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Worldview Research Paper
Kailyn Pyle
Department of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
RLGN 104: Christian Life and Biblical Worldview
Dr. Boyd Hatchel
September 22, 2021
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Part 1
Every human on this Earth holds a unique set of beliefs and attitudes about themselves
and the world around them. These beliefs govern the way an individual behaves in day-to-day
life. “A worldview is a collection of attitudes, values, stories, and expectations about the world
around us, which inform our every thought and action. Worldview is expressed in ethics,
religion, philosophy, scientific beliefs, and so on” (Gray, A. J. 2011). Not all worldviews are
correct about reality, in fact, every worldview includes beliefs that are both true and false
whether we know it or not. However, a worldview is not limited to our attitudes, values, origins,
or stories, it encompasses all of reality. It can change, grow, and expand as the individual
undergoes new experiences. “Finding out what your worldview is, and how you justify it, can
arguably be the most important endeavor you can take on in your life” (Campbell, W. 2019).
Ultimately, a worldview is an individual’s belief about the world its nature. Each individual must
undergo their own journey to find how they view the world.
Word Count: 182
Part 2
The Question of Origin
Throughout the history of mankind, many theories have been put forth for the origin of
the universe and humanity. One might rightly express the question, why is there anything rather
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than nothing? (Evans and Manis, 2009). The Bible begins by answering this important question,
“In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth” (Gen 1:1). God created all things in six
days and on the seventh he rested; he saw that all things He made were good. (Gen 1:31-2-2).
God created man and named him Adam, then out of Adam he made Eve. God shows us that the
universe and humanity were created by Him. There are many different opinions as to when God
created the universe, but, within the Christian worldview, God is the only creator. Alternatively,
people who are science-minded believe that the Big Bang was the creation of the universe.
Whether you believe that God was the creator of the universe, or the Big Bang turned nothing
into everything, all cultures have a creation narrative describing the origin of the world and we as
humans should respect one another’s beliefs.
The Question of Identity
Being human means many things, and there never has been just one answer. We think that
being human is special and somehow important. “We share a planet with billions of other
sentient beings, and they all have their own complex way of being whatever they are. All of our
fellow animal creatures, as Aristotle observed long ago, try to stay alive and reproduce more of
their kind” (Nussbaum, M. C. 2018). Humans are just more evolved, intelligent, and
sophisticated animals compared to other animals that live on Earth. I personally don’t believe
that humans are more important than other living beings. I believe that we are all created equal
and thinking that humans are more important than other living things is a very narcissistic way of
thinking. Many Christians believe that humans are not equal to the rest of God’s creations,
instead, humans are above it. God created man and women in his image and likeness (Genesis
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1:27), giving them dominion over all his other creations (Genesis 1:28). “Christianity calls
humans to nurture, guide, and direct the unfolding of human creativity and potential, for the
benefit of all and the protection of the Earth” (Valk, J. 2012). God bestowed many of the
characteristics he portrays onto us humans, we can love, sustain, protect, and provide for other
human beings and his other creations. Ultimately, humans were made in His image and have an
eternal soul that exists separate from our bodies.
The Question of Meaning/Purpose
As stated in the previous paragraph, humans are similar to other animals that walk this
Earth, however, a difference between the two is our search for meaning. The purpose of
humanity is primarily to experience as widely and deeply as we can, and secondarily to build
new experiences. People who have cynical worldviews may say that there isn’t a real purpose in
life, however, most believe that all humans have a meaning and purpose. Christians believe that
their purpose is given and revealed by God through His word. All of God’s creations find their
joy, purpose, and meaning in glorifying God (Isaiah 43:7). Additionally, Christians believe that a
large part of honoring God involves being his ambassadors on this Earth and being born again in
Christ (John 3:1-23). For science-minded people, the goal of our existence seems to be gaining a
full understanding of this existence. Humans are guided by this involuntary impulse to
understand the world in every aspect.
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The Question of Morality
Unlike other animals on Earth, “Humans have a moral sense because their biological
makeup determines the presence of three necessary conditions for ethical behavior: (i) the ability
to anticipate the consequences of one’s own actions; (ii) the ability to make value judgments; and
(iii) the ability to choose between alternative courses of action” (Ayala, F. J. 2010). Christians
find their source of morality from God and His word. They believe that God set forth objective
moral standards, “God recognizing what is good… and commanding us to do it” (Evans and
Manis, 2009). This creates a sort of template to show humans what is right and what is wrong
through God’s revelation, one’s consciousness (Romans 2:14-15), and through the Holy Spirit.
For some Christians, morality is based on God’s truth, but for others, morality is based
subjectively on their culture and emotions. Humans are judged by God, by what He thinks is best
for His creations. God tells us that the two greatest commandments are to love Him and love
people (Matthew 22:36-40).
The Question of Destiny
Determining what happens after death is impossible. Humans have no way of definitively
knowing what happens to our souls after our physical body dies. Christians believe that one of
two things can happen to a human after death. The first being those who have not received the
gift of redemption through Christ go to Hell, and the second being the individuals who have
received redemption go to heaven (John 3:16). According to The Bible, Hell is a place with
weeping and gnashing of teeth (Luke 13:28), where those who are sent will spend an eternity
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away from God. On the other hand, heaven is a place where pain and suffering are absent, and
those who are sent to heaven will spend an eternity in the presence of God (1 John 5:13-14).
Word Count: 913
Part 3
From a Biblical Worldview belief system, every human on this Earth should treat others
with love and respect. Throughout my life, I’ve been taught to treat others the way you want to
be treated and now as an adult, I see the value and importance that holds. The Bible says
something very similar, “do to others as you would have them to do you” (Luke 3:31). If
someone doesn’t hold the same beliefs as you, as a Christian, you are meant to be accepting and
judgement-free. Again, treat people the way you want to be treated.
If someone asks you to do something unethical at work, you need to remain strong in
your beliefs, values, and morals. “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who
live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be
tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Don’t allow other people to corrupt you with sin, it’s not worth
sacrificing your inner peace. Have a conversation with the person who asked you to commit an
unethical act and explain why you are not willing to complete it. “Therefore, put on the full
armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). This could also provide a learning
experience for the other person and make them realize what they’re doing is morally wrong.
Word Count: 245
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References
Ayala, F. J. (2010, May 11). The difference of being human: Morality. PNAS. Retrieved
September 24, 2021, from https://www.pnas.org/content/107/Supplement_2/9015.
Campbell, W. (2019, January 6). What is a worldview? Medium. Retrieved September 23, 2021,
from https://medium.com/@will.campbell/what-is-a-worldview-2d0dcd74dac5.
C. Stephen Evans; R. Zachary Manis (2009). Philosophy of Religion: Thinking About Faith
(Contours of Christian Philosophy).
Gray, A. J. (2011, August 1). Worldviews. International psychiatry: bulletin of the Board of
International Affairs of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Retrieved September 23, 2021,
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6735033/.
Nussbaum, M. C. (2018, August 20). What does it mean to be human? Don't ask. The New York
Times. Retrieved September 24, 2021, from
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/20/opinion/what-does-it-mean-to-be-human-dont-
ask.html.
Valk, J. (2012). Christianity through a Worldview Lens. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved September
24, 2021, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/ate.9.2.hp430835g071v773?
journalCode=yate20.
