#89: What’s Your View of Reality?
As I grow in my faith, I often reflect on how I might have better explained my Christian beliefs to my children. Many of you know that my faith journey took a different direction about 15 years ago when my oldest son told me he did not believe in God. This sent me on a search for a better way to share my faith with him, as well as with other skeptics. Along the way, I discovered apologetics.
If I had a parental “do-over,” I would introduce my children to worldviews at an early age. Why? Because such discussions can serve as a “bridge” connecting the world they know to the gospel.
As many Christians learn, sharing the gospel too quickly with a non-believer often leads to perplexity or resistance because concepts such as sin, repentance, resurrection, and grace are not part of their worldview. For example, accepting the resurrection requires believing in miracles. Yet our Western public education system often ignores, implicitly denies, or even ridicules such beliefs and, therefore, influences our children’s worldview. In these situations, another approach is often required — an apologetic, preemptive, “pre-evangelistic” one.
As I often do now (and would if I had a “do-over” with my children), I steer early spiritual conversations toward worldviews — that is, discussions about reality.
What do I mean by “reality”? I mean the totality of what exists, independent of one’s imagination, desires, or perceptions . . . from the origin of the universe, including whatever may have existed before the universe began, to what follows death, and everything in between.
A worldview underlies our view of reality and, therefore, forms the basis for our decisions and behavior. It answers the “big life” questions and tells a “grand story” that comprehensively and consistently explains reality (at least the plausible worldviews do!).
But as Nash explains, “Few Americans have been taught to think in terms of worldviews. They do not know what a worldview is; they could not spell out the content of their own worldview . . . [and] they are unaware of how various aspects of conflicting worldviews clash logically.” [1] Everyone possesses a worldview, but unfortunately it is most often formed subconsciously through family, culture, education, and other indirect influences.
Below is a short video (approximately four minutes) that presents a “story of reality.” It presents the overarching Christian story as the best explanation for reality and shares the gospel . . . all in four minutes! I recommend considering sharing this video with your children and with skeptics. [2]
This video serves as an introduction to Stand to Reason’s Reality Student Apologetics Conferences. These student-focused events target high school and college students in churches and on campuses. [3]
The video is excellent, but obviously there is much more to discuss.
Your child will have questions. These inquiries will likely include, “How do we know this worldview is true?” Your understanding of Scripture and apologetics will help you respond spiritually, logically, and evidentially.
A skeptic will challenge the basis for the Christian worldview and will likely counter with a non-biblical perspective. The foundation of any worldview — Christian or otherwise — is best discussed in terms of the underlying “big life” questions that every plausible worldview must address consistently and comprehensively. In my experience, most new Christians and skeptics have not seriously considered these questions, yet they immediately recognize the importance and implications of the answers.
Here are some fundamental worldview questions that you should be prepared to address. I highly recommend beginning by answering them from a biblical worldview. Helpful references are provided in the notes. [4]
Ultimate Reality: What kind of God, if any, exists?
External Reality: Is there anything beyond the cosmos?
Knowledge: What can be known, and how can anyone know it?
Origin: Where did I come from?
Identity: Who am I?
Morality: What is right? What is wrong? Why?
Values: What should I consider of great worth?
Predicament: What is humanity’s fundamental problem?
Resolution: How can humanity’s problem be solved?
Past/Present: What is the meaning and direction of history?
Destiny: Will I survive the death of my body and, if so, in what state?
I also encourage you to become familiar with other major worldviews (e.g., Naturalism, Postmodernism, Critical Theory, Pantheism, and various forms of “Spiritualism”) and their answers to these questions. [5] Paul certainly understood the non-Christian worldviews of his time (Acts 17:16–34). Not only will you be better prepared to respond to your child’s or a skeptic’s questions, but your confidence in the Christian worldview will also grow as you compare it to other perspectives.
Note: We are currently offering a Master Class on Zoom entitled, Bodies, Souls, and Human Flourishing. There are still two sessions that you can be part of by way of auditing. You’re welcome to join us! Please use this link to register.
In Christ,
Doug
1 Peter 3:15
[1] Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in a World of Ideas, Ronald H. Nash, 1992, p.9.
[2] The Story of Reality, Stand to Reason, 2018,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxU0UNlnnOA&t=260s.
[3] Reality Student Apologetics Conference, often shortened to “Reality.” The core idea behind the “Reality” events is summarized by Stand to Reason’s recurring phrase: “Christianity matches up with the way the world really is — with reality.” The conferences aim to persuade students that Christianity is intellectually defensible and coherent in areas including competing worldviews, meaning and purpose, and objective morality and truth.
[4] Helpful references that discuss fundamental “big life” worldview questions: Life’s Ultimate Questions, Ronald H. Nash, 1999; The Universe Next Door – A Basic Worldview Catalogue, 6th ed., James W. Sire, 2020.
[5] Helpful references that discuss non-biblical worldviews: Worldviews in Conflict: Choosing Christianity in a World of Ideas, Ronald H. Nash, 1992; The Universe Next Door (see reference [4]); Understanding the Times: A Survey of Competing Worldviews, J. Myers and D. Noebel, 2016.