What is a Worldview?

The topic of "worldview" is a matter of no small importance among evangelicals in America today. I think the fact that it is an issue today is of no small importance itself. The question could be asked: why was worldview not an issue 100 years ago, or 200 years ago? I would posit the following answer: 100 years ago the majority of those in America subscribed to a fundamentally Biblical worldview, whether Atheist, Christian, Jehovah's Witness or Mormon. In other words, I may not agree with an Atheist about the existence of God, but we would share a belief in the importance of good moral character, predominantly based on the Bible. We would both agree that lying, stealing, adultery, homosexuality were all morally wrong. The reasons whereby we might find them wrong would be different (the Christian based upon the Bible, and Atheist based upon a conventional "code") but we agreed they were wrong nonetheless.
Now fast-forward to today. The majority of Americans no longer possess a "fundamentally Biblical worldview", in fact, the majority of Christians no longer possess a Biblical Worldview (according to George Barna, it is less than 10%). So what happened? How did we drift so far?

Before we can even look at the "drift" we must first at least arrive at a definition of "worldview".

a worldview is a network of presuppositions that are not tested by natural science and in terms of which all experience is related and interpreted.

Notice some of they key components of that definition:
1) "a network of presupposition that are not tested by natural science"
That means that when a fact shows up that contradicts our worldview, we are much more likely to adjust our opinion of that fact, than to change our worldview so the fact "fits".
Consider the following example:

A man in a mental institution believed he was dead; literally, he thought he was a walking corpse. The doctors tried to convince him he was alive, but he persisted in telling them that he really was dead, that they were just incorrect and that he remembered dying and that they were all the problem; not himself or his perception of himself. One day one of the doctors got a bright idea. He knew that this gentlemen believed that only *living* people bled, so he reasoned that if he could just show the man that he bled, he would be *forced* to accept that he was really alive. He went to the man, sat down with him and set him up for the “conversion experience”. He discussed with the man the facts, and proceeded to then drag a small scalpel across the man’s palm. To the man’s surprise, bright red blood burst forth onto his hand, and dripped to the floor. The doctor looked at the man, a pleased and satisfied smile on his face and said: “See? You are definitely alive.” The man looked at the doctor, astonishment on his face and said with full belief and conviction: “I was wrong! Dead men *do* bleed!”

In the case of this man, he had two sets of beliefs; one that he was already dead, and one that only people alive actually had blood in their veins (so could bleed). When faced with the realization that he bled, he had to make a choice as to which of his beliefs he would give up. As we can see from the story, it is obvious which of his beliefs he sacrificed.

What does this mean for Christians? Does the Bible have anything to say about "worldviews" or is it silent on this subject (that in and of itself is a "worldview" question, for I believe that the Bible is not silent on any subject)?

Paul writes to the Romans:
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, [Rom 12:2]

and to the Colossians:
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. [Col 2:8]

and to the Ephesians:
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. [Eph 4:17-24]

Jesus Christ tells his disciples:
37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' [Matt 22:37]
From those few passages of Scripture (and there are many more) it is clear that Biblically, we are to give our mind to Christ, not to the world. We are also not to "walk" and "act" like the Gentiles who have had their "understanding darkened" and are "blind" in their heart.

2) "in terms of which all experience is related and interpreted"
This means that everything we experience is "fed" through our worldview; it is like the "glasses" through which we see the world.

We all have a worldview; we all have a way that we look at the world. In addition, we may not even be aware of some of our "presuppositions." Remember, they are "not tested by natural science." But where did we get our worldview? How is a worldview formed?

There are five basic ways in which worldviews are formed in us:

1. Informally: This is to say that we don't go to a specific formal "place" or establish a certain "ritual" whereby we receive or "develop" our worldview. We don't even know it is happening while it is occurring; in other words, we develop our worldview subconsciously. Knowing this, and knowing that as a Christian we have been instructed that we are "not to be conformed to this world" we must be especially careful where we allow ourselves to "receive input." In fact, Paul even provides this warning to us when he writes to the church at Colossi: "Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men" The Lord, through Paul, is trying to warn us: Don't think you can just let anything be before your eyes and not have it impact you. It can and will if you let it, so beware and be on your guard. "But I'm a smart person" you might say, "and I grew up in the church, so I know how to recognize a 'false teacher' when I see one." That arrogance brings us to the next way in which worldviews are developed.
2. Uncritically: It would be much simpler if when a component of our worldview was being "developed" it got "marked" in space before our eyes with a big exclamation point that said: "Warning! You are about to accept a belief that is contrary to Christ and His Word." but that is not how they are developed. They are developed "uncritically", which means you don't think real clearly as they are being developed. In fact, they don't even have to make sense. If worldviews had to make sense, how could Adolf Hitler have convinced 100's of thousands of Germans (some Christians) that Jews were not really people and could be experimented on? If worldviews had to make sense, how could we have people today (again, some Christians) who won't even find the behavior of the Nazis in Germany "morally repugnant" but instead will say: "I can't judge them, what they did was right in their time." If worldviews had to make sense, how could people develop prejudices about other people based on the color of their skin? How absurd is that? Again, many of the most racist members of the Ku Klux Klan were members of Christian churches. They obviously were not "thinking critically" when the accepted a moral position, that the Bible strictly forbids, when they adopted a position of prejudice against a fellow brother or sister in Christ because of their skin color! Which brings us to the next way that worldviews are developed.
3. Inter-generationally and Intra-generationally: Those are just two long words that mean: worldviews sometimes come from your parents (inter-generational) and sometimes come from those in the same generation as you (intra-generational). This is by design. It was God's plan that a Biblical worldview would be passed from generation to generation. Moses communicates this to the nation of Israel on the brink of their entering the promised land when he says to them: “Set your hearts on all the words which I testify among you today, which you shall command your children to be careful to observe—all the words of this law. 47 For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life" [Deut 32:44]. According to the words of Moses, the development of a Biblical worldview in our children is to be "our life." How much time does the "typical Christian" spend in "endeavors designed to jointly develop or apply [their] faith" apart from church activities? According to George Barna: less than 3 hours per month! For something that Moses says is "our life", it doesn't appear that the "typical Christian" is taking that task very seriously.
4. Over Time: Our worldviews are not developed in an instant; they take time to develop. Good times, bad times, times we can't remember, times we can remember and wish we could forget. It is for this reason, I believe, that Paul wrote: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." [2 Tim 4:7] Paul recognized that giving up and letting the "world" consume him and "conform" him was not pleasing to God. He also knew that if he became a "friend of the world" he would become an "enemy of God" [James 4:4]. We cannot give up, we cannot just give in and embrace the world and believe since we were "saved" or "born in a Christian home" that we will come out on the other side of that sin unscathed. James writes: "4 Adulterers and^[a] adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." [James 4:4]. James is serious: we cannot play "footsy" with the world; we are to impact the world for Christ, the world is not to impact us.
5. Miraculously: In my initial analysis of "worldviews" I left this one out, but it really is a factor and one that cannot be overlooked. If we are to believe that we are to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" than we must accept the fact that a "biblical worldview" is not the default position we are born with. In other words, if "biblical worldview thinking" were normal to us, there would be no reason for us to "adapt" our worldview thinking when we came to faith. Do we do this on our own? No, because we can't. We don't even know many of our "presuppositions" that we possess, so how could we be expected to "change" or "adapt" them so as to be like Christ? Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we "be transformed by the renewing of our mind" and "continue to work our [our] salvation with fear and trembling" [Phil 2:12].
   However, all of this requires us to be aware that a change is necessary and that we put an effort into that change. If it were possible for our "minds" to be transformed without our knowledge or effort, why would Paul command us to "be transformed by the renewing of our mind" and to "no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind" [Eph 4:17]. No, we must do our part, but what joy and encouragement that Paul also writes: "20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." [Eph 4:20-24] Just as we "put off" the old worldview that we learned in our sin, we must "put on" the new biblical worldview of Christ as we are "taught by Him" and by His Word.
   

It is my prayer that the church will wake up with regards to worldview. There are many brothers and sisters in Christ that I share a pew with each Sunday that are "asleep in the Light." Any challenge of their hedonistic and selfish lifestyles is met with a sharp rebuke about "legalism" if any response is given at all. In many cases, the response won't even be directed at the person presenting the challenge at all, but will instead be discussed in derision with an individual of like-mind behind the challenger's back.
It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will provide boldness, gentleness and love to those who speak and a tender heart for those confronted.
It is with great comfort that James wrote the following words:

19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. [James 5:19]

It is not an option for those that know the truth to remain silent, for how can we know what we know and not speak?

“Nothing can be more cruel than the leniency which abandons others to their sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe reprimand which calls another Christian in one’s community back from the path of sin.”
-- Deitrich Bonhoeffer