Institute for Biblical Studies
“Christian Worldview”
June 26 – July 10, 2015
Instructor: Dr. Allen Yeh
Course Description
This course introduces the nature, importance, and evaluation of worldviews; a
critique of alternative worldviews vis-à-vis Christian theism; and the nature and
importance of developing a Christian worldview as an expression of loving God,
following Jesus, and fulfilling the Great Commission through the Holy Spirit. Culture is
seen not in opposition to Christian theology but as the vehicle through which it is
expressed. Hence, an examination and understanding of different world cultures will be
vitally important in determining if there is one Christian worldview and what that might
look like. This also has the added benefit of creating world citizens among God’s people.
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Course Objectives
It is expected that as a result of the course you will:
 Gain a vision and appreciation for loving God with your mind as an integral part
of your spiritual formation and personal discipleship.
 Understand and develop skills in thinking as part of loving God with your mind
and serving him effectively.
 Understand the nature of worldviews and how they are evaluated.
 Understand and critique alternative worldviews and be able to defend a Christian
worldview in relation to them.
 Develop a more sensitive appreciation for other cultures and deepen your desire to
minister to those from cultures other than your own.
 Understand what a Christian worldview is and how it relates to life and ministry,
and gain a vision and tools for developing a fruitful, coherent Christian worldview
as a lifelong pursuit.
 Be more aware of your own background and some of the key historical events and
interactions of major ethnic groups in the United States, so as to understand how
they shape life and ministry today, for yourself and others.
Required Texts and Materials
Textbook:
James Sire, The Universe Next Door, 5th ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009).
Note: only the fifth edition is suitable for this course.
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Selected chapters from the following (posted online):
Andy Crouch, Culture Making
Os Guinness, The Call
Paul Hiebert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues
Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom
Skye Jethani, With
H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture
Soong-Chan Rah, The Next Evangelicalism
Andrew Walls, The Missionary Movement in Christian History
Allen Yeh, et al., Routes and Radishes and Other Things to Talk About at the Evangelical
Crossroads
Course Requirements
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 Class attendance and participation (20%)
Clear thinking and significant learning is developed in great measure by practice in the
context of dialogue/discussion with others. Thinking Christianly – “theology” – should be
done in, by, and for community. Prepare for, attend (on time), and participate in every
class session. Absences or evident lack of preparation will be counted against your grade.
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 Reading (20%)
You are expected to read carefully and thoughtfully all of the assigned texts and articles.
Be prepared to engage in class discussion concerning the reading. You will turn in a
reading report in class on the final day (p. 5 of syllabus).
 Intersectionality writing assignment (25%)
Identify your privileges in race, gender, class, age, education, nationality, etc. Identify
your lack of privileges. Write how this interplay of power and powerlessness has affected
your worldview in the past. What is the thing (or things) that are the primary part of your
identity? Where have you been hurt the most? Where have you hurt others the most?
How do you think Christ calls you to change? Are there ways you think you can be more
Christlike in how you approach the world based on the positions God has placed you in
life? Bring a hard copy to Class Discussion (Wednesday, July 1).
 Worldview Interview Project (35%)
This assignment enables you to put your worldview study into practice and engage with
some individuals from different walks of life, in order better to understand and evaluate
their thinking and values from a "worldviewish" perspective. You will write a summary
and analysis of the views of each interviewee, as well as a summary and analysis of the
overall picture that emerges, along with applications to your life and ministry. For details,
see "Worldview Interview Project" and "Interview Questions" pages (pp. 6-7 of syllabus).
(12 pages, typed, double-spaced) Due on the final day of class (Friday, July 10).
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Grading Scale:
94-100 A
91-93 A88-90 B+
84-87 B
81-83 B78-80 C+
74-77 C
71-73 C0-70 No Credit
Class Schedule, Topics and Assignments
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Fri, June 26
What is worldview?
