christian worldview

atheism

disbelief in the existence of a God or Gods

cognitive dissonance

an uncomfortable state in which a person holds inconsistent or contradictory ideas or beliefs, particularly in relation to morality and conduct

“I know this is bad, but I still do it—and I find a way to justify it.”

coherence test

a worldview that examines the internal consistency and rational coherence of worldview assumptions (“Do the different beliefs within this worldview fit together logically, or do they contradict each other”?)

-ideas contradict

example=

christian belief: every person has value because humans are created in the image of God

coherence: this supports the christian belief that human life has inherent dignity and should be treated with respect

test: the beliefs work together without contradicting one another

key words: “is consistent”, “fits together'“, or “contains contradictions”

correspondence test

asks whether a belief or claim matches reality (“Is this belief actually true based on what we can observe, experience, or know abut reality?”)

-claim doesn’t match what is actually happening

example=

claim: humans are capable of doing both good and evil

correspondence test: we can observe people making both moral and immoral choices

conclusion: the claim corresponds with observable human experience

key words: “matches reality”, “is true”, or “agrees with facts/evidence”

practical test

focuses on applying beliefs to real-life situations (Does this worldview work when applied to real-life situations?)

example=

belief: christians should be truthful

practical test: a student chooses no to cheat on an exam, even when cheating might seem easier

key idea: the worldview influences an actual decision

key words: application, action, behavior, everyday life, lived out

naturalism

worldview that nature and the physical universe are all that exist, it rejects the existence of a supernatural God and explains life, the universe, and human beings through natural processes like science, matter, energy, and evolution

way to remember: only the natural/physical world exists'; no supernatural reality

test clue words: nature, physical world, mater, science, no supernatural, no God, natural processes

supernaturalism

worldview that reality includes both the natural world and a supernatural realm. it holds that there are realities or beings beyond what can be explained solely by the physical world, such as, God, angels, and spiritual beings

ways to remember: the belief that a supernatural reality exists beyond the physical/natural world

test clue words: God, spiritual realm, supernatural, miracles, angels, beyond nature

agnosticism

belief that we cannot know for certain whether God exists. an agnostic person may be unsure about God’s existence or believe that it is impossible to know for sure

ways to remember: uncertainty about whether God exists or whether His existence can be known

test clue words: uncertain, don’t know, cannot know, unsure, Gods existence cannot be proven/known

platonism

worldview associated with plato that teaches that reality includes an eternal, unchanging realm of perfect ideas or “forms”. the physical world we experience is imperfect and changing, while the forms represent perfect realities such as true, goodness, and beauty

ways to remember: the belief that an eternal, perfect nonphysical reality exists beyond the changing physical world

test clue words: plato, forms, perfect ideas, eternal, unchanging, nonphysical reality, ideal

pantheism

the belief that God and the universe are essentially the same thing

ways to remember: God is everything, and everything is God

God= universe/everything

theism

belief that God exists and is actively involved in the universe

ways to remember: belief in the existence of God who created and can interact with the world

polytheism

belief in multiple gods

monotheism

belief in only one God

ultimate reality

the absolute, supreme, and final person, power, principle, or substance underlying the universe

christian example: God is the ultimate reality because God is the eternal Creator and source of all creation

“A person says, ‘I don't speak English,’ while speaking English.”

coherence —> contradiction

“A person claims something happened and researchers examine evidence.”

correspondence —> does it match reality?

“A person believes they should forgive others and actually forgives someone who hurt them.”

practical —> belief is being lived out