Back in the early 1990s, Dr. James Dobson and Gary Bauer sought to identify what they saw happening to Christian young people in the United States. Their conclusion was that "nothing short of a great Civil War of Values rages today throughout North America. Two sides with vastly differing and incompatible worldviews are locked in a bitter conflict that permeates every level of society."[i] The war, as Dobson and Bauer put it, is a struggle "for the hearts and minds of people. It is a war over ideas."[ii]
On one side is the Christian worldview, the foundation of Western civilization. On the other side are five worldviews: Islam, Secular Humanism, Marxism, Cosmic Humanism, and Postmodernism. While these worldviews don't agree in every detail, they unanimously concur on one point-their opposition to biblical Christianity.
As in any war, there are casualties, and anti-Christian ideas are taking their toll. Recent surveys indicate that up to 59 percent of "born again" college students drop out of that category by their senior year.[iii] According to George Barna's research, nine out of ten "born again" adults do not have a biblical worldview. To effectively engage this battle of ideas, Christians must have an understanding of the times and "know what [they] ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32).
What is a Worldview?
Everyone bases his or her decisions and actions on a worldview. We may not be able to articulate our worldview, and our worldview may be inconsistent, but we all have one. So the question is; what is a worldview?
A worldview is "an interpretive framework"[iv]-much like a pair of glasses-through which you view everything. It refers to any set of ideas, beliefs, or values that provide a framework or map to help you understand God, the world, and your relationship to God and the world. Specifically, a worldview contains a particular perspective regarding at least each of the following ten disciplines: theology, philosophy, ethics, biology, psychology, sociology, law, politics, economics, and history.[v]
This article summarizes the six worldviews that currently exert the most influence over the whole world. Other worldviews exist, but they wield much less influence. For example, Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, or Shintoism may profoundly influence some Eastern countries, but hardly sway the entire world. The major ideas and belief systems controlling the world, and especially the West, are contained in the following six worldviews.
Read more: https://treeoflifeblog.com/2009/08/27/understanding-six-worldviews-that-rule-the-world-david-noebel/
Some books can forever change the way you see the world. Dr David A. Noebel’s popular book Understanding the Times is a rare life-changer. Below you’ll find excerpts showing some of the great insights from this work.
“This is, in my opinion, one of the finest books to come off the press in this century.”
—D. James Kennedy, honorary chairman for AiG’s Creation Museum Reference Board
Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis--US, has spoken with David Noebel at Bible conferences, including “Worldview Weekend”1 and “Steeling the Mind of America”2 (a play on “gird up the loins of your mind” in 1 Peter 1:13). Dr Noebel offers a powerful message about the Christian’s need to have “understanding of the times” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
Read more: https://answersingenesis.org/reviews/books/understanding-the-times/
Description: Summit Founder David Noebel gives this presentation from the archives. "Doc's" classic defense for a biblical worldview came out of a season in his own life studying Marxism. Does the Bible have something to say about nearly every area of life? You bet it does! MP3
Learn about the attacks on the Christian Worldview from Brannon Howse at the Defending the Faith Conference shown on television's Christ in Prophecy. Listen on Spotify.
Six Worldviews that Rule the Universe - The American Culture
Secular Humanism Fizzles, Cosmic Humanism Flourishes - Renew America
Six Worldviews on Evil and Suffering - Eternal Perspective Ministries
Worldview War - The American Thinker