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Origin, Purpose, and Destiny
This document discusses three main worldviews - theism, monism, and naturalism - in terms of their views on origin, purpose and destiny. Theism believes in a personal God as the origin who created for relationships, leading to unbounded life. Monism sees an impersonal force as the origin for self-actualization, leading to absorption. Naturalism views the origin as impersonal time and chance, with the purpose of survival and autonomy, ending at physical annihilation. The Christian worldview aligns with theism in believing in a personal God, living purposefully for relationships guided by God, and eternal relational life with God.
Origin, Purpose, and Destiny
- 1. Origin, Purpose andDestiny Dr. Kenneth Boa Reflections Ministries
- 2. Overview The Question ofMeaning The Question of Truth Three Cultural Trends Three Worldviews Implications of the Christian Worldview
- 3. The Question ofMeaning Origin, Purpose, and Destiny
- 4. The Question ofTruth Origin, Purpose, and Destiny
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- 9. Three Theistic Alternativesand Missions National Territorial Relational
- 10. God does notexist (atheism) We cannot know if God exists (agnosticism) The idea of God is a human creation (e.g., Freud) View of God (Ultimate Reality) Naturalism
- 11. Essence: Eternal, uncreated matter Behavior: Allevents governed by innate, physical laws View of Nature Naturalism
- 12. Essence: Totally material/physical Behavior: Self-directed, ethicsself-determined Destiny: Life ends at death View of Human Condition Naturalism
- 13. View of God(Ultimate Reality) Essence: Impersonal force or spirit Attributes: Beyond morality & human categories Actions: Moves all things toward unity Monism
- 14. Essence: Physical realm eitheran illusion or a manifestation of divinity Behavior: Laws of nature limited to physical reality; not a reflection of true reality View of Nature Monism
- 15. Essence: Spiritual/psychic; uncreated; partof divine oneness Behavior: Human ethics unnecessary; goal is self-realization & unity with all things Destiny: Eternal existence; successive incarnations until enlightenment View of Human Condition Monism
- 16. View of God(Ultimate Reality) Essence: Personal; uncreated; eternal Attributes: Benevolent; holy; just, intelligent, self-aware Actions: Creator and sustainer of physical realm; source and standard of truth Theism
- 17. Essence: Physical realmcreated by God out of nothing Behavior: Physical realm sustained & ordered by God; reflects certain aspects of God’s character; humanity given mandate to care for created world View of Nature Theism
- 18. Essence: Composite ofspiritual & material; created by God and for God Behavior: Ethics determined by God; our lives are judged by God Destiny: Eternal life with God or eternal separation from God View of Human Condition Theism
- 19. The Splendor ofGod’s Creation
- 40. Features of theWorld The universe had a beginning The fine-tuning of the universe Specified complexity in living systems Human consciousness Moral values Human dignity, value, and purpose QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.
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- 44. DESTINY THEISM Unbounded Relational Life MONISM Absorption (SpiritualAnnihilation) NATURALISM Physical Annihilation
- 45. THREE WORLDVIEWS WORLDVIEW ORIGINPURPOSE DESTINY THEISM (Personal) PERSONAL CREATOR RELATIONSHIPS (Other-Centered) UNBOUNDED RELATIONAL LIFE MONISM (Spiritual) IMPERSONAL AGENCY (Energy) SELF- ACTUALIZATIO N ABSORPTION (Spiritual Annihilation) NATURALISM (Material) IMPERSONAL PLUS TIME PLUS CHANCE SURVIVAL, AUTONOMY PHYSICAL ANNIHILATION
- 46. Systems of Thought Logical-Open (Greece& Rome) Mystical-Open (Byzantine & Medieval) Logical-Closed (Enlightenment) Mystical-Closed (Postmodern)
- 47. False-Truth Claims THE CLAIMRESPONSE There are no absolutes! Are you absolutely sure there are no absolutes? Everything is relative! Are you absolutely sure that everything is relative? Right and wrong are just a matter of one’s perspective! Is that just your own perspective? Truth is only based on one’s subjective feelings! Is that your objective feeling on truth? There is no truth, only the interpretation of truth! Is that your true interpretation of truth?
- 48. False-Truth Claims THE CLAIMRESPONSE All worldviews are true! How about the worldview that says ‘No worldviews are true’? God is indescribable, beyond the reach of our puny language and logic! Isn’t that description of God in plain language and logic? All differences are illusionary! Is that an illusionary statement?
- 49. False-Truth Claims THE CLAIMRESPONSE All things are in flux-nothing the same from moment to moment! Is that statement in flux, too? You can never know what happened in the past! (there is no such thing as objective history) Isn’t that statement historical once you have stated it? That may be true for you, but it’s not true for me! Is that statement true for me, but not for you?
- 50. THREE WORLDVIEWS WORLDVIEW ORIGINPURPOSE DESTINY THEISM (Personal) PERSONAL CREATOR RELATIONSHIPS (Other-Centered) UNBOUNDED RELATIONAL LIFE MONISM (Spiritual) IMPERSONAL AGENCY (Energy) SELF- ACTUALIZATIO N ABSORPTION (Spiritual Annihilation) NATURALISM (Material) IMPERSONAL PLUS TIME PLUS CHANCE SURVIVAL, AUTONOMY PHYSICAL ANNIHILATION
- 51. The Implications ofthe Christian Worldview
- 52. A PERSONAL ULTIMATE ORIGINPURPOSE DESTINY PERSONAL CREATOR RELATIONSHIPS (Other-Centered) UNBOUNDED RELATIONAL LIFE
- 53. A PERSUASIVE LIFE LOGOSMIND ORTHODOXY KNOWING PATHOS HEART ORTHOPATHY BEING ETHOS CHARACTER ORTHOPRAXY DOING
- 54. AN EMPOWERED LIFE PERSPECTIVERENEWED MIND POWER RELIANCE ON THE SPIRIT PRACTICE RADICAL OBEDIENCE
- 55. Reflections Ministries Resources Reflections- A free monthly teaching letter ReflectionsMinistries.org website - Daily Growth email and free text and audio resources Spiritual Study Series - A CD of the month subscription QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture. QuickTime™ and a TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.