Worldview, Presuppositions, Reading Tools

Presupposition

A most basic belief a person assumes to be true.

Theology

The study of God; the presupposition concerning the nature of God.

Anthropology

The study of man; the presupposition concerning the nature of human beings.

Metaphysics

The study of reality; the presupposition concerning the nature of the world and what is ultimately real.

Ethics

The study of morality; the presupposition concerning what is right and wrong.

Epistemology

The study of knowledge; the presupposition concerning how we know what we know.

Five Basic Presuppositions

The nature of God (theology), the nature of man (anthropology), the nature of the world (metaphysics), what is right and wrong (ethics), and the nature of knowledge (epistemology).

Worldview

The network/web of presuppositions which are taken together to interpret everything in our experience.

Presuppositions and Worldview

Presuppositions are the basic beliefs that, taken together, form a person's worldview.

Worldview Question 1

Who am I?

Worldview Question 2

Why am I here?

Worldview Question 3

What is wrong with the world?

Worldview Question 4

How do we fix what is wrong?

Worldview Question 5

Where is everything going?

What is the Christian Grand Story?

The overarching Grand Story of Christianity: 1) Creation, 2) Fall, 3) Redemption, and 4) Consummation.

Where does Christianity answer: Who am I?

Creation (Gen 1-2)

Where does Christianity answer: Why am I here?

Creation (Gen 1-2)

Where does Christianity answer: What is wrong with the world?

The Fall (Gen 3; Rom 1)

How does Christianity answer: How do we fix what is wrong?

Redemption (Romans 5)

How does Christianity answer: Where is everything going?

Consummation (Isa 65; Rev 21-22)

Tool #1: Prayer

We pray because we are dependent and blind without God's Spirit. We need God's help to understand Scripture rightly and to have wisdom and discernment when reading other works

Why do we pray when we read?

Because we are dependent and blind without God's Spirit.

What do we need God's help for when reading non-Christian works?

We need wisdom and discernment to understand an author's ideas and distinguish truth from error

Tool #2: Repetition

We identify significant words or phrases that repeat and investigate what the repetition teaches

What is the first step for the Repetition tool?

Circle significant words or phrases that repeat.

What do we write in the margin for Repetition?

Make a list titled "Repetition."

What do we record in the Repetition list?

How many times each significant word or phrase repeats

What do we do after counting the repeated words or phrases?

Identify the word or phrase that repeats the most.

What do we write about the word or phrase that repeats the most?

A note summarizing the main teaching about that word or phrase.

What are the steps for the Repetition tool?

Circle → List → Count → Identify → Summarize.

What is the purpose of identifying repetition?

To help us recognize what the author is emphasizing and understand the main theme about the repeated word or phrase.

Tool #3: Pronouns

We identify pronouns and their antecedents in the text we are studying.

What is the first step for the Pronouns tool?

Identify the pronouns in the text we are studying.

What do we write above a pronoun?

"PN."

What do we investigate after identifying a pronoun?

We investigate the text to determine the pronoun's antecedent.

What do we do when we find a pronoun's antecedent?

Draw a line from the pronoun back to its antecedent.

What do we write above the antecedent?

"ante."

What do we do if the antecedent is outside the portion of text we are studying?

Add the antecedent in the margin and connect the pronoun to it.

What is an antecedent?

The word that was replaced by the pronoun.

What are the steps for the Pronouns tool?

Identify pronouns → Write "PN" → Find the antecedent → Write "ante" above the antecedent→Draw a line from PN to ante.

What is the key principle of the Pronouns tool?

Do not assume what a pronoun refers to, investigate the text to determine its antecedent.

What is a pronoun?

A replacement word like “he, it, this,” used to replace a person, place, thing, or idea.

Identifying Contrasts

Look for items ideas or individuals that are opposed to each other

Contrast Key Words

But, rather, instead, rather than, even though, although, yet, though

What do you do when you find a contrast key word?

Circle the key word and write "contrast" above it

What do you do after marking a contrast key word?

Write a note explaining what is being contrasted

What is a contrast?

When an author sets two or more items ideas or individuals against each other

Does every contrast have a key word?

No an author can contrast items ideas or individuals without using an obvious key word

What should you identify when you find a contrast?

The items ideas or individuals that are being opposed to each other

Identifying Comparisons

Look for items ideas or individuals that an author makes similar to each other

Comparison Key Words

Like, as, likewise, similarly, in the same way, equally, as with

What do you do when you find a comparison key word?

Circle the key word and write the curvy equal sign above it

What do you do after marking a comparison key word?

Write a note in the margin explaining what is being compared

What is a comparison?

When an author presents two or more items ideas or individuals as similar to each other

Does every comparison have a key word?

No an author can make a comparison without using an obvious key word

What should you identify when you find a comparison?

The items ideas or individuals that the author is making similar

Identifying Cause and Effect

Look for relationships in which one thing causes or explains another thing that happens

Cause and Effect Key Words

Because, for, since, as a result, therefore, on account of, that, then consequently, thus, so

What do you do when you find a cause-and-effect key word?

Mark the parts of the sentence with C and E to indicate the relationship.

What do you do after finding a cause-and-effect key word?

Identify which part of the sentence is the cause and which part is the effect

How do you record a cause-and-effect relationship in the margin?

Write out what is causing what using arrows

How do you show a cause-and-effect relationship with an arrow?

Cause → Effect

Does every cause-and-effect relationship have a key word?

No an author can show a cause-and-effect relationship without using an obvious key word

Identifying a List

Look for more than two things listed by an author

What do you do when you find a list?

Write numbers above each item in the text and circle the numbers

What do you do after numbering a list in the text?

Create a title for the list and write out the list in the margin

How many items must be present to use this tool?

More than two items

How do you mark the items in a list?

Write a number above each item in the text and circle each number

What do you write in the margin when identifying a list?

A title for the list and the items in the list

Why do you create a title for a list?

To summarize what the items in the list have in common or what the author is grouping together

What question can help you create a title for a list?

What do these items have in common or what are they a list of

but

Identifying Contrasts

rather

Identifying Contrasts

instead

Identifying Contrasts

rather than

Identifying Contrasts

like

Identifying Comparisons

as

Identifying Comparisons

likewise

Identifying Comparisons

similarly

Identifying Comparisons

in the same way

Identifying Comparisons

because (cause always follows)

Identifying Cause and Effect

for (if can be subbed with “because”)

Identifying Cause and Effect

since

Identifying Cause and Effect

as a result

Identifying Cause and Effect

therefore

Identifying Cause and Effect

more than two items

Identifying a List