mind reasons to discern what is true, the
heart brings innate patterns of desires and passion
to questions of truth. Whenever forced to choose
between the heart and the mind, people tend to
follow their hearts and then develop a rationale to
support their decisions. The process normally does
not work in the other direction. For example,

suppose that the nightly news reports scientific
data related to the structure of the human mind
that somehow challenges an individual’s
assumptions about an ethical issue. The individual
may choose to accept or reject the findings but
likely will do so without personally studying the
scientific data because of heart-felt convictions
about right and wrong.
This is not to suggest that worldviews are
uninformed or that they are formed without
reference to information that a person perceives
through the senses or gathers through experience.
Rather, it is to suggest that many fundamental
convictions cannot be proven by gathering data or
accumulating experience. Distinguishing between
waking moments and a dream, for example, cannot
be accomplished through the senses alone because
many dreams are as vivid and real as the actual

world. Yet, most people intuitively believe that they
are awake at some points and asleep at others and
that the two states can be distinguished to a
significant degree. People also generally believe
that basic logical and mathematical principles are
self-evident and that red, blue, and yellow are
colors they have seen, although these things need
not and, indeed, cannot be proven. Properly
speaking, these are basic beliefs because they must
be believed before other beliefs can be formed.
Several other significant assumptions are equally
difficult to prove on the basis of empirical data and
reason, but, nonetheless, they are trusted by those
who hold them. Most people assume that the
universe has existed for more than five minutes and
that physical pain is real when they experience it.
They trust that places like Delaware exist even if
they have not visited the state personally. They

tend to believe that several of their recently formed
memories are authentic rather than illusions of the
mind, and so on. All people begin with basic
assumptions to which they must commit before
they can think and act meaningfully.
People trust in certain foundational assumptions
and build other beliefs and understandings upon
them. If one presses questions such as “Why do you
believe this?” or “What makes you think that?” far
enough it will eventually become apparent that
some convictions are embraced on the basis of
something more akin to faith than reason or
observation. People commit at points because they
must, not because they have sufficient proof. Thus,
at the deepest level, worldviews involve faith
commitments although, again, these may or may not
be religious in the classical sense of the word.
Framework for Understanding and
Interpretation

Third, worldviews form the conceptual framework
that enables a person to make sense of information
that is gathered through observation and
experience. Whenever a person looks at the world
and begins taking in information, that person
intuitively processes the data in order to develop
useful understandings. Categories are formed by
the way in which data is sorted in order to form a
mental picture of reality. This picture may be
refined through additional observation and
additional experience, but the end result is a
description that serves as a basic framework for
understanding.
While bits of knowledge are being placed in mental
categories and compared with other bits of data for
the sake of description, the data is also evaluated.
Some things seem important to notice while others
are regarded as insignificant. People pass judgment

on what they see and hear at the same time that
they are processing information to gain
understanding. The process of gathering knowledge
about the world always involves the application of
values, and those values represent a key aspect of
each person’s worldview. Evaluation is never
neutral. As a person attempts to make sense of the
world, he or she also interprets what is seen based
on his or her fundamental assumptions.
Impact on Behavior
Finally, worldviews deeply affect daily life. The set
of assumptions that provides a foundational
framework for thought also guides speech and
action. In a sense, the implications of fundamental
convictions trickle down to the level of behaviors
that are expressed through everyday activities. For
example, a person who believes that God exists will,
to some degree, orient how he or she thinks about
the purpose of life so that his or her life aligns with

what God wants. Another person who does not
believe in a supernatural being will conceive of
purpose in a more human-centered way that does
not emphasize God’s will and, instead, will order his
or her life accordingly.
At a deeper level, worldview shapes underlying
values, motivations, and attitudes that give rise to
particular actions. For example, a person may
believe that no absolute and universal moral values
exist. As a result, this person may not regard
consensual sex outside of marriage to be an
immoral activity and, therefore, will seek to find
sexual fulfillment outside of a marital relationship.
By contrast, one who believes that a divine being
has articulated guidelines for morality, including
sexual morality and marriage, may believe that one
should conform his or her life to those guidelines.
This person also believes that sexual fulfillment is

desirable but one that is best pursued within the
context of marriage. This person reasons that if God
created human sexuality then he is in the best
position to offer instruction about how people can
maximize sexual satisfaction.
No matter which of these views one personally
holds, the point should be clear: Underlying
assumptions, motives, values, and attitudes are
reflected in behavior. Thoughts and actions give
expression to worldview commitments, which
means that worldviews are continually displayed
through everyday behavior.
In order to illustrate the relationship between
worldview commitments and behavior, consider an
iceberg. Only the tip of an iceberg appears above
the water at any point, which means that most of an
iceberg remains hidden below the surface. While
the top of an iceberg may be formidable in its own

