"An Introduction to Christian Worldview" by Anderson, Naugle and Clark. A Review

An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God's Perspective in a Pluralistic WorldAn Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God's Perspective in a Pluralistic World by Tawa J Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What is a worldview? How does one discern it's contours and courses? Are there ways to distinguish between worldviews? Why is any of this important? Tawa J. Anderson, assistant professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma; W. Michael Clark, legislative counsel at Center for Arizona Policy; and David K. Naugle, chair and professor of philosophy at Dallas Baptist University, have teamed up to craft a manual ideal for answering these questions and more. "An Introduction to Christian Worldview: Pursuing God's Perspective in a Pluralistic World" is a 384 page casebound text book ideal for high school and freshman college classes, or for readers desiring to expand their education.

"An Introduction to Christian Worldview" falls into three sections. Part one is penned by Tawa Anderson who tackles the more theoretical. This author lays out what a worldview is, specifically that it is "the conceptual lens through which we see, understand, and interpret the world and our place within it" (8). Anderson further maps out the four major questions that worldviews answer: (1) What is our nature? (2) What is our world? (3) What is our problem? (4) What is our end? Lastly, since our "worldview should help us to make sense of the world around us rather than present cognitive or existential dissonance in the face of reality" (84), he guides the reader through worldview analysis, especially what is truth; and the criteria needed to rightly gauge any particular worldview.

David Naugle authors the second part, delving into the outline of an explicitly Christian worldview. Because the "human person is predominantly a "storied" creature" where "narratives and stories resonate with us more deeply than doctrinal claims" (98), the author begins by telling the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and glorification. He then applies what was learned from Anderson in part one, and applies it to Christianity to see if it meets the standard. These three chapters in part two are a miniature Biblical and Systematic Theology, comprehensible by older teens and first year college students.

The third part of "An Introduction to Christian Worldview" compiled by Michael Clark takes a prolonged look into deism, naturalism, postmodernism, Hinduism and Islam. Clark applies the four worldview questions and analysis picked up earlier in the volume. These two chapters are a poignant series of practical exercises applying what has been learned. But as readers engage with these highly informative chapters, they are subtly brought to examine their own worldview.

What makes "An Introduction to Christian Worldview" ideal for academic settings is the way it is arranged. Not only do the chapters naturally flow and move forward, but numerical way-points mark the pages, and illustrative tools are interspersed through out. Many sections end with a bundle of reflection questions that help the student think back over the material. Then each chapter finishes out with a "Mastering the Material" segment. These include a checklist of what the learner ought to have gained from the chapter. There is also a glossary of terms germane to the chapter. Then there are several suggestions for term papers that could be completed. Finally comes a core bibliography.

"An Introduction to Christian Worldview" plods academically from first to last. The subject is heavy, and so the rationale is fairly rigorous. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, it is a text book ideal for high school and freshman college classes, as well as for readers desiring to expand their education. I recommend the book.

Thanks to IVP Academic for providing, upon my request, the free copy of the book used for this review. The assessments are mine given without restrictions or requirements (as per Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255).

A copy of the volume may be purchased here: "An Introduction to Christian Worldview"

View all my reviews

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?" (Rev. Ed.) by John Fea. A Review

Image
  John Fea is a professor of history at Messiah University in Mechanicsburg, PA. A university founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. He originally published "Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? A Historical Introduction" in 2011, and it was revised in 2016. This 328-page paperback is packed full with Colonial and American history, drawing from original sources to answer that question. It is a book written "for the historically minded and thoughtful reader who is looking for help in sorting" out this question, avoiding polemics (xix). Since we live in a sound-bite culture, Fea recognizes that it is difficult to have a sustained dialogue on this topic, but he makes a valiant effort toward having that sustained dialogue. The book reads fairly straightforward, and doesn't seem to get bogged down in the contentious mudpuddles or bogs. In the end, Fea seems to get his point across. To answer the reigning question if America was founded as a Christian
Read more

Union with Christ - An Application

Image
  (This was my weekly letter to my congregation on Wednesday, 21 February 2024) This morning in my devotional reading, I was working through 1 Corinthians 8. Though I’ve read these words a huge number of times over the years, today one verse caused me to stop and take stock.  Paul wrote, “ Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ ” (1 Corinthians 8:12). What struck me is a couple of things. First, in God’s saving work, we are – by grace alone – united (hitched, bonded, ingrafted) to Christ so much so, that what happens to us happens to him, and what is his becomes ours (think of Galatians 2:20, for example). As Sinclair Ferguson put it, “through union with Christ all that is his by incarnation becomes ours through faith” (“The Christian Life,” 110). Let that percolate in your heart for a while. Your fear, anxiety, tears, and so forth, he feels. And his “ Peace, be still ” is yours. Second, the way we treat one another, is
Read more

"Ah, Lord! We are Animated by Anger and Anxiety, Fear and Fury..."

Image
I hesitate to put this out there because of the combative environment we are in at present. But I think some souls will take courage from this, and some will also join with me as we get to the end of this little composition. I am struck by the words of God in Zechariah 8. As he rehearses the waywardness and faithlessness of his people in the past, he clearly declares that he " set every man against his neighbor " (8:10). That got me thinking long ago. I started putting the pieces together and realized that one of God's acts of judgment is division, setting a man against his neighbor. That's what happened when he divided his people into the northern tribes and southern tribes (see 1 Kings 11:26-40). Because of Solomon's turning aside, allowing his wives to turn his heart away from the God of his father, David, the Lord brings about a rift in God's people. And this pattern of divisive judgment runs throughout Scripture. On the other hand, truthful unity is the g
Read more