"Earthvision"??? No, Silly! "Worldview"!

The big question: What is a worldview and how do we develop a Christian Worldview ? ........follow-up question: why did i capitalize those words ??? It's still a mystery...


Anyway...
      A worldview is essentially self-explanitory. That is, it is the lense through which one views the world. Carol Hill defines worldview as "the basic way of interpreting things and events that pervades a culture so thoroughly that it becomes a culture's concept of reality — what is good, what is important, what is sacred, what is real. Worldview is more than culture, even though the distinction between the two can sometimes be subtle. It extends to perceptions of time and space, of happiness and well-being. The beliefs, values, and behaviors of a culture stem directly from its worldview." The idea of a worldview can be further simplified as it applies to not only the culture, but the individual. However, culture can often have a very power influence on an individual's worldview. For example, when one speaks of developing a Christian worldview, we find that Hill's definition of a worldview is what so drasticly muddies the waters of our comprehension of what that entails. Why ? Because Christianity always was and forever will be not only counter-culture, but counter-nature. Human nature, that is.
       To steer clear of culture's trench of conflicting, pick-and-choose answers, or, as is often the case, to correct it within the self, one must be able to carefully ballence the weight of what others say against the personal research you do and conclusions you make on your own. This means that you will be studying your Bible, you will be refering back to the backgrounds of the authors - their experiences and whatnot -, you will be studying the culture of Bible times, and you may even give understanding abit of Greek a shot. However, and I would argue most importantly, you will need to discuss. Even the commentaries from the smartest Bible scholars say some crazy stuff, and, especially in the case of a new Christian, one cannot tackle this information alone. This may lead to even greater confusion. A strong, reliable mentor or two is so key in assisting the new Christian with sifting through that which is true and that which is bias, and discussion becomes a strong reinforcer of the Faith as your mind considers everything it must before makin a solid conclusion, as opposed to blindly accepting the conclusions of others.
          This discussion extends beyond that of peer-to-peer or peer-to-mentor discussion, however. Even if one is not fully convinced of the legitimacy of Prayer, opening oneself to God's guidance is most key of all. If one is seeking to understand God yet rejects the relationship, he will essentially "lose track" of God. There need not be this massive conviction at first, just a general opening of self to try and understand God's words, will, ways, and works. Forget being afraid of "not doing it (Christianity) right" or "being in the right place (of mind)" before opening yourself to this, or before becoming baptized. It isn't about fear, or happiness, or readiness, or any other emotion one might associate with what the general consensus lables as a "heart-based" religion. One must approach trying to understand God - through the afore mentioned approaches to Biblestudy - with the idea in their head that Christianity will make their lives easier, or happier, or better. Rather, we are "victims of a broken world", as Weisman put it. We will probably even be subject with more trial than Mr. Average Joe. Essentially, what I am saying is that one must forget themself, because Ultimate Truth must invariably exist and extend beyond the circumstances of the individual.
            This means we must always be cautious. If anyone makes a claim about the Bible or what a Christian should think or feel, let your yellow flags go up. Do not let your reservations keep you from associating with that person or engaging in discussion if what they said feels off. Rather, discuss it; research it in all respects of the word (what the Bible says, the context in which it was said, by whom and why; and keep your heart and mind open to the workings of Truth.
            We musnt forget about the outside world though. We need to remember that most everyone else will have very different worldviews and very different ideas from those which we persue. To counter these, or at very least to understand their follies, we must study them quite nearly as much. We must be as Paul: as great an expert on the beliefs of the culture and other religions as those who would follow them on pain of death. Ignorance is not bliss, it is death. Never stop searching, and, trust, God will never stop providing.