right, in proportion to the larger mass that remains
invisible, it is relatively small. In a similar way, a
person’s actions give outward evidence of thoughts
and convictions that lie deep below the surface.
Actions are visible, whereas thoughts and the
convictions that guide them remain hidden from
sight. The sorts of things that are going on below
the surface must be analyzed in order to arrive at a
fuller understanding of how people see and
understand the world in which they live.
Worldview as a Concept
A worldview, then, may be understood as a
foundational set of assumptions to which a person
commits. These assumptions provide a framework
for understanding and interpreting reality, in that
they help make sense of information and evaluate
all that is observed and experienced. To some
degree, this framework is conceptual but it involves

the heart as much as the mind. Furthermore,
fundamental assumptions about the world deeply
affect behavior for better or for worse. As noted
above, the relationship between an individual’s
worldview and behavior is complex, but the
implications of this connection are vital to
understanding the ways that humans engage the
world.
Finally, in worldview analysis, it is important to
account for the influence of both faith and reason.
Worldviews begin to form before people are aware
that they are trusting in anything. However, as
individuals gain the ability to think analytically, they
may support their initial beliefs, modify their
understandings, or exchange flawed assumptions
for new ones as necessary. Worldviews take shape
on the basis of faith-level commitments and initial
understandings, but they can be refined if prior

commitments prove unreliable or irrational. This
notion will be explored further throughout the
remainder of the book.
How Do Worldviews Work?
It is one matter to understand what a worldview is,
but it is another to consider how worldviews
function during the course of an individual’s life. A
series of analogies may shed additional light on the
practical implications of worldviews by outlining
the various ways that one’s convictions impact
behavior. Although none of these analogies is
perfect or complete in itself, each offers some
important clues about the complex relationship
between fundamental convictions and human
behavior.
Foundation of a Building
Worldviews are like the foundation of a building:
They form a basis that supports and gives shape to
the entire structure that is built atop them. Just as

the foundation of a building sometimes lies
underground, worldviews generally remain hidden
from direct observation. Nonetheless, they always
give shape to the parts of the building that can be
seen. And, as with buildings, entire lives are
constructed on the basis of worldviews that largely
remain hidden from sight even though they
profoundly impact the shape of those lives.
Additionally, a building’s foundation must be strong
enough to hold up the building above it. The
strength of the foundation determines the strength
of the building. Even if the upper parts of the
structure appear to be secure, the entire building is
at risk if there are cracks in the foundation.
Similarly, the strength of a worldview determines
whether or not all that is built upon it can endure
the many challenges that individuals face during the
course of their lives. If inconsistencies or errors

plague one’s worldview, the entire edifice of an
individual’s life will be at risk as trials and
tribulations come.
Finally, once a foundation is in place, the larger
construction above it naturally assumes a shape
that is consistent with that of the foundation. From
the perspective of worldview studies, this means
that an individual’s basic assumptions determine
the sort of life that can be lived by the individual
who holds them. Just as a skyscraper cannot be
constructed on top of a foundation designed for a
single-family home, worldview commitments
narrow one’s options. To be direct, this means that
an individual who hopes to build something
magnificent would be wise to give careful attention
to the sort of foundation with which he or she
begins.
Lenses
Worldviews are also like the lenses found in

eyeglasses that serve as the means through which a
person sees the world. The analogy of lenses helps
explain how worldviews influence the ways people
look at the world. Following the example of
eyeglasses, notice that lenses enable a person to
see clearly and accurately. A person wearing glasses
always views the world around them through
lenses, and the lenses shape everything that the
person observes. Similarly, worldviews shape the
ways that people see; however, in the case of
worldviews, everyone looks at the world through
the “lenses” of their fundamental assumptions.
Just as eyeglasses determine how accurately a
person sees things around them, a worldview
determines how accurately a person perceives
reality. For example, if two people witness a car
accident and each assigns blame to a different
driver, it will be difficult to determine which driver

is at fault. Imagine, however, that in an interview
with police after the accident the police learn that
one of the witnesses just received a new eyeglass
prescription that is not working well. This
information casts doubt on that witness’s ability to
see the accident well, much the same way a faulty or
inadequate worldview makes seeing the world
accurately a difficult task at best.
In addition to serving as the means by which a
person sees reality, a person’s worldview lenses are
also the means by which a person interprets and
assesses reality. On one hand, foundational
assumptions cause individuals to focus on certain
elements of reality more than others. On the other
hand, these assumptions serve as a filter for
evaluating the things that a person sees by enabling
them to interpret and assess observations and
experience.

