The term "worldview" is used to describe a core set of values and principles through which the world is understood. A worldview is a compilation of an individual's perceptions of the world, essentially the way a person understands reality. A person's worldview is very important, as it impacts virtually every decision in life. A specifically Christian worldview, then, would be viewing the world through a Christian/biblical lens. A Christian worldview is one in which the Bible is formative.
A worldview must come to grips with the three following questions: (1) Where did we come from and why are we here? (2) Why is there something terribly wrong with the world? (3) Can what is wrong with the world be fixed? Different worldviews answer these three core questions very differently. Let's contrast the Christian worldview with the naturalistic worldview on the three questions.
A naturalistic worldview would answer the three questions as follows: (1) We are the result of purposeless acts of nature. (2) We are what is wrong with the world, as we do not respect nature. (3) The world can be saved through environmentalism, conservation, and us coming to terms with our true nature. Common philosophies that come from a naturalistic worldview are moral/cultural relativism, existentialism, nihilism, and utopianism.
In contrast, a Christian worldview attempts to answer the three questions biblically: (1) God created humanity in His image so that we could have a meaningful relationship with Him and put us on the planet to rule over it (Genesis 1:27-29, 2:15). (2) We sinned against God, subjecting ourselves and the world to the curse of evil, decay, and death (Genesis 3; Romans 8:22). (3) God became a human being and sacrificed Himself to pay the penalty for sin and to one day restore creation to a perfect state (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Revelation 21–22). A Christian worldview should result in an adherence to moral absolutes and to belief in miracles, the value of human life, and the possibility of forgiveness/redemption.
A worldview is comprehensive in its impact. Our worldview affects everything we do, whether we recognize it or not. Our worldview affects how we spend money, how we treat our spouses and children, who we vote for, how we treat nature, what we choose to do with our time. A true and complete Christian worldview is not something that can exist only at church on Sundays. There is no separating a Christian worldview from everyday life. Jesus Himself is to be our worldview (John 14:6). Forming our worldview on His life and teachings is the only way to navigate through this world. That is what a Christian worldview is all about.
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