1. Starting Point for Christian Worldview Thinking
Lecture 3:
Biblical Worldview Thinking:
Paul R. Shockley

2. Consider the following quote…
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” ~ C. S. Lewis
~ “Is Theology Poetry?” Essay Collection (London: HarperCollins, 2000), 21.
12/8/2018
Template copyright

3. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
I. Introduction:
The Christian worldview possesses many benefits. Among them I would like to summarize three:
A. Christian worldview possesses the greatest explanatory power among its rivals (e.g., Darwinian naturalism; postmodernism).
B. Christian worldview is able to answer the greatest questions asked in life.
C. Christian worldview is able to harmonize both natural revelation and special revelation.
12/8/2018
Template copyright

4. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
A. Explanatory Power
Christian worldview is able account for the following:
1. Physical beginning of the universe;
2. Empirical design, order, and complexity that is evident in our universe and in our biological systems.
3. The unity and diversity in biological life-forms.
4. The reality of abstract, non-physical realities (e.g., First principles of logic; mathematics);
12/8/2018
Template copyright

5. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
A. Explanatory Power:
5. Objective moral values, duties, virtues, & accountability;
6. Objective Beauty & our capacity to experience beauty;
7. Existential human need for God (inward knowledge of the divine-a hole in the heart);
8. The intrinsic need for meaning, purpose, and value in life (and fulfillment thereof in Christ);
9. Inherent value and depravity of man;
12/8/2018
Template copyright

6. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
A. Explanatory Power:
10. Human Conscience
11. Both moral & natural evil & suffering in the world;
12. Miracles;
13. The person and work of Jesus Christ;
14. The historical bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ;
12/8/2018
Template copyright

7. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
A. Explanatory Power:
15. The inherent search for both redemption from sin & immortality;
16. Value and respect of all persons (all made in the image of God);
17. Similar accounts of life-after-death type experiences;
18. Our capacity for critical thinking skills;
19. Our relationship to, distinction from, and stewardship of environment.
20. Abiding joy, hope, and comforting hope.
12/8/2018
Template copyright

8. B. Answers the Greatest Questions:
Origin: Where did we come from?
Identity: What are we? Who are we?
Meaning: Why are we here?
Morality: How should we live?
Destiny: Where are we going?
Evil: What’s gone wrong with the world?
Hope: What can be done to fix the problems of the world?
12/8/2018
Template copyright

9. Meaning- Significance Cross-cultural Awareness
General Revelation
Meaning Significance
Answered Prayer
Salvation
Peace
Cosmological
Experiences
Innate Idea
Teleological
Conscience
Ontological
God
Arguments
Intuition
Moral Law
Existential Need
Obj. Beauty
Cross-cultural Awareness
Evidences
Big Bang:
Morals:
Anthropic Principle
Specified Complexity
Irreducible Complexity
Objective Values
Objective Duties
Altruistic Acts
12/8/2018
Template copyright

10. Is Jesus Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
Multiple, Independent Sources
Early Attestation
5,800+ N.T. Manuscripts
Continuity
Fulfillment of Predictive Prophecy
Historical Accuracy
Archeological Accuracy
Jesus Use of Scripture
The Bible is the Word of God
and (all else opposed to it is false].
Uniqueness of Scripture
Reliability of Scripture
Experiences
Predictive Prophecy
Seen by over 500 witnesses;
Testimony from multiple sources
Trustworthy people who taught & lived by highest ethics and who died for testimony
Early Written Attestation (mostly yrs) after event.
If God exists, miracles are possible
Arguments
Intuition
Predictive Prophecy
Sinless Life
Greatest Words Ever Spoken
Performed Miracles
Greatest Positive Influence
Ideal Exemplar (e.g., loved the unlovely).
Evidences
The Person & Work of Christ
Historical Bodily Resurrection of Christ
Is Jesus Liar, Lunatic, or Lord?
12/8/2018
Template copyright

11. C. Harmonized Starting Point for a Christian Worldview (natural & Special Revelation)
Uniqueness of Scripture
Existential Experiences
Reliability of Scripture
Arguments to and from Natural Revelation
The God of the Bible
Intuition
Evidences From and to Natural Revelation
Historical Bodily Resurrection of Christ
The Person & Work of Christ
12/8/2018
Template copyright

12. Template copyright 2005 www.brainybetty.com
12/8/2018
Template copyright