Box Top of a Jigsaw Puzzle
Worldviews are also like the image on the top of a
Worldview Definitions
While the book provides a thorough
explanation of worldview, interacting with a
few other definitions may help with the
process of understanding what worldview is.
Three other definitions can provide a more
robust picture of the concept of worldview.
Through a brief look, these definitions can
emphasize various aspects of the book’s
explanation of worldview.
Ronald Nash (1999) defines worldview as “a
conceptual framework, pattern, or
arrangement of a person’s beliefs. The best
worldviews are comprehensive, systematic,
and supposedly true views of life and the
world” (p. 13). One can note the key terms in
the approach to worldview, such as

conceptual, framework, and beliefs. Nash
focuses on the mind and the assumptions that
make up worldview and that drive beliefs, and
his approach is more philosophical in nature.
Kenneth Samples (2007) defines worldview as
“how one sees life and the world at large” (p.
20). Samples focuses primarily on how
worldview affects one’s perspectives. Though
each person holds to his or her worldview
with commitment, Samples also emphasizes
that one’s worldview commitments could be
incorrect or could rest on faulty assumptions.
James Sire's (2004) definition serves as a
more comprehensive picture of worldview,
attempting to encompass as many elements of
worldview studies as possible.
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 (p.
122).
While he includes the rational element of
worldview (“a set of presuppositions”), Sire’s
underlying point attempts to go deeper, into
the heart (“commitment, a fundamental
orientation of the heart”). Sire also
emphasizes the narrative element of
worldview, that a worldview “can be
expressed as a story,” which is explained in

more detail in this chapter.
A Closer Look at Faith
When considering explicitly religious
worldviews, the influence of faith is easier to
recognize. For example, people who believe in
God will tend to develop other convictions
openly on the foundational belief in a deity.
When it comes to how individuals analyze and
support their worldviews, they draw from the
core belief that God exists. They may not be
able to prove God’s existence beyond the
shadow of a doubt, but their commitment to
this belief affects other areas of their
worldviews, such as questions about the
origins of the universe and humankind. In
essence, belief in God supports their
worldview assumptions because they are
committed to the presupposition that God
exists.

With worldviews that are not explicitly
religious in the traditional sense, the influence
of faith is also present; however, in such cases,
the presence of faith is not explicit or as
openly acknowledged. For example, people
who do not believe in the supernatural will
rest many other presuppositions on the
foundational conviction that God does not
exist. They will do so in spite of the fact that
they cannot disprove God’s existence beyond
the shadow of a doubt any more than one who
believes that God does exist. When it comes
to how they analyze and support their
worldview, they draw from the core belief
that there is no God although they cannot
ultimately prove God’s nonexistence.
Regardless, commitment to this belief affects
other worldview convictions regarding such

things as the origins of the universe and
human beings. This does not necessarily mean
that atheism is a religion. It simply means that
all worldviews rest on fundamental
commitments that are established and
maintained on the basis of trust rather than
indisputable proof.
A Closer Look at Reason
The influence of reason on worldviews merits
further examination. In terms of worldview
studies, reason may be understood as the
reliance on evidence and logic to evaluate
assumptions. If faith involves a commitment
to certain assumptions, then reason is the
evidence and thought used to support the
commitment.
For example, an atheist might use certain
scientific evidence regarding evolution as a

form of reason to support a belief that God
does not exist. Someone who believes in God,
by contrast, might use philosophical evidence
as a form of reason to support the belief that
God does exist. In both cases, reason is
employed to support a position and allows for
a critical analysis of others’ worldview
assumptions. Reason, as an element of
worldview, therefore, involves conscious
thinking about the set of assumptions that
make up worldview.
Several types of evidence fall under the scope
of reason. This evidence can be used to shape
or support one’s personal worldview or to
disprove others’ worldviews. The analysis of
worldviews always involves reason, and yet
individuals tend to form their reasoning about
worldviews with faith influencing

commitments along the way. When studying
worldview, one must understand the
relationship between faith and reason.
Several important questions emerge about the
relationship of faith and reason. Does faith or
reason take precedence in worldview
formation? Which of the two primarily
influences worldview analysis? How do faith
and reason interact in particular worldviews?
What about doubt and fear—how do these
concepts affect the study of faith and reason?
These sorts of questions and themes will be
explored in Chapter 8 of this book.
2/16/19, 6(43 PM
Page 1 of 1
By Jason Hiles and Anna
Faith Smith
Chapter 2: Evaluating

