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Conflicting Worldviews

Conflicting Worldviews. The Lutheran Teacher’s Struggle for Our Children’s Souls. Lesson 1 : What Worldviews Are and Why Christians Should Understand Them.

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Conflicting Worldviews

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  1. Conflicting Worldviews The Lutheran Teacher’s Struggle for Our Children’s Souls

  2. Lesson 1: What Worldviews Are and Why Christians Should Understand Them We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

  3. 1. What is a worldview? • Weltanschauung • A set of presumptions or assumptions to which one holds • How an individual looks at life and the world • Like putting on a pair of glasses … • The way we think the world works and how we fit into it (Chuck Colson at http://www.breakpoint.org) • Most people have more than one worldview, shaped by multiple influences that often overlap • Formed in the heart and mind • Often absorbed by osmosis and held unawares by the individual

  4. What is a worldview? Discuss: • What are some factors that can influence worldview (see 2 Timothy 4:3,4)? • What is the source of a truly objective and truthful worldview (see John 17:17b)? • What is the source of all false worldviews (see John 8:44)?

  5. 2. Prevalent Worldviews Today • Postmodernism • Neo-Marxism • Naturalism • Nihilism • Utilitarianism • Feminism • Pantheism • Paganism • Secular humanism • Darwinism • Existentialism • Communism • Lutheranism, Catholicism, Calvinism, Evangelicalism • Islam, Judaism, Mormonism NOTE: The list includes both philosophiesand religions

  6. 3. Searching the Scriptures Does worldview really matter? Doesn’t the Bible tell us not to judge what others believe? • Matthew 7:1 • John 7:24 • I John 4:1 • Acts 17 (esp. vv. 10-12) • Galatians 5:9 • Hebrews 13:8 For the good of the church on earth, Christians must judge worldviews (Thompson).

  7. How Are Worldviews Dangerous? • Worldviews are often subtle and pervasive (see Rev. 2:13-16 and contrast it with Rev. 3:8-10) See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophywhich depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than Christ. (Colossians 2:8) Discuss: • A false worldview can sound good, be necessary, normal, beneficial, etc. Give examples.

  8. A Lutheran Confessional Worldview Christian vs. biblical vs. Lutheran Confessional worldviews: What is the difference (see pp. 8-10)? • The Book of Concord (1580) • Apostles’ Creed (3rd century) • Nicene Creed (Nicaea 325; Constantinople 381) • Athanasian Creed (5th century) • Small Catechism (Luther 1529) • Large Catechism (Luther 1529) • Augsburg Confession (Melanchthon 1530) • Apology to the Augsburg Confession (Melanchthon 1530) • SmalcaldArticles (Luther 1537) • Treaty on the Power and Primacy of the Pope (at Smalcald 1537) • Formula of Concord (committee of Lutherans 1577)

  9. Why Christians Should Study Worldviews • Satan loves to deceive • To better understand the confessional Christian worldview • To better grasp false world views and how they conflict with God’s Word • To spot false views and manifestations in our culture (see Romans 16:17,18) • To guard our faith • See I Peter 3:15 • See Acts 17:16-31 • To better love our neighbor caught up in a false worldview End of lesson 1. Next time: The Christian (Confessional Lutheran) Worldview—The Standard Against Which to Measure All Others

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