Origins & Worldviews



Overview:

How does a person's view of origins affect their worldview?  (A worldview is a person's system of belief.)  In turn, how does a person's worldview affect their view of origins?
As a starting point to this investigation, it is necessary to provide an overview of worldviews.  To keep things simple I will lump all worldviews into three major categories: Naturalism, and Transcendentalism, and Theism.  Although not all belief systems will cleanly fall in these three categories, I feel these categories provide a context for addressing the major issues related to the interface between origins and worldviews.

3 Categories for Worldviews

Naturalism

This worldview holds to the view that the material universe is the sum of all reality.  What can be explored through scientific inquiry (experiment and rational models), is reality.  Explanations for all observed phenomena boil down to the interaction of particles through forces.  There is a degree of lawfulness, but due to quantum mechanics there is an inherent uncertainty and randomness to the universe.  Our existence as intelligent beings is due to the combined action of physical laws and random interactions.  Any ephemeral characteristics perceived by intelligent beings (such as love, hope, empathy, etc.) are the result of biochemical interactions with adaptive benefit.  The concept of god does not have any physical reality and ultimately has no impact on the physical universe.

Worldviews that fall under this category of naturalism are atheism, humanism, and existentialism.  Materialism is another term that applies to this category.  When the Apostle Paul was in Athens (Acts 17), he was approached by the Epicureans and Stoics.  The Epicureans would hold to a naturalistic worldview.

Transcendentalism

This worldview holds to the view that there is a spiritual nature to all reality.  There are two worlds: a material world and a spiritual world.  The material world is temporal and will eventually cease.  However, the spiritual world is eternal and provides the life force that brings order to the physical universe.  Our existence as intelligent beings is part of a cosmic plan and once we are free of this physical body we will be reunited with the universal life force.  God is this universal life force that gives order to the universe.  We are part of the universal life force and, therefore, are also part of god.

Worldviews that fall under this category are pantheism, animism, and polytheism.  In the Apostle Paul's address at the Areopagus in Athens he addressed the Stoics with the statement "your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring." (Acts 17: 28, KJV)  He uses this statement to point out that we should not expect God to be represented by an idol. Examining Paul's address, it is clear that he taught a worldview significantly different than the transcendentalism of the Stoics.

Theism

This worldview holds to the view that there is a transcendent God who is the creator of the universe.  By transcendent, I mean that God is not part of the creation and that He is beyond what we can comprehend.  The physical laws were established by Him, but they do not apply to Him.  Man is a created being and has both a material and immaterial part.  Man's soul is eternal and he is accountable to his creator.

Worldviews that fall under this category are deism, finitism, and traditional theism.  The distinction between different forms of theism lies in how God is seen to work in his creation.  If God works his plan purely through secondary causation (lawfulness of the universe), there is no need for Him to work in a miraculous manner.  What are considered miraculous events, such as the Flood and the Crossing of the Red Sea, can be explained through a unique coincidence of natural physical effects.  If God works his plan through primary causation (miraculous intervention), there is a need for him to supersede the physical laws of the universe at times throughout history.

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