Wisely
The Beginning
of Wisdom
An Introduction to
Christian Thought and Life
CHAPTER 2CHAPTER 2
TOPICS
Introduction
Worldviews in Competition
Is It Possible to Evaluate Worldviews Fairly?
Elements of a Worldview
Major Worldview Families
Worldview Analysis and Evaluation
Testing Worldviews
Conclusion
Chapter Review
References
Introduction
Shortly after beginning to study worldviews, the

careful student will realize that everyone has a
worldview, and everything that humans think, say,
and do flows out of an overarching vision of the
world. This includes the text on this page, the
chapter in which the page is found, and the larger
book of which it is a part. Similarly, the person who
takes up the subject, reads this book, and begins to
interact with the ideas found here is doing all these
things on the basis of fundamental assumptions that
shape understandings and responses. Simple
decisions such as accepting or rejecting statements
and concepts that arise during the course of study
occur with reference to personal convictions that
are rooted deeply in a particular worldview. In
short, the fact that everyone has a worldview means
that no one thinks, speaks, or acts in ways that are
entirely neutral. Rather, all live in ways that are
committed to deeply held understandings and

convictions.
Worldviews in Competition
People tend to hold their worldview commitments
with what may be called universal intent, meaning
they do not think of their deepest convictions as
merely applying to themselves in a personal and
private way. These convictions surface when people
interact with one another and the universal intent
with which they hold their beliefs becomes obvious.
This happens particularly when disagreements
arise. For example, when a person tries to cut in line
at a store’s checkout counter, people in the back of
the line do not normally react as if their views about
the matter are personal and private. Typically, they
feel some urge to react negatively as if a universal
rule has been broken. Some will roll their eyes,
others will quietly murmur, and a few will verbally
confront the individual who cut in line. However, no
one believes that his or her convictions about such

things only apply to the individual who holds them.
The same sort of response may be observed in a
variety of other situations involving injustice or
inappropriate conduct. Those who witness unjust
behavior tend to react as if others should recognize
that the behavior is unjust and that the offender
should behave differently. Even those who claim
that tolerance and acceptance must prevail at all
points tend to become intolerant and unaccepting
when others disagree. Simply stated, human action
speaks louder than words on this matter. Everyone
has a worldview and people tend to hold their
personal worldview as if they expect others’ actions
to align with their personal convictions at
significant points.
To press this point a little further, note that
worldviews compete in the marketplace of ideas
daily. Moreover, those who speak into this

marketplace do so because they intend to persuade
others to embrace a particular understanding or
value and align their thoughts and actions
accordingly. Worldview commitments are
commended through social media, cinema, music,
newspapers, blogs, commercial advertising, talk
radio, and so forth. Entire generations have been
shaped by the power of television, movies, and the
Internet because these formats for communication
engage the senses powerfully at moments when
intellectual defenses have been lowered for the
sake of enjoying entertainment. Many drink deeply
from the fountain of popular culture without
consciously realizing that their values are being
shaped by others’ views.
The crucial question this chapter takes up, then, is
not “Who has a worldview?” but rather “How can
one investigate and evaluate worldview

assumptions?” Because everyone has a worldview
and worldview assumptions shape human
interaction on a daily basis, developing the ability to
recognize these assumptions and critically engage
them is essential to living an examined life. This
ability represents an important first step toward
gaining self-awareness, self-understanding, and the
capacity for self-examination. That said, worldviews
frequently result in disagreement about particular
issues, but it will be more important from the start
to delve more deeply into the underlying
commitments that fuel disagreement. This will
require some consideration of the basic elements of
a worldview and an attempt to establish criteria for
assessing worldview commitment. While
assessment is never entirely neutral, it is important
to set forth some objective standards for analyzing
fundamental worldview claims.

Is It Possible to Evaluate Worldviews
Fairly?
In order to make progress toward wisdom, one must
come to terms with the reality that worldviews
shape every individual, including oneself, and the
communities that individuals form. Although no one
is entirely neutral, to a large degree, objectivity is
possible. Neutrality normally is conceived of as a
state in which a person is completely undecided
about key issues, holds no convictions, and is
unwilling to support any side in a conflict or
disagreement. While this may be an ideal position
for a referee at a sporting event or a judge who
oversees traffic court, it is not a position that any
human can presume to hold when it comes to
worldviews. Some claim to be profoundly neutral
but their style of life always betrays the fact that
they live in ways that are very much committed in
particular directions because of assumptions they

