The Biblical Worldview – An Increasingly Minority Position
Randy discusses how the biblical worldview has become an increasingly minority position to take. He asks the question whether the majority decision, respected in Western society, is always the correct one.
Rule Making Authority
In Romans 1:20,21 we read,
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 1:20,21
I’m not sure kids do this anymore.
But when I was a kid we regularly gathered on the road or sandlot for “pick-up” games of ball hockey, football, soccer and baseball. And on occasion some new kid would join the competition and want to change a rule.
Who Has the Authority to Make Rules?
To us, rules were sacred and we resisted change – simply because we’d always played that way. But sometimes the new kid insisted and because it was his ball, we had to consider a possible change – a decision needed to be rendered.
We didn’t think of it exactly in these terms, but essentially the question was raised: who has authority to make the rules?
In the grown-up world of global and societal issues, the question remains of importance today – but on a macro scale.
The Majority Decision
Does the majority have the right to decide? Are those in the minority always wrong? In that case William Wilberforce in England (18th century) who fought for the abolition of slavery, and Martin Luther King (died 1968) who contested American racism would be cast not as cultural heroes, but as lawless renegades.
Or does might make right? Should those with the most power make the rules (think Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, Hitler), particularly enforcing laws supporting those structures that maintain their power-base?
Justice in a Democratic Nation
And how in a democratic nation, are we to understand justice when our institutions – like the federal government and supreme court – take polar opposite positions on an issue, creating conflicting law?
Or what exactly is illustrated by the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on the matter of gay “marriage”? (I use the term for clarity, but am loathe to call a partnership of two people a marriage if it is anything other than a God-ordained, heterosexual union.)
The nine justices split 5-4 in favour; but the 4 opposing voices – each highly skilled and widely respected for their knowledge of American jurisprudence – have been sharply critical, and at times, almost mocking in their tone of the majority position. Can this sharp divide reflect the sober, objective interpretation of moral law – by the highest legal institution in the land – in the 21st century?
Is There An Over-Arching Authority?
Another question: does there exist an over-arching authority under which all others are subject, and are derived?
This quickly moves us into the thinking context of “worldview”.
A worldview “refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs forming a global description through which an individual, group or culture watches and interprets the world and interacts with it” (Wikipedia).
Every thinking person has a worldview – the lens of beliefs, values and behaviours through which they observe and interact with their culture – even if they can’t articulate precisely what it is.
And at its foundation is an understanding of God’s existence and of His authority to rule, to judge, to punish.
Helpful Structure
Let me provide this reductionist, yet helpful, structure. One’s worldview is shaped by conclusions relative to:
- origin (where did we as a human race come from?)
- destiny (is there existence after death? what and where is it beyond this life?)
- ethics (how is morality determined? what constitutes right and wrong thinking and behaviour? who gets to decide?)
- purpose (is there an objective basis for what provides authentic meaning in life? is that basis common for all people?)
The Biblical Worldview And Hot Button Issues
As Christians, we realize that many of our friends, neighbours, and colleagues think very differently than we do on current hot-button social issues (abortion, sexuality, marriage, and euthanasia) because their basic worldview is dissimilar, even radically disparate.
A different thought foundation inevitably leads to different conclusions.
It is clear: a biblical worldview is rapidly – and with a pace that appears to be ramping up – fading from view in the western world, and most grievously, even in the church. Ours is the minority position, and that minority is in swift decline.
Cultural Reversal and the Biblical Worldview
Christian cultural observer Albert Mohler has declared that we are currently experiencing in the western world, a phenomenon that rarely occurs – what he calls a cultural reversal. Mohler defines a cultural reversal this way: what was recently considered to be morally wrong, is now not only declared to be right, but is further celebrated as enlightened thinking.
And failure to celebrate this U-turn in collective attitude is now dismissed as a backwoods fundamentalist attitude: erroneous, ignorant, and bigoted.
Is the biblical worldview correct in our time? Who do you think has the authority to decide truth? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Randy Bushey
After completing a 35 year corporate-management career in the general insurance industry, Randy is dedicated to full-time elder’s work at Bethel Gospel Chapel in North Bay (Ontario).
With a primary pastoral focus in Bible teaching (preaching and leading Bible studies). Randy is also engaged in visitation, church music, and helping develop other men in their roles as Christ-followers, preachers and leaders.
He is married to Pat who is investing her life in working with women and children in the local assembly. They are both energized by their 3 children (2 married) and 6 grandchildren!
You can listen to pod casts from Randy’s show, “The Faith Factor,” by clicking here.
More Podcasts Below:
More Blogs:
To Tell the Truth – Honesty is the Best Policy
The “I AM” Statements of Jesus
Peace Through The Christ of Christmas
Images courtesy of:
Mexican Soccer Crowd – Luis Carreon
World Map – Ionot Cojocaru
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