Christian Worldview
The Christian worldview encompasses the beliefs and principles shared by Christians globally, numbering approximately 2.63 billion, with the largest groups being Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox Christians. This worldview fundamentally revolves around several key narratives, including Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation, which shape adherents’ understanding of morality, politics, culture, and human behavior. Central to the Christian worldview is the belief in an eternal God, the creation of the universe, and the notion of original sin, which posits that humankind is inherently flawed. The Bible is regarded as the authoritative word of God, and Jesus Christ is recognized as the Savior who died and resurrected.
Within this framework, Christians often advocate for values such as charity, lifelong marriage, and opposition to practices like abortion. Additionally, there is a tendency among some adherents to challenge scientific theories like evolution in favor of biblical creation narratives. The Christian worldview is not monolithic; it is shaped by various denominations and communities that may adapt or emphasize different aspects of the core beliefs. This dynamic nature allows the worldview to evolve while remaining a significant influence on the lives and actions of its followers.
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Christian Worldview
The term “Christian worldview” refers to the core ideas and beliefs of Christians. There are an estimated 2.38 billion Christians worldwide, and the largest branch of Christianity is the Roman Catholic Church. Other Christian branches include Protestants and Eastern Orthodox Christians. There are other denominations and orders of Christianity within these groups. While each Christian denomination employs its own unique belief systems and traditions of faith, the concept of a Christian worldview is sometimes used to refer the most common spiritual beliefs.
Overview
A worldview is a way of understanding the world that influences a person’s opinion on morality, politics, culture, economics, and societal values. It also informs what a person believes about human behavior, the history of human civilization on earth, and the afterlife. The Christian worldview consists of several basic components, which are held largely in common among Christians of differing denominations. The central premise of the Christian worldview is a belief in an absolute, eternal God. Christians believe that God created the universe and human beings. Moreover, the Christian worldview holds that humankind’s ancient forebear Adam committed original sin and that therefore all of humankind is imperfect and capable of wickedness and corruption. Finally, adherents to the Christian worldview believe that the Bible is the word of God and that Jesus Christ was the son of God who died and rose from the dead.
In some ways, the Christian worldview is a direct reflection of Christianity’s central principles of faith. Christians express this philosophy in everyday life through their political beliefs and their beliefs regarding education and social policies. Common tenets of the Christian worldview include a cultivation of charity, assistance to the sick and needy, and a belief in lifelong marriage between a man and a woman. Adherents also often oppose the practice of abortion. In addition, some adherents of the Christian worldview are critical of the theory of evolution, espousing instead the story of creation found in the Bible or the theory of intelligent design. Most Christians believe strongly in spreading the message of their faith to others in the effort to grow the strength, effectiveness, and reach of their values.
Various elements of the Christian worldview have been criticized by atheists, adherents of other faiths, and other Christians. Many denominations of Christianity have tailored the term and concept to their unique set of beliefs—choosing to incorporate some aspects of the faith’s overarching philosophy while omitting or modifying others. In this way, the Christian worldview is also an evolving phenomenon, which takes the shape of the various Christian communities that adopt it.
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