hold at the deepest levels.
Objectivity, on the other hand, represents a goal
that, to some degree, is attainable. It relates to
fairness, evenhandedness, and an open mind that
attempts to gain understanding of others’ views
prior to assessment. Making progress toward
objectivity requires a willingness to listen carefully,
an ability to suppress personal biases and
prejudices, and a concern for justice. It is possible to
become increasingly objective even though it is not
possible to be entirely neutral. For example, a
person who does not believe that God exists is not
neutral at all with respect to this central worldview
assumption. The same person, however, may believe
that humans who believe in God should be free to
gather each week in order to worship him. This
person is not neutral with respect to worldview
commitments, but he or she remains objective

enough to recognize that those who disagree should
be granted the freedom to assemble and other
freedoms necessary to live out their convictions.
This sort of objectivity is absolutely essential for
productive dialogue about worldviews in spite of
personal worldview commitments. Open-
mindedness does not necessarily require that
everyone involved in a conversation agree in the
end; however, it does require care in listening to
others when they express their views along with
concern for their welfare and fair treatment.
Most people are not aware that they have deep
underlying convictions until they are challenged in
some way by someone whose assumptions differ
from their own. Worldviews can be challenged in a
variety of ways within social contexts. When one
recognizes that a conversation partner is speaking
based on convictions that differ substantially from

one's own, he or she must choose whether to accept
those convictions and their implications. In order to
make wise decisions in these cases, a measure of
knowledge and practical skill is necessary.
Elements of a Worldview
As noted in Chapter 1, worldviews begin to take
shape from birth. Humans invariably begin the
process of understanding themselves, other
humans, and the world they inhabit upon entering
the world. Understandings grow and take shape as
people experience more of the world and reflect
upon it. Of course, humanity as a whole is incredibly
diverse in many ways. But in some ways humans
exhibit a remarkable degree of similarity when it
comes to basic experience and shared concern. For
example, humans in all cultures living at all times
have found it necessary to survive within a physical
environment by securing food, shelter, and clothing.

They have elected to do so, presumably, because
they believe that self-preservation is of value. The
fact that humans as a species have continued to
survive throughout the centuries suggests that they
also share a concern to preserve and perpetuate the
larger race.
Men and women throughout the ages and across
cultures have given expression to these basic
concerns in various ways. Sometimes they are
expressed in story or through artistic forms such as
poetry, sculpture, or dance. At other times they are
communicated more formally in a series of
propositional statements that are carefully
articulated as a philosophy, a theology, or an ethical
system. One way or the other, when humans give
expression to these timeless concerns, they are also
giving expression to the fundamental elements that
make up a worldview. This section outlines major

categories of concern and the basic elements that
make up a worldview. In this chapter, these
elements are expressed primarily as propositions
for the sake of clarity and focused analysis. As these
elements are unpacked throughout the remainder
of the book it should become clearer that they could
be expressed in several other ways as well.
Ultimate Reality
Arguably the most fundamental and definitive of all
worldview commitments relates to the nature of
ultimate reality. Ultimate reality refers to the
absolute, supreme, and final person, power,
principle, or substance underlying the universe.
Conceptions of ultimate reality vary widely, but
there are three fundamental ways of defining what
is ultimately real:
1. A personal god or gods
2. An impersonal force or principle
3. Nothing exists beyond the present space-

matter-time-energy continuum
Historically, as men and women have contemplated
themselves and the world in which they live, they
have raised a profound question: What is ultimately
real? This question appears to stem from a nearly
universal concern to understand the nature of the
universe at the deepest levels. Even when an
individual concludes that the physical universe is
real, he has not settled questions about reality
beyond what can be perceived through the senses.
Raising the question of ultimate reality is like asking
if God exists. If a person concludes that something
or someone exists beyond the physical universe,
that person’s view of the world will be shaped
deeply by that conclusion. Similarly, although in
opposite ways, a person’s view of the world will be
shaped deeply if she concludes that nothing exists
beyond the present space-matter-time-energy

continuum that may be observed through the
senses.
Basic answers to the question of ultimate reality fall
into three major categories that give shape to what
will be described below as worldview families. At
this point, it will be necessary to only outline the
major options for responding to questions about the
nature of ultimate reality. Essentially, a person may
assume that nothing exists beyond the physical
world. Another person may assume that something
exists beyond the physical world as a spiritual
reality, but that “something” is not personal or
relational. Rather, it is a pervasive force or spiritual
essence that pervades the universe. Finally, an
individual may believe that something, or rather,
someone who is personal exists beyond the physical
world. The precise nature of this divine being, or
multiple beings in some cases, varies widely from

