Peter Jones is the director of truthXchange, a cultural apologetics ministry. This lesson introduces a teaching series on explaining modern culture from a Christian worldview perspective. It contrasts the monistic worldview of "Oneism", which sees all religions as equally valid paths to a divine reality, with the biblical "Twoism" of Christianity, which recognizes Jesus Christ as the sole means to reconciling with the Creator God. The lesson objectives are to show how non-Christian religions share aspects of Oneism, to demonstrate Christianity's unique claims, and to equip Christians to better understand and articulate their faith.

1. P e t e r J o n e s
Director of truthXchange
A Worldview & Culture Teaching Series by Ligonier Ministries
Adult Sunday School
Summer 2019

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Explaining Modern Culture
Video trailer
Click below

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Explaining Modern Culture
Our Teacher
• Peter Jones (PhD, Princeton
Theological Seminary) is an
ordained minister in the PCA and
the Executive Director of
truthXchange, a cultural
apologetics and worldview
ministry that seeks to turn
spirituality "inside out" by calling
people away from a pagan
spirituality of One-ism (the
worship of creation) to the
biblical spirituality of Two-ism
(the worship of the Creator).
• He is the author of many books,
including One or Two, and The
Other Worldview.

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Explaining Modern Culture
The Big Question
How can we make sense of the
breakneck spiritual and social changes
happening right now in our culture?
and
How should Christians respond?

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Explaining Modern Culture
Series Introduction
• If you survey the religious landscape of modern culture,
you will encounter an astonishingly diverse range of views.
But beneath the surface, these seemingly disparate
spiritualities share a common worldview, one that is
radically opposed to the Christian faith.
• In this series, join Dr. Peter Jones as he examines the
worldview and fundamental religious convictions that
drive modern culture. He demonstrates that in the final
analysis, there can be only two religions—worship of the
Creator or worship of creation.
• By better understanding the present cultural context, you
will be equipped to more clearly articulate the Christian
faith and worldview to a world in need of redemption.

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Explaining Modern Culture
Lesson Introduction
• During the 1960s, the United States underwent a paradigm
shift in religion. A once dominant Christian worldview was
supplanted by a New Age spirituality that was anything but
new. It was, rather, a re-articulation of ancient paganism.
• This pagan belief system is not limited to certain late 20th
century religions; it is the fundamental belief system of
all non-Christian religions. One can thus draw a sharp
distinction between Christianity, which worships the
Creator, and paganism, which worships the creation
• In the lecture “Explaining Modern Culture,” Peter Jones
shows that there are only two possible religions. By better
understanding other religions that share a common
foundation, you will be better equipped to share the
gospel with clarity and love.

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Explaining Modern Culture
Scripture Reading
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their
unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about
God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his
invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or
give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and
their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they
became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for
images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping
things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to
impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and
worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is
blessed forever! Amen.
Romans 1:18-25

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Explaining Modern Culture
Teaching Objectives
1. To introduce the idea that modern culture is
the battlefield between only two religions
2. To demonstrate how non-Christian religions
share a similar ideology
3. To show the uniqueness of the Christian
faith and worldview

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Explaining Modern Culture
Watch Lecture 1

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Explaining Modern Culture
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
1. All Is One and One Is
All—Many people are
beginning to think that
God is the Spirit of
everything. This means
that, ultimately, man,
animals, rocks and
trees are all divine.
There is no major
distinction between
God and Man.
1. One God, the Creator—
God is distinct from his
creation. Everything
that is not God was
created by him: the
earth, animals and
man, who alone is
created in his image.
God
Oneism Twoism

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Explaining Modern Culture
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
2. Humanity Is One—If all
people are Equal, no
group has unique access
to the truth. All humans
are divine and must live
together, accepting a
common standard of
morality and trying to
become as like one
another as possible,
rather than emphasizing
distinctions that can
cause friction.
2. One in Christ Alone—
The only true unity is
created by common
faith in Jesus Christ.
God defines two
categories of people:
his children and those
who are in rebellion
against him. True
Christian love knows no
racial or economic
barriers.
Humanity
Oneism Twoism

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Explaining Modern Culture
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
3. All Religions Are One—
No religion knows the
only path to God. All
roads lead to the top of
the mountain, from
which we see the same
moon. Religions should
emphasize their
similarities, not their
differences, since they
share the same mystical
experience.
3. One Truth—Jesus says we
can only approach the
Father through him.
Christians do not revere
Christ as one great
prophet among others. He
is God in human form,
come to rescue us from
our sin. To spiritualize
him as a Christ, present in
a variety of religions, is to
refuse him.
Religion
Oneism Twoism

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Explaining Modern Culture
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
4. One Problem: Amnesia—
Since God is in all of us,
is all of us, we should
not worry about sin and
guilt. If we wake up to
the wonderful reality
that we are God, we
will eliminate the
distinctions of sex, role
and doctrine that
divide us.
4. One Problem: Death
through Sin—Sin has
ruined our peace with
God. We dare not
approach him because
he is so pure that we
would be destroyed.
Yet sin also destroys us.
Without God’s solution,
the problem of sin is
insurmountable.
Our Problem
Oneism Twoism

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Explaining Modern Culture
Oneism & Twoism: 5 Points
5. One Answer: Look
Within—If you want to be
happy, you need to love
yourself and stop feeling
guilty. The more you
believe in yourself and
your own power—the
more you assert that
power for your own
happiness, the sooner you
will have a sense of
freedom from constraint.
You will enjoy a truly
peaceful and fulfilled
experience of God.
5. One Solution: Look to Him—
God comes to save us. We
do not find salvation in
ourselves. We can admit the
reality of our sin, repent,
and receive God’s just
forgiveness. Jesus became
sin for us and took its guilt
and punishment. He then
proved his power over sin in
his resurrection. He will
transform us and receive us
as his children to live with
him forever.
The Solution
Oneism Twoism

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Explaining Modern Culture
Discussion Questions
1. What are some ways that Oneism manifests itself in
popular television shows, movies, or books?
2. Within your own lifetime, have you seen your
culture move further away from a Christian
worldview? What are some areas in which you’ve
witnessed this?
3. What are some motivations for Christians to take
the time to study other religions?
4. Is the political arena an appropriate place for
Christians to try to influence a country with their
worldview? Why or why not?

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Explaining Modern Culture
Resources by Peter Jones
• Only Two Religions (study guide)
• Only Two Religions (evangelism tool)
• truthxchange.com (website)
• heritage-pca.org (website)
• The Other Worldview (book)
• The Pagan Heart of Today’s Culture
(booklet)

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Explaining Modern Culture
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