My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

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RickC
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My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

Post by RickC » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:58 am

To get discussion going....

This post and maybe others to follow are a kind of preparation for things I might post on my mostly unused blog (I may link to later). The below isn't all-inclusive.
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My Worldview

Christian Theist

The personal God of the Christian Bible is my source for truth and reality {"the way I see and understand the world," aka, Worldview}. I consider myself primarily "orthodox" in that I affirm the Trinity and other essential doctrines {"teachings"} of the historical Christian Church.
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Protestant

While I acknowledge the catholic {"wordlwide" or "universal"} Church comprised of all who truly believe from any denomination and/or the unchurched; I'm Protestant. I do not affirm post-apostolic traditions and doctrines that I deem as not having originated in {or to have been within the corpus of} the teachings of Christ and the Apostles.
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Essentially Theologically Conservative: To Be Distinguished From Fundamentalist

While I concur with much of what Christian Fundamentalists believe---which are essentials of Christianity held by all catholic Christians---I differ with them significantly on what is considered "essential & non-essential." For example, I don't think the Creation Accounts "speak to modern science." Fundamentalists, in their definition of biblical inspiration & inerrancy, may see me as one who doesn't "believe God's Word"...in that I don't accept a literal reading of the Creation Accounts. I see a literal understanding of Creation as a viable and plausible option but don't think it's an essential of Christian faith.
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Christology & Soteriology

Trinitarian, though the doctrine wasn't developed in the times of Christ and the Apostles. I believe in the pre-existent {Divine} Christ and in his Incarnation. I prefer to call the Lord Jesus Christ "Divine" or as a member of the Godhead rather than calling him "God"---though I fully affirm his complete Divinity {and humanity}. This primarily has to do with a possible confusing him with God, our Father.

I'm "orthodox" in that I'm an Exclusivist: Christ is the only way to God the Father, John 14:6. My opinion of the fate of those who do not hear the Gospel is that they will be judged by Christ {Acts 17:31, Romans 2:16}. Since the Apostles never entertained the idea of "Will those who do not hear be saved?" but rather made it their business to tell everyone "Jesus is Lord"; this is my business also. Therefore I, like they, do not ask the {above} question: it is irrelevant, imo.
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Somewhat Theologically Liberal: Without Having A Theologically Liberal Worldview

I highly admire, accept, and use one facet of Liberal Christianity. Namely, the "insistence" of seeing and interpreting the biblical text from its original historical setting and context.

In my experience, I've seen that while Conservative and Fundamentalist Christians often "say" they believe in authorial intention and meaning; otherwise known as the Historical-Grammatical Method of hermeneutics {"biblical interpretation"}; they quite often do not actually do it. Very often, though not always, they refer back to their own denominations' traditions as "authoritative" in ways not dissimilar to how Roman Catholics do with "Scripture and Tradition" {being essentially equal).

I've been "reprimanded" by Fundamentalist Christians for studying documents contemporary to Christ and the NT era, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and other non-canonical Jewish and Christian writings. But what I'm doing in this is everything I can to really see "Jesus in context" and interpreting biblical books in the ways they would have been understood at that time.

I'm decisively Non-Theologically-Liberal in that I reject the liberal assumption that miracles {such as Jesus' resurrection} are impossible. I reject "Revisionist Christianity" of groups like the Jesus Seminar and the theological revisions occurring in denominations like The Episcopalian Church (and other mainline denoms.).

I'm also Non-Theologically-Liberal in that I don't believe the biblical text can be correctly interpreted according to "feelings," "wishful thinking," emotions, or personal preferences, aka, Subjectivism. Thus, I do not affirm liberal doctrines or beliefs and reject liberal-revisionist influences within Evangelical Christianity (which is my background).
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A Reluctant "Evangelical"

Actually, I prefer not to call myself an Evangelical due to changes within this movement during the last 20 years or so. "The Evangelical Left" camp, as named by Millard Erickson, is increasingly embracing beliefs that lean toward the theological {liberal} left. This trend isn't inherently "bad," imo. The relatively new emphasis on social and global concerns is good. However, there is a dichotomizing going on within this sphere of Evangelicalism. For example, some say we should not address sins such as homosexuality "till we stop having so much divorce." The neglect of one biblical issue to emphasize another dichotomizes things: I prefer a holistic approach to all issues and believe the Bible teaches this is how we are to be going about doing things: No false dichotomies, no shortcuts, the whole counsel of God.
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Non-Calvinist & Non-Arminian

As above, I believe the Bible should be actually interpreted from its own context and how it was originally understood. Thus, thinkers such as Augustine, ff., are essentially inconsequential to me. Which isn't to say that I haven't been influenced by post-apostolic thought and do not have to make every attempt to "block it out" when I do exegesis {"interpret the text"}.
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Basically "A-Political"

You don't hear about it in polls...but the conversion of individuals and what good happens afterward, as well as the bad that won't...is "unmeasured." In other words, I believe the preaching of the Gospel is the basic calling of Christians and that individual change {conversion} has a "snowballing" effect both within the Church and society at large.

