Major Worldviews
Theism
Atheism/Agnosticism
Theism
 Christianity
 Deism
 Judaism
 Islam
CHRISTIANITY

Prime Reality

God






Is Spirit
Triune
Transcendent
Infinite
Creator
Personality
• Acts and thinks

Character
• Provides basis for
morality

External Reality

God created an
orderly universe

The universe was
created as an open,
cause and effect
system.

Decisions have an
effect.

Who is man?

Man is created in the
image of God.

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Value because God
loves us
Creativity to imagine
new things
Personality to make
decisions
Sense of right despite
the Fall

Knowledge

Morality, right and
wrong?
Based upon God’s
character
 There is something to
know


Absolute standard
based on God’s
character


Most personal
element

Exercise of free
choice

Existence with God

Aloneness apart from
God
Death?

Meaning of History?

History is linear.

History is purpose of
God in concrete form.

Has meaning
because God is in
charge.
Deism

Prime Reality

External Reality

Who is man?

Knowledge

God is not currently
involved in the world
 Closed system,
change is not
possible
 Has no relationship
with God
 Human reason is
sufficient

Morality, right and
wrong?

Death?

Human history?

God does not speak
to man, morality is
limited to what is
revealed in nature

Creation is not fallen,
man is good and
goes to heaven

Little interest, history
is a closed system
Atheism/Agnosticism
Prime Reality

God does not exist.

Matter is creator

We can’t be certain if
there is a God.
External Reality
Atheism
Agnosticism
Matter is all there is,
all there was and
all that ever will be.”
Carl Sagan
Who is man?
Atheism/Agnosticism

Mankind evolved

People are complex
machines

Personality is made of
interactions of
chemical and physical
properties
Knowledge?

Reason is sole criteria
for truth

Thoughts come from
the properties of
matter
Morality, right and wrong?
Atheism/Agnosticism

Man is judged on
achievements, actions,
aspirations

Culture determines
values

Values relate to human
needs and interests

Ethics are autonomous
and situational
Death?
Atheism/Agnosticism

No afterlife

Laws of matter apply
and man becomes
disorganized and
disappears

Personality and
individuality become
extinct
Meaning of History?
Atheism/Agnosticism

History is linear stream of
events without purpose.

Goal of history is perfect
humanity

Economic factors
determine history

Humans work to satisfy
human needs.
ISLAM
What is the prime reality?
Allah
Maker
Lord and Master
With us all the time
Controls everyone and everything
Has always been
Is One
Has no son
Who is man?
 We
are Allah’s Servants
 We are made from clay
 We are made to worship and obey Allah
What is the reason for morality?

Allah gave us everything we have
 We thank Allah when we obey him
 We must always try to follow Allah’s guidance so
that we can go to heaven
 Five basic duties of Islam (pillars)
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Declaration f faith
Daily prayers
Contribute to welfare
Fasting
Pilgrimage
What happens to man at death?
 The
day of judgment
 Obedience
= rewards (heaven)
 Disobedience
= punishment (hell)
What is the meaning to human
history?
 Tell



the message: there is no god but Allah
Prophets – Adam, Abraham, David, Jesus,
John
Angels – made from light, record our actions
Mohammed – final prophet, wrote the Qur’an
for Allah
Worldview Tests
1)
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•
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A worldview should be rational.
It should not ask us to believe
contradictory things.
Law of Non-contradiction.
A proposition can not be both true and
false at the same time and in the same
sense.
•
It should give a satisfying, comprehensive
explanation of reality
•
It should be able to explain why things
are the way they are.
3. It should provide us with a satisfactory
basis for living.
•
We should not have to borrow elements
from another worldview to live in this
world.
4. It should be supported by evidence.
•
It should be consistent with what we
observe.