worldview to worldview.
Each of these basic assumptions must be fleshed out
extensively within the context of a particular
worldview. An individual who believes in a personal
divine being must also consider whether that being
is singular or plural, benevolent or evil, similar to
humans or altogether different, finite or infinite,
and how that divine being relates to human beings if
at all. No matter what one believes about the nature
of ultimate reality, it is important to note that the
implications of this fundamental worldview
commitment are significant because they
substantially shape all the other elements of a
worldview. Questions about human nature and
purpose, for instance, are intimately connected to
this element.
Nature of the Universe
A second major element of worldviews stems from

questions about the world that humans inhabit.
Here, the focus is on the known universe and the
investigation of its nature, but understandings at
this point overlap significantly with conceptions of
ultimate reality. Simply stated, understandings
about the relationship between the physical
universe and ultimate reality deeply shape
convictions about the nature and purpose of the
world. Essentially, human beings must answer the
question: What is the nature of the universe and
how does it relate to whatever is ultimately real?
Several related questions may be raised as well. Is
the origin of the universe natural or supernatural?
And, why does the universe seem to be orderly
rather than chaotic?
Also, it is important to consider whether the
universe is a closed system or an open system that
can be influenced significantly by the spiritual

world? One possible response envisions a world
that is merely physical in the sense that nothing
exists beyond the material universe. In this view,
the universe is conceived as a closed system that
cannot be influenced by external forces or factors
because nothing external to the system exists. This
perspective leaves no room for miracles, angelic
activity, or divine intervention.
By contrast one may conceive of the universe as a
system that is open to spiritual influence. This view
more naturally lends itself to an understanding of
the universe in which God and other spiritual beings
can play a decisive role in the world and in human
affairs. This view also raises further questions
about the nature of spiritual beings and their
intentions in influencing worldly affairs. On either
view, it is not difficult to see how one’s answer to
this question relates to assumptions about ultimate

reality.
Human Nature
A third major element of any worldview relates to
questions about what it means to be human. Here,
one may question what humans are made of (bodies,
souls, or a body-soul complex), how they relate to
the physical universe, and how they relate to the
spiritual world if any such thing exists. These
questions may also reach backward by considering
origins or focus on the present by considering
purpose. Similarly, they may look forward to the
future by considering destiny.
When reflecting on issues related to humanity, it
quickly becomes obvious that one’s fundamental
convictions about ultimate reality bear directly on
concerns about human origins, purpose, and
destiny. To offer one example, in the absence of a
personal, divine creator, an individual must account
for human origins in a way that focuses on the

natural world. Some who deny the existence of a
divine creator have attempted to explain humans as
the product of chance and blind forces within the
natural world. According to this view, humans have
not been created purposefully and, therefore,
cannot hope to discover purpose within the natural
order. Instead, men and women must create
purpose for themselves and decide what that
purpose should entail. Ultimately, then, humans
need to fulfill the purpose they have devised within
their lifetimes because they cease to exist when
their physical bodies expire. In such cases, a
consistent explanation of ultimate reality and
human origins, purpose, and destiny must be
confined to the physical universe.
By contrast, a worldview that makes reference to a
god may trace human origins to a personal creator
who designed humans for specific purposes. These

purposes vary widely depending on one’s
understanding of the creator’s nature and purpose.
But, again, assumptions about the existence and
nature of the creator will be closely connected to
assumptions about human origins and purpose. This
type of worldview may also involve the possibility of
life after death as well as reward or punishment,
depending on how individuals respond to the
creator’s purposes. In such cases, the prospect of
reward and punishment tends to guide ethical
reasoning. Typically, those who believe that a
personal divine being exists conceive of human
nature and purpose with direct reference to that
being’s design and final assessment of individual
lives after death.
Knowledge
A fourth major worldview element relates to the
nature of knowledge, reliable sources of knowledge,

and the limitations of knowledge. Here, central
issues that must be addressed involve questions
about what genuinely constitutes knowledge, which
sources of knowledge are trustworthy, and what
can be known. Major questions that arise in
connection with this element include:
What is truth?
Which sources of knowledge, if any, are
reliable?
What roles do the five senses, memory,
introspection, and reason play in the
acquisition of knowledge?
Are faith and reason compatible?
Can anyone know truth in an absolute and
objective way?
A great deal is at stake in answering questions
about knowledge because the way people answer
them determines which data they regard as

plausible and, to some extent, how they interpret
that data.
Significant attention has been focused on these
issues throughout the modern era because of an
increased emphasis on rational thought and
scientific observation. This has also resulted from
growing skepticism about the certainty of
knowledge in general and increased doubts about
the reliability of religious knowledge such as divine
revelation. Divine revelation refers to the notion
that God has made himself known, or revealed
himself, to human beings. If God truly has
communicated to humans, then what he has made
known bears more authority than merely human
ideas and opinions. If, however, God has not made
himself known in any way, then humans enjoy
significant authority because the intellectual
prowess of other living creatures pales in