Relativism vs. Pluralism
Right vs. Wrong vs. Different
Truth vs. theology
Translation
Integration
The Gospel
Exegesis & Hermeneutics, Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
Read: Sire, chp. 1; Duane Litfin, Conceiving the Christian College
Mon, June 29
Cultural Mandate
Christ and Culture
Pilgrim Principle & Indigenizing Principle
Read: Sire, chps. 2-3; Andy Crouch, Culture Making; H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ
and Culture
Tues, June 30
Acts
Church vs. Parachurch
Reconciliation
The Homogeneous Unit Principle
Power and the Upside-down Kingdom
Intersectionality & Liminality
Read: Sire, chps. 4-5; Andrew Walls, The Missionary Movement in Christian History
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Wed, July 1
The Principle of Redemptive Analogy
Exclusivism vs. Inclusivism vs. Universalism
Other religions
Premodernism vs. Modernism vs. Postmodernism
The Flaw of the Excluded Middle
Class discussion about Intersectionality assignment
Read: Sire, chps. 6-7; Acts 2, 10-11, 17-18
Thurs, July 2
Missions
Contextualization vs. Syncretism
Politics
Immigration
Read: Sire, chps. 8-9; Skye Jethani, With
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Mon, July 6
Creeds
Evangelicalism
Denominations
Ecumenism
Read: Sire, chps. 10-11; Allen Yeh, et al., Routes and Radishes and Other Things to
Talk About at the Evangelical Crossroads
Tues, July 7
World Christianity
Three Selves
Art
The Facilitator Era
Goal Orientation vs. People Orientation
Read: Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom; Soong-Chan Rah, The Next
Evangelicalism; Paul Hiebert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues
Wed, July 8
Education & Universities
Discernment
Vocation/Calling
Read: Os Guinness, The Call
Thurs, July 9
Trending issues: Creation Care, LGBTQ, Pentecostalism, Urbanization
Read: none—extra time to focus on completing your Worldview assignment!
Fri, July 10
Class discussion about Worldview assignment
Conclusion
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Reading Report
Christian Worldview
Date Due
Assignment
June 26
Sire, chp. 1
Duane Litfin, Conceiving the Christian College
June 29
Sire, chps. 2-3
Andy Crouch, Culture Making; H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture
June 30
Sire, chps. 4-5
Andrew Walls, The Missionary Movement in Christian History
July 1
Sire, chps. 6-7
Acts 2, 10-11, 17-18
Sire, chps. 8-9
Skye Jethani, With
Sire, chps. 10-11
Allen Yeh, et al., Routes and Radishes and Other Things to Talk About at
the Evangelical Crossroads
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July 6
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July 2
July 7
Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom
Soong-Chan Rah, The Next Evangelicalism
Paul Hiebert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues
July 8
Os Guinness, The Call
July 9
none
July 10
none
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Worldview Interview Project
Due: Friday, July 10, 2015
Purpose: To engage on a thoughtful level with several people, some or all of whom live
outside our immediate worldview context (evangelical Christianity), in order to better to
understand and evaluate their worldview thinking and values.
Between now and the due date, you (and, advisedly, another person – possibly another
class member) will interview three people, ideally representing different walks of life,
using the ten questions listed below. You might approach the interviews by explaining
that you are students, taking a class that is concerned with understanding the thinking of
people in our culture. As a class assignment you are looking for a few people who would
be willing to answer ten questions on a questionnaire. “Would you be willing to do that?”
(Avoid swamping the Starbucks coffeeshops near campus . . .)
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Requirements for the interviews:
1. You may not interview Cru staff or students attending IBS.
2. Attempt to interview a range of people, as much as possible representing different
walks of life – different ages, gender, race, socio-economic status, vocation (e.g. shoot
for: one 25 years old and under, one 25 to 50, one over 50, etc.).
Instructions for the interviews:
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e age, gender, and marital status of each interviewee.
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1. How would you define happiness?
2. What qualities make a person successful in life?
3. What qualities make a person a good person?
4. Are there any absolute or objective standards of right and wrong? If so, what are they?
5. At this point, what is the highest priority of your life?
6. If someone asked you to explain to them your philosophy of life (what you live by),
what would you say? What reasons would you give to justify your answer?
7. What is your view concerning the existence of God or the nature of ultimate reality?
What reasons would you give to justify your answer?
8. In your view, what is the most basic or fundamental human problem?
9. Is there a solution to the most basic human problem? If so, what is it?
10. What question do you most wish you could answer in your life?
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The paper:
(1) Type (double-spaced) a summary and analysis of the views of each person
interviewed (two to three pages for each person). Do not list the details of each answer;
include only as needed for illustration. Instead, distill their answers into a coherent
summary. Describe which worldview or worldviews you think they best exemplify and
why. If they are not Christians, what areas of common ground or points of contact would
be good starting points to engage them in order to build bridges to the gospel? What
faultlines or points of tension are in their worldview that would be good starting points
for helping them to evaluate their view?
(2) Write a general summary and analysis of the big picture that emerges from the total (a
final three pages). This will include general observations about the views of the
interviewees, including emerging common themes as well as differences.
Some questions to help you reflect:
– responses (reflecting thinking and/or values) that were
common to all or most interviewees? In what areas? How would you explain this? Does
this suggest any significant patterns?
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significant differences in responses according to age, gender, or marital status? Race?
Socio-economic status? Does this suggest any significant patterns?
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-Christians?
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Summarize your observations about faultlines and points of common ground in the
worldviews of those you interviewed. Describe at least one specific point of application
for your life and ministry (e.g. how this will affect your interaction/sharing with nonChristians?), and formulate at least one strategic suggestion as to how we as evangelical
Christians more generally may be more effective in reaching folks like these.
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