1. What is a Worldview?
Why do we need one?

2. What is a Worldview? A way to observe and interpret reality
A way to understand the world around us.
Can enhance or limit our ability to observe and interpret reality
Past experiences and knowledge
Present experience and situation
Present worldview

3. Worldviews can be: Personal – shaped by one’s personal experience and knowledge. Example: a child bitten by a dog may fear all dogs Communal – A group’s interpretation of reality. Example: Familial, Cultural, Religious, Socioeconomic

4. Four Worldviews
1. Cosmocentric – World or nature centred. Nature expresses the divine and is full of the spirit of the sacred. People are part of the web and must honour it

5. 2. Theocentric – God Centred; God is the source and centre of life
2. Theocentric – God Centred; God is the source and centre of life. All meaning comes from our relationship with God. The purpose of life is to find relationship with God.

6. 3. Anthropocentric – Human Centred; Humans are the centre of the universe. Human dignity and worth are the most important things.
Takes 3 forms:
Christian Humanism: Humans central because they are created in God’s image.
Scientific Humanism: Science is humanity’s greatest achievement. All truth is found in scientific truth.
Secular Humanism: Humans are important because they are rational. It is reasonable for us to treat each other with respect.

7. 4. Secular – Society-Centred The values of the present society are most important. There’s no interest in eternal truths. No need to involve God in human activities. We follow what is acceptable.

8. Science vs. Religion
Our ability to reason means we seek to always understand reality
This quest leads to the incomprehensible or MYSTERY
Religion and science are both responses to mystery

9. Science and Religion: Responses to Mystery
Mystery = yet to be discovered
Mystery = transcendent and partially undiscoverable
Mystery is the unknown that is knowable
Mystery is incomprehensible
Mystery is a puzzle
Mystery is essence
The response to mystery is to solve it
The response to mystery is to celebrate and embrace it (worship)

10. Christian Anthropology
Christian Anthropology: the view that we are part of the past, present and future, and that mystery is rooted in an human relationship with God.
Christ has died, risen and will come again. The mystery is that we have not realized our full relationship to God and the second coming will provide answers to this mystery.

11. Grandpa Joe Has Cancer
Grandpa Joe has cancer. He wants to end his life. Grandpa Joe is lonely. He is also feeling a great deal of pain, although he hasn't taken any medicine/pain killers to alleviate the pain.
He has two daughters Mary and Stella and a grandson named, Jerry.

12. You are Grandpa Joe. You represent the Secular world view.
Nobody really knows it, but the real reason you want to die is because you are afraid that you will become a burden on everyone once you become unable to care for yourself. You tell everyone this in a very subtle way in your conversations with them. Lately, you have heard a lot of stories in the media of people who want to die. The media and society in general seem to support this idea.
You represent the Secular world view.

13. You are Mary You represent the Theocentric world view.
You are Mary, the daughter of Grandpa Joe. You feel that no one has the right to kill a life even if that person wants to die. You believe that God created human beings and therefore life is sacred and can not be killed for any reason.
You represent the Theocentric world view.

14. You are Jerry
You are Jerry, Grandpa Joe's grandson. You don't understand why everyone is going so crazy over the fact that Grandpa Joe has cancer. You insist that the scientific means exist to alleviate pain. As well, you tell Grandpa that their is no excuse for his loneliness since their is plenty of public transportation available to him, the television is always on, and there are friends that he can chat to on the phone. If this wasn't the case you would understand his wish to die but as it stands now he has no excuse.
You represent the anthropocentric world view – scientific humanism.

15. You are Stella
You believe that your father, Grandpa Joe, has every right to kill himself if he so chooses to do so. You argue with your sister, Mary. You think that we must honour one another's opinions as long as we don't hurt anyone; and, Grandpa isn't hurting anyone. According to you, Grandpa's wishes are reasonable.
Your represent the anthropocentric world view – secular humanism.

16. What People Think About God
11 beliefs on the existence of God

17. Term
Meaning
DEIST
One who believes that God exists, but is far away and does not care for creation.
THEIST
One who believes that God exists and cares personally for creation.
ATHEIST
One who denies the existence of God.
ANTI-THEIST
One who opposes God even though God exists.
AGNOSTIC
One who claims that God may or may not exist and we cannot know either way.
POLYTHEIST
One who believes that there are many Gods.
MONOTHEIST
One who believes that there is only one God.
MONIST
One who believes there is an impersonal energy which underlies all existence
PANTHEIST
One who believes that God is present in all of nature, and does not exist outside nature.
HENOTHEIST
One who believes there are many Gods, but worships one God at a time.
PANENTHEIST
One who believes that God is in all things and above all things.