comparison with that of Homo sapiens. But
challenges seem to arise at every point in which
humans differ in opinion and no obvious reason is
available for viewing one opinion to be superior to
others.
As with other major worldview elements,
convictions about knowledge vary depending on
assumptions about ultimate reality, the universe,
and humanity. For instance, answers to the question
“Is belief in God rational?” will differ significantly
depending on convictions about the nature of
ultimate reality. If an individual does not believe
that God exists, it is unlikely that the individual will
believe that divine revelation is possible. As will
become obvious in subsequent chapters, the
Christian worldview entails the convictions that
God exists, that he is capable of communication, and
that he has spoken clearly through the Bible

because he desires to make himself known to
human beings and to be known by them.
At times, the authority and reliability of the Bible is
dismissed outright by those who do not embrace
the Christian worldview before they consider its
claims first hand. While some suggest that this is a
rational response to the Christian Scriptures, it is
difficult to understand how dismissive attitudes
toward the Bible can be rational in cases in which
opinions are poorly informed. Dismissing a text that
has proven foundational to Western civilization and
widely read by intelligent men and women for
centuries suggests that some such decisions are
rooted in worldview assumptions rather than any
inadequacies within the Bible per se. In other
words, what one counts as knowledge and what one
discounts will depend significantly on one’s
overarching view of the world.

Convictions about legitimate types and sources are
central to what can be called a plausibility
structure. A plausibility structure is a mental
framework that functions like a filter by
determining what one counts as genuine knowledge
and what should be disregarded. In this way
plausibility structures play a significant role as
individuals attempt to make sense of the world and
decide how to live within it. Because divinely
inspired writings are unlikely to make it through a
plausibility structure that doubts the existence of a
divine author, a person who does not regard belief
in God to be rational will not likely consider sacred
scriptures to be a weighty source of knowledge.
Throughout this text, readers are encouraged to
take some time to read the Bible for themselves in
order to make an informed decision about it. Its
authority is assumed throughout the material that

follows.
In order to grow in self-awareness and make
progress toward self-understanding, it is critical for
individuals to wrestle honestly with the issue of
knowledge. An honest answer to the simple
question, “How do I know what I know?” may prove
a little unnerving initially, but honest answers are
indispensable if one intends to get to the bottom of
the basic convictions that shape his or her thought
and behavior each day. Without carefully
considering how conclusions have been reached, it
will be difficult to revisit those conclusions in a
critical and constructive way.
Ethics
Another key element of a worldview relates to
ethics. Essentially, ethics may be understood as the
systematic study of moral principles that guide
human behavior. As an individual contemplates the
difference between right and wrong, that person

draws on deeply held values that flow out of a
particular worldview. These values serve as criteria
for evaluating particular actions and the morality of
the people who perform them. Whatever one
decides about ethical matters, those decisions will
guide ethical reasoning and behavior.
Experience and intuition suggest that human beings
are deeply moral creatures who are intensely
interested in matters of right and wrong, especially
those matters in which they have a vested interest.
Moral conviction represents a strong impulse that
has fueled major social changes such as the
abolition of slavery in the United States and the end
of apartheid in South Africa. But even in situations
that do not permit careful reflection on ethical
principles, humans demonstrate ethical impulses.
Many, for example, sense a need to silence rowdy
youth in movie theaters, report drunk drivers,

contact child services at the first sign of abuse, and
return library books on time or they feel guilty for
failing to do so. While motives for such activities
vary somewhat from case to case, conduct of this
sort can be explained in part by the fact that some
actions just seem right and others just seem wrong.
The study of ethics quickly raises questions that
relate to the field of knowledge. Distinguishing right
from wrong depends significantly on determining
which sources of moral knowledge are reliable and
authoritative. For instance, before a person decides
to hit the brakes when approaching a crosswalk full
of pedestrians, the driver has already made up his
mind about several issues that are more
fundamental than stopping the car. The driver has
decided that the lives of those crossing the street
are of value and that he bears responsibility for
protecting those lives. The driver has also

determined that his desire to arrive at a destination
quickly is not more significant than the pedestrians
in front of him or his personal responsibility to
protect them. But how does the driver know the
relative value of human life and the nature of his
responsibilities? The sort of understandings that
impel the driver to hit his brakes are rooted deeply
in values that stem from fundamental worldview
assumptions.
Ethical determinations are closely connected to
other worldview commitments. In the case of ethics,
however, self-interest can become a major obstacle
to consistent reflection and genuine understanding.
People are not always as concerned about
distinguishing right from wrong as they are about
excusing and defending their choices. Humans are
wonderfully complex creatures whose lives are
driven by what they love and desire as much as