This isn't to say I don't vote (though usually I only vote during presidential campaigns). I feel other believers are "called" to be more politically involved than myself. In the last few elections I was one of those who voted on "moral issues" {Republican}. This election I don't have as much of a choice regarding these issues, though one candidate is closer to my beliefs. My politics are what I feel are compatible with Christian beliefs: Differences of opinion on fiscal matters are optional for Christians, imo. I won't go into my social liberalism (excepting on morality). That is, if Democrats had biblical morals they would get my vote!

I'm much more focussed on the Kingdom of God than any national concerns!
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Eschatology & Final Judgment

Pretty much Amillennial and Partial-Preterist down the line, though I lean toward a more "realized" eschatology than most Partial-Preterists. I'm approximately 90% convinced of Conditional Immortality {Annihilationism}.
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Theological Influences

My father:
A simple, not very 'educated' Pentecostal man, who knew the Bible front to back!

Karl Barth:
Much more influential today than is known! Btw, Barth was neither a [theological] Liberal nor a Fundamentalist! My kinda guy.

George E. Ladd and Robert Gundry:
For writing books that led to my rejecting Dispensationalism.

Billy Graham:
For putting me under conviction of sin {many times} when Dad & I watched him!

A.W. Tozer: Intensive gazes into what being a Christian really means.

T.D. Jakes: "Keepin' it real in da field!"

The Reformers: On what they got right.

N.T. Wright: On Paul especially, and Heaven (not our final destination)!
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Thanks for reading! :)
What's your worldview?
Last edited by RickC on Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:49 am, edited 4 times in total.

SamIam
Posts: 94
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:42 pm

Re: My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

Post by SamIam » Wed Sep 17, 2008 11:16 pm

I worry about the ideas that are in my head that I am unable to recognize.

It's nice to try and develop a Biblical Worldview, but am I aware enough to distinguish a truly Biblical Worldview from the rough approximation of a Biblical Worldview that I may develop after running the thoughts through my already warped mind?

What if I could adopt the Worldview of Eutychus. (I pick him because I too have fallen asleep at the wrong time.) Would I have the appropriate Worldview?

schoel
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Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 10:11 am

Re: My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

Post by schoel » Thu Sep 18, 2008 8:29 am

RickC wrote: T.D. Jakes: "Keepin' it real in da field!"
Rick,
I'm curious. What is it about T.D. Jakes that you find admirable? IMHO, he preaches a prosperity gospel that is at odds with God's kingdom.

Dave

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RickC
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Re: My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

Post by RickC » Thu Sep 18, 2008 10:00 am

schoel wrote:
RickC wrote: T.D. Jakes: "Keepin' it real in da field!"
Rick,
I'm curious. What is it about T.D. Jakes that you find admirable? IMHO, he preaches a prosperity gospel that is at odds with God's kingdom.

Dave
Hello Dave,

I've watched T.D. on TV once every week or three for maybe 10 years {?}. I've always liked his down to earth, where the rubber meets the road, 'real life situations' preaching. I don't recall him getting into much 'prosperity gospel' in his teaching. I may have seen minor references to it, rarely. At any rate, I always get something inspiring that 'I can take with me' from his messages.
Thanks.
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Sam,

Hmmm.....

I'll try to find & post a link to a good article on Wordlview and/or the Biblical Worldview.
Thanks.

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RickC
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Re: My Worldview (and what's yours? if you like)....

Post by RickC » Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:27 am

Sam, if you're still around (almost a year later)?

I'm not really a procrastinator.
I just never get in a big hurry.
About anything.
Ever!

At any rate, I had a reason to refer back to this thread....
(linked to it for a friend of mine so's they can see "My Worldview").....

An excellent book:
The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog, by James Sire

A good article:
Me and My Worldview, by R. Wesley Hurd

Excerpted
"James Sire, whose book The Universe Next Door (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1976) is one of the most helpful on the subject of worldviews, defines a worldview as a basic set of beliefs and "concepts that work together to provide a more or less coherent frame of reference for all thought and action." (p. 16)

"Another definition of the concept of a worldview comes from James Olthuis, a professor at the Toronto Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto, Canada:

"A worldview (or vision of life) is a framework or set of fundamental beliefs through which we view the world and our calling and future in it. The vision may be so internalized that it goes largely unquestioned; it may be greatly refined through cultural-historical development; it may not be explicitly developed into a systematic conception of life; it may not be theoretically deepened into a philosophy; it may not even be codified into credal form. Nevertheless, this vision is a channel for the ultimate beliefs which give direction and meaning to life. It is the integrative and interpretive framework by which order and disorder are judged, the standard by which reality is managed and pursued. It is the set of hinges on which all our everyday thinking and doing turns. Although a [worldview] is held only by individuals, it is communal in scope and structure. Since a worldview gives the terms of reference by which the world and our place in it can be structured and illumined, a worldview binds it adherents together into a community."

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I read Sire's book in about 1980 and, having lost it, reordered and read it again a couple years ago. Good stuff!

Better late than never?
Have a great day!
(whoever sees this, Sam)?
:)

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