Major WorldviewsMajor Worldviews

TheismTheism

Atheism/AgnosticismAtheism/Agnosticism

TheismTheism

ChristianityChristianity

DeismDeism

JudaismJudaism

Islam Islam

CHRISTIANITYCHRISTIANITY

Prime RealityPrime Reality GodGod

Is SpiritIs Spirit TriuneTriune TranscendentTranscendent Infinite Infinite CreatorCreator Personality Personality

• Acts and thinksActs and thinks CharacterCharacter

• Provides basis for Provides basis for moralitymorality

External RealityExternal Reality God created an God created an orderly universeorderly universe

The universe was The universe was created as an open, created as an open, cause and effect cause and effect system.system.

Decisions have an Decisions have an effect.effect.

Who is man?Who is man? Man is created in the Man is created in the image of God.image of God. Value because God Value because God

loves usloves us

Creativity to imagine Creativity to imagine new thingsnew things

Personality to make Personality to make decisionsdecisions

Sense of right despite Sense of right despite the Fallthe Fall

KnowledgeKnowledge

Morality, right and Morality, right and wrong?wrong?

Based upon God’s Based upon God’s charactercharacter

There is something to There is something to knowknow

Absolute standard Absolute standard based on God’s based on God’s charactercharacter

Death?Death?

Most personal Most personal elementelement

Exercise of free Exercise of free choicechoice

Existence with GodExistence with God

Aloneness apart from Aloneness apart from GodGod

Meaning of History?Meaning of History? History is linear.History is linear.

History is purpose of History is purpose of God in concrete form.God in concrete form.

Has meaning Has meaning because God is in because God is in charge.charge.

DeismDeism

Prime RealityPrime Reality

External RealityExternal Reality

Who is man?Who is man?

KnowledgeKnowledge

God is not currently God is not currently involved in the worldinvolved in the world

Closed system, Closed system, change is not change is not possiblepossible

Has no relationship Has no relationship with Godwith God

Human reason is Human reason is sufficientsufficient

Morality, right and Morality, right and wrong?wrong?

Death?Death?

Human history?Human history?

God does not speak God does not speak to man, morality is to man, morality is limited to what is limited to what is revealed in naturerevealed in nature

Creation is not fallen, Creation is not fallen, man is good and man is good and goes to heavengoes to heaven

Little interest, history Little interest, history is a closed systemis a closed system

Atheism/AgnosticismAtheism/Agnosticism

Prime RealityPrime Reality

God does not exist.God does not exist.

Matter is creatorMatter is creator

We can’t be certain if We can’t be certain if there is a God.there is a God.

External RealityExternal RealityAtheismAtheism AgnosticismAgnosticism

Matter is all there is, Matter is all there is, all there was and all there was and

all that ever will be.”all that ever will be.”

Carl SaganCarl Sagan

Who is man?Who is man?Atheism/Agnosticism Atheism/Agnosticism

Mankind evolvedMankind evolved

People are complex People are complex machinesmachines

Personality is made of Personality is made of interactions of interactions of chemical and physical chemical and physical propertiesproperties

Knowledge?Knowledge?

Reason is sole criteria Reason is sole criteria for truthfor truth

Thoughts come from Thoughts come from the properties of the properties of mattermatter

Morality, right and wrong?Morality, right and wrong? Atheism/Agnosticism Atheism/Agnosticism

Man is judged on Man is judged on achievements, actions, achievements, actions, aspirationsaspirations

Culture determines Culture determines values values

Values relate to human Values relate to human needs and interestsneeds and interests

Ethics are autonomous Ethics are autonomous and situationaland situational

Death?Death?Atheism/AgnosticismAtheism/Agnosticism

No afterlifeNo afterlife

Laws of matter apply Laws of matter apply and man becomes and man becomes disorganized and disorganized and disappearsdisappears

Personality and Personality and individuality become individuality become extinctextinct

Meaning of History?Meaning of History? Atheism/Agnosticism Atheism/Agnosticism

History is linear stream of History is linear stream of events without purpose.events without purpose.

Goal of history is perfect Goal of history is perfect humanityhumanity

Economic factors Economic factors determine historydetermine history

Humans work to satisfy Humans work to satisfy human needs.human needs.

ISLAMISLAM

What is the prime reality? What is the prime reality?

AllahAllahMakerMakerLord and MasterLord and MasterWith us all the timeWith us all the timeControls everyone and everythingControls everyone and everythingHas always beenHas always beenIs OneIs One

Has no sonHas no son

Who is man?Who is man?

We are Allah’s ServantsWe are Allah’s Servants We are made from clayWe are made from clay We are made to worship and obey AllahWe are made to worship and obey Allah

What is the reason for morality?What is the reason for morality?

Allah gave us everything we haveAllah gave us everything we have We thank Allah when we obey himWe thank Allah when we obey him We must always try to follow Allah’s guidance so We must always try to follow Allah’s guidance so

that we can go to heaventhat we can go to heaven Five basic duties of Islam (pillars)Five basic duties of Islam (pillars)

Declaration f faithDeclaration f faith Daily prayersDaily prayers Contribute to welfareContribute to welfare Fasting Fasting PilgrimagePilgrimage

What happens to man at death?What happens to man at death?

The day of judgment The day of judgment

Obedience = rewards (heaven)Obedience = rewards (heaven)

Disobedience = punishment (hell)Disobedience = punishment (hell)

What is the meaning to human What is the meaning to human history?history?

Tell the message: there is no god but AllahTell the message: there is no god but Allah Prophets – Adam, Abraham, David, Jesus, Prophets – Adam, Abraham, David, Jesus,

JohnJohn

Angels – made from light, record our actionsAngels – made from light, record our actions

Mohammed – final prophet, wrote the Qur’an Mohammed – final prophet, wrote the Qur’an for Allahfor Allah

Worldview TestsWorldview Tests

1)1) A worldview should be rational. A worldview should be rational. • It should not ask us to believe It should not ask us to believe

contradictory things.contradictory things.• Law of Non-contradiction. Law of Non-contradiction. • A proposition can not be both true and A proposition can not be both true and

false at the same time and in the same false at the same time and in the same sense.sense.

• It should give a satisfying, It should give a satisfying, comprehensive explanation of realitycomprehensive explanation of reality

• It should be able to explain why things It should be able to explain why things are the way they are.are the way they are.

3.3. It should provide us with a satisfactory It should provide us with a satisfactory basis for living. basis for living.

• We should not have to borrow elements We should not have to borrow elements from another worldview to live in this from another worldview to live in this world.world.

4.4. It should be supported by evidence.It should be supported by evidence.

• It should be consistent with what we It should be consistent with what we observe.observe.