what they know and understand. Honest self-
examination, although difficult, is essential for
gaining ethical knowledge and a clear
understanding of one’s true moral character.
Purpose
One final worldview element worthy of mention
relates to the underlying purpose for the existence
and lives of human beings as well as the world in
which they live. Worldviews typically entail concern
about purpose as it relates in some measure to the
world but especially as it relates to humanity. In the
context of worldview studies, purpose refers to the
underlying reason for which something was created
and the ends for which it currently exists.
Discerning the purpose of some thing or of a living
creature can provide great insight into its nature
and significance. For this reason, purpose has long
been regarded as a matter of perennial concern

among humans who cannot seem to resist asking,
“Why are we here?” and “What should we be doing
with our lives?”
Purpose also provides a means of evaluation. If, for
example, one wants to determine if a racecar is a
good racecar or a bad racecar it will be important to
decide the chief end or goal of a racecar. If the chief
end of a racecar is to win races against other cars,
then the relative goodness of any particular racecar
depends on the car’s ability to meet that goal.
Assuming that the racecar was not created for the
sake of transportation to and from the grocery
store or for hauling boats to the lake, then
evaluation of the racecar should relate primarily to
the winning of races. Therefore, a racecar that wins
races may be considered a better racecar than one
that does not, because winning races fulfills the
purpose for which the car was designed.

Although the matter becomes more complex as it
relates to people, considering the purpose for
human existence is similarly essential for evaluating
individual lives including one’s own. As with other
worldview elements, assumptions about purpose
vary widely from worldview to worldview. When
considering a basic question such as “Why are we
here?” a person will typically respond with some
reference to other convictions related to ultimate
concern, the nature of the universe, and human
nature.
At this point convictions about the nature of
ultimate reality are paramount. If nothing beyond
the physical world exists, then humans must locate
purpose within the physical world and perhaps in
connection with individual preference or cultural
norms. From this perspective purpose does not
necessarily await discovery because the universe

has not been purposefully designed. Rather,
Reliability of Scripture
The Christian worldview affirms the Bible as
God’s Word and regards it to be the product
of God who inspired the text of Scripture
through human authors who “spoke from God
as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”
(2 Peter 1:21 English Standard Version). For
these reasons, Christians believe that the
Bible is the ultimate authority in all matters
upon which it touches and is reliable in
everything it affirms.
Christians have good reasons to believe that
the text of Scripture is reliable and
trustworthy including a strong manuscript
tradition, remarkable efforts throughout
history to preserve the Scriptures, the
historical accuracy of its contents, and the
uncanny accuracy of certain prophetic

passages. Regardless, Christians generally
trust the contents of Scripture because as
they have read it they have personally
encountered Jesus Christ and come face-to-
face with the compelling teachings and
flawless character that marked his ministry.
The claims that Jesus makes about himself in
Scripture, coupled with the extraordinary
story of his death, burial, and resurrection,
offers a powerful antidote to the skepticism of
the present age that cannot be described
adequately. One must experience the wisdom
and the power of Jesus Christ personally in
order to make sense of the compelling nature
of the Christian way of life. Thus, rather than
offering a lengthy argument for the reliability
of the Bible, the authors of this textbook
encourage the reader to take it up and to read

it in order to make an informed decision about
it. Its authority is assumed throughout the
material that follows.
2/16/19, 6(45 PM
Page 1 of 1
Personal Commitments Assessment
Name:
Course:
Date:
Instructor:
Be sure you answer both Part 1 and Part 2 of this assignment
before submitting.
Part 1
After reading Chapter 2 in the textbook and the lecture for this
topic, write a two- to three-sentence answer to each of the six
questions that form the basic components or personal
commitments for your worldview. Answer the questions about
your own beliefs in your own words, not what you think the
Christian worldview believes. Keep this worksheet intact and
only add your answers under each question.
1. What is your belief about ultimate reality?
2. What is your belief about the nature of the universe?

3. What is your belief about human nature and the afterlife?
4. What is your belief about knowledge?
5. What is your basis of ethics?
6. What is your purpose?
Part 2
Answer the following two questions with a 250-550-word
response for each.
1. Your answers to the questions in Part 1 form the basis of
your worldview. Now that you have articulated your worldview,
evaluate it according to the practical test described in Chapter 2
of the textbook and the lecture. Can you live your worldview
out in the world as we know it? Why or why not?
2. Reflect on your current understanding of the Christian faith.
In other words, what is the essence of the Christian worldview?
How does one become a Christian?
© 2017. Grand Canyon University. All Rights Reserved.
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