Worldview Apologetics: Cultivating Awareness

Presuppositional (Worldview) Apologetics: Cultivating Awareness

Defining Presuppositional:

A “presupposition” is an elementary assumption in one’s reasoning or in the process by which opinions are formed.… [It] is not just any assumption in an argument, but a personal commitment that is held at the most basic level of one’s network of beliefs. Presuppositions form a wide-ranging, foundational perspective (or starting point) in terms of which everything else is interpreted and evaluated. As1 Gary DeMar, ed., Pushing the Antithesis: The Apologetic Methodology of Greg L. Bahnsen

Street level definition and reality:

These are hidden assumptions that man reactively depends on to make sense of their human experience as the nature and structure of reality, knowledge, and morals. these assumptions (presuppositions) about the world and life guide man in resolving problems, making plans, and provide the standards for interpreting all of life. They govern the way a person thinks, feels, and acts.

Its from this basis that “worldview” is employed to describe the reality of presuppositional thought.

Defining Worldview:

A worldview is a network of presuppositions (which are not verified by the procedures of natural science) regarding reality (metaphysics), knowing (epistemology), and conduct (ethics) in terms of which every element of human experience is related and interpreted.”1 Gary DeMar, ed., Pushing the Antithesis: The Apologetic Methodology of Greg L. Bahnsen

Street level definition and reality

A worldview is like a pair of bifocals with colored lenses that affects what you see and how you see it. Depending on the the lenses, you see certain things clearly and other things are distorted, while other things you don’t see at all.

Worldview Awareness

Foundation & Framework

The construction of a home demonstrates these principals; laying a foundation to support it’s stability, shape, and structure.

Philosophically speaking, we need foundational assumptions and a framework of guiding principals to provide our thinking with stability, shape, and structure. We cannot reason intelligibly about our experiences without some level of presuppositions about what our experiences are, where they come from, and what principals of thinking we can apply to them, even if we take them for granted and aren’t consciously reflecting upon them.

Worldview’s influence how we interpret our experiences and respond to them.

Think of the folks in the work place who experience the same situations, but interpret them drastically different.

Think of the scientific (i.e. darwinian evolution) community for example, they don’t control the data they observe, its public information, but they are dogmatic in their interpretations. Other scientists on the other hand, are deeply persuaded of intelligent design. It’s the same data in terms of observations and verifiable objective evidence, but the interpretations are completely antithetical to one another.

Every religion or secular ideology reflects a worldview

All religions and secular ideologies see the world differently, but one thing they all have in common; they all have a distinct view on reality - a particular view towards the universe and our place in it.

Christians are called to think biblically

As Christians we are all called to submit all to God and his Word, including our thinking. (; ; ; ). Thinking God’s thoughts after him.

Defining Presuppositional:

As Christians we are all called to interpret our experiences in God’s world through God’s Word. (; ; ).

A “presupposition” is an elementary assumption in one’s reasoning or in the process by which opinions are formed.… [It] is not just any assumption in an argument, but a personal commitment that is held at the most basic level of one’s network of beliefs. Presuppositions form a wide-ranging, foundational perspective (or starting point) in terms of which everything else is interpreted and evaluated. As1 Gary DeMar, ed., Pushing the Antithesis: The Apologetic Methodology of Greg L. Bahnsen Street level definition and realityThese are hidden assumptions that man reactively depends on to make sense of their human experience as the nature and structure of reality, knowledge, and morals. these assumptions(presuppositions) about the world and life guide man in resolving problems, making plans, and provide the standards for interpreting all of life. They govern the way a person thinks, feels, and acts.

Engaging With non-believers through worldview awareness is a fruitful endeavour

Its from this basis that “worldview” is employed to describe the reality of presuppositional thought.

By definition, Christians are called to be among different worldviews. We are not called to only engage with one another, but with the world; make disciples. Therefore, engaging with other worldview will be inevitable if we’re doing what we’re commanded to do.

Defining Worldview:

A worldview is a network of presuppositions (which are not verified by the procedures of natural science) regarding reality (metaphysics), knowing (epistemology), and conduct (ethics) in terms of which every element of human experience is related and interpreted.”1 Gary DeMar, ed., Pushing the Antithesis: The Apologetic Methodology of Greg L. Bahnsen Street level definition and realityA worldview is like a pair of bifocals with colored lenses that affects what you see and how you see it. Depending on the the lenses, you see certain things clearly and other things are distorted, while other things you don’t see at all.