Worldview Composition
A comprehensive and well-thought-out worldview must address twelve topics about reality, including:1
1) Theology / Concept of God / Ultimate Reality: What kind of God, if any, actually exists?
2) Metaphysics / External Reality: Is there anything beyond the physical cosmos?
3) Epistemology / Knowledge: What can be known, and how can anyone know it?
4) Ontology / Origins: Where did everything come from?
5) Anthropology / Psychology / Humanity: Who am I? What makes me human?
6) Location: Where am I?
7) Axiology (Morals): How should I live?
8) Axiology (Values): What should I consider of great worth?
9) Predicament: What is humanity’s fundamental problem?
10) Resolution: How can the problem be solved?
11) History (Past & Present): What is the meaning and direction of history?
12) Future / Destiny: Will I survive the death of my body, and if so, in what state?
Outlining the Christian Worldview
While brevity precludes a comprehensive articulation of the Christian worldview, the following serves as a general framework, describing the basic principles of Christianity, without exhaustively developing the particular doctrines. This outline will offer a foundation for personal worldview development, future analysis, and worldview comparison.
Theology / Concept of God / Ultimate Reality
Metaphysics / External Reality / Ontology
God created the heavens (i.e., metaphysical aspects of reality) and the material universe (i.e., physical aspects of reality) ex nihilo. Accordingly, God remains distinct from His creation, yet He actively preserves and governs the existence and operation of all creatures (i.e., divine providence) via His omniscience, omnipotence, and omniscience.4
Epistemology / Knowledge
Objective truth exists, and authentic knowledge of God, self, and creation are available through general and special revelation.5
Anthropology / Psychology / Humanity
Axiology / Ethics / Morality
Absolute, objective, self-evident, and transcendent moral values exist, which receive foundation from God’s perfect and immutable moral character.8
History (Past, Present, and Future)
History progresses in a linear direction and events unfold according to God’s sovereign will (both efficacious and permissive). Major events within human history include:
1) Past: Creation (cf. Genesis 1-2).
2) Past & Present: Fall (cf. Genesis 3).
3) Past & Present: Redemption (cf. Psalm 111:9; 130:7; Isaiah 59:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12).
4) Future: Glorification (cf. Romans 8:30; 2 Thessalonians 1:10).
5) Future: New Creation (cf. Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-2).
Predicament
Humanity’s fundamental problem is sin. God declares His original creation is “very good,” (cf. Genesis 1:31), yet the first humans (Adam and Eve) misuse their free will to rebel against God (cf. Genesis 3). From this point forward, humanity becomes plagued with a natural inclination toward sin, producing detrimental ramifications for the creation (i.e., the introduction and perpetuation of natural and moral evil). Since all have transgressed God’s objective moral law, everyone will stand guilty before a virtuous God at the final judgment.9
Resolution
Not desiring that anyone should perish (cf. 2 Peter 3:9), God executes a divine plan of redemption. Through the sacrificial atonement of Jesus, God provides humanity with a means to escape this detrimental condition (cf. John 3:16-17). Those who accept God’s grace—trusting in Jesus’ salvific work—are declared righteous, while those who reject Jesus remain condemned for their transgressions (cf. John 3:18; 12:48-50).
Destiny
Upon physical death, the human soul endures temporary separation from the body (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 16:19-31), and at the resurrection, each person is reunited with their body (cf. John 5:29). The Christian will be glorified and enjoy God’s recreation, where they will reign and rule with Christ, while the unrighteous will endure eternal punishment in hell.10
