The Biblical Christian Worldview

So many people, Christian and non-Christian, do not understand the intellectual presuppositional basis of their opinions or are incapable of explaining their beliefs categorically in reference to the most fundamental philosophical questions. 

A worldview is defined as 'a particular philosophy of life or conception of the world' (Oxford).

Few people have sharpened my worldview as much as the late Dr Glenn Martin, who was Professor of History and Political Science at Indiana Wesleyan University. He introduced me to presuppositional thinking and to a logical and critical analysis of the prevailing worldviews in the Western World. He also was the first to show me a transparent, logical and complete analysis of Christianity. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel as though I had to 'leave my brain at the door' if I made the decision to have faith. On the contrary, life gradually took on the full shape and structure afforded by both an engaged spirit and an engaged mind.

According to Glenn Martin, a Biblical Christian world view is "simply the recognition that God is Alpha and Omega and that He applies to all of life." To hear the idea that God applies to all of life being validated by an accomplished scholar had a profound effect on me when I first listened to audio recordings of his lectures. It was for me the start of a great learning curve, as it has been for others here, here and here. In his characteristic clear thinking, Glenn Martin explains the framework of a worldview like this:

"To raise and answer the primary questions of God, man, and the cosmos, we must first raise and answer some very basic philosophical questions. These are the simplest of questions: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Philosophically, they are known as ontology, epistemology, axiology, and teleology. Ontology is the question of being or existence – how do we exist? Epistemology, the question of knowledge – how do we know? Axiology, the question of value – what, if anything, is the ultimate value? And teleology, the question of destiny – where, if anywhere, are we going?" 

He then proceeds to a very sharp and logical exposition of the basic differences between the Biblical Christian worldview and the prevailing atheist/rationalist/humanist worldview, on the basis of their answers to the basic philosophical questions. In so doing, he contrasts a 'Kingdom of God' worldview with a 'Kingdom of Earth' worldview.

So many people, Christian and non-Christian, do not understand the intellectual presuppositional basis of their opinions and are incapable of explaining their beliefs categorically in reference to the most fundamental philosophical questions. In order words, most people either don't realise that hidden in their brain are some fundamental assumptions that underpin all of their beliefs, or at least they haven't clearly articulated them in their mind. They've have attitude but no basis. This makes them ultimately powerless to convince and devoid of true conviction.

"The answers given to the philosophical questions will determine the answers given to the primary questions of God, man, and the cosmos. These answers, in turn, determine the institutional structure and procedure in the whole of life, that is, how we live.

Biblical Christian thinking is the recognition that, because God is Alpha and Omega, everything other than God is relative. God alone is absolute and changeless. Therefore, nothing can be understood ultimately except in relationship with God. Accordingly, in Romans 12:2 we are instructed not to be conformed to this age, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds that, thinking the thoughts of God after Him, we may implement the good, acceptable, and perfect will and way of God. Dr. Ramm observed that:  

'All thinking is from presuppositions. There can be no thinking without presuppositions, and therefore, all respectable thinking is from sound presuppositions. Any quote ‘neutrality’ in science, philosophy or religion is fictional. The only respectable procedure is to admit that one thinks from presuppositions and to choose those presuppositions in a responsible manner.'  "

Glenn Martin's teachings have had a profound effect in my family. My father-in-law first introduced me and my husband to  his teachings three years ago, and we used to listen to the CDs during long drives on the holidays. Pause the disc, discuss passionately, press play again.

One of the many Glenn-Martin-"isms" adopted and adapted by our family is that "If you do not know what you believe and why, you will be lead and victimised by those who do", and that "To know what you believe and why, you must also know what you do not believe and why". Christians cannot just live in their little cozy and insular families, communities and schools, and never be exposed to a harsh, rationalist, well argued case of existential despair, as so many students are exposed when they first leave home to go to university - universities which almost invariably will be a pushing their legacy of applied atheist humanist thinking in each faculty.

"Given the rudiments, the Biblical Christian has a three–fold objective in education. The first objective is to know God as applicable to all of life, that is, to know the Biblical Christian World View. Biblical Christian Education necessarily begins with creation and the dominion mandate. God created man and called upon him, as has been noted, to exercise dominion over creation. Accordingly – in addition to redemption – the ontological and the epistemological areas are of primary concern in Biblical Christian Education. The Christian’s mandate in  education is to bring all of life into captivity unto God as Alpha and Omega.  

The second objective in Biblical Christian Education is to know all other world views fully and fairly. Nothing can be known in a vacuum; that is, we cannot know what we believe and why if we do not simultaneously know what we do not believe and why. It is not possible to know the Biblical Christian World View without knowing the world views antithetical to Biblical Christianity.  

Thirdly, in Biblical Christian Education it is proposed to reinterpret everything on the basis of Biblical presuppositions and the Biblical World View. This is a demanding responsibility. Biblical Christian Education and scholarship is second to none – it requires mastery of the rudiments; recognition that God is applicable to all of life; full and fair knowledge of all other world views; and reinterpretation of everything on the basis of Biblical presuppositions. Biblical Christians must always reinterpret; they need to reinterpret with special diligence in an increasingly post Christian West and world."

The book, Prevailing Worldviews of Western Society Since 1500, is a collation of his basic lecture series, which is also available in CD format in Australia.