Brad Alles

Continuing from the last blog about worldviews: If a worldview is the truth claims that explain the world and reality, like a map, what are these specific claims?

First, all begin with religious or philosophical assumptions—even if they claim not to. If we do not grasp this fact, we miss a key witnessing opportunity when people share their worldview. Everyone has to start somewhere; the worldview “map” needs to begin somewhere, so assumptions are made. For example, atheism states that there is no god. In contrast, Christianity states that God exists (theism), and that He reveals Himself through His creation and His Word. Both start with a presupposition—there either is or isn’t a God. A question to ask both would be, “How do you know that there is (or isn’t) a God?” A Christian can reply that there is a God since an orderly world exists, and that moral order exists in this world. In other words, who, other than God, made everything working in precise order, as well as making humans with a sense of right and wrong?  On the other hand, when the atheist declares that there is no God, how can one make that absolute statement? Does he or she know everything? Has he or she traveled throughout the universe and now knows without a shadow of a doubt that there is no supernatural realm?

How powerful is this starting point or presupposition to the worldview map? Kansas State professor Dr. Scott Todd said, “Even if all the data point to an intelligent designer, such a hypothesis is excluded from science because it is not naturalistic.” Or to restate it: “Don’t confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up! There is no God.” All worldviews have to start somewhere. What makes this point significant is that this assumption will carry you down very different paths of explaining life and how we should behave as we unfold each worldview map.