Biblical Worldview 1

Know the quote from G. K. Chesterton:

"Art and imagination has done more to advance the cause of evolution than any solid fossil evidence ever has."

The contrast between a naturalistic and biblical theistic view of human emotions: BIBLICAL THEISM

1). Emotions have much more than mere survival value, rather they point to true and objective, and especially the intrinsic, worth and value of God in the life He has created. 2). Emotions are messengers, and a part of an elaborate design and plan to keep us focused on what is ultimately true and right. 3). Emotions seem to indicate that we can find fulfillment somewhere in this life, but especially in a life to come.

Worldview

1). Mental framework 2). Presuppositions 3). Meta narratives—master stories A worldview is a collection of presuppositions about life and the world that influence the way I live my life in the world.

Concluding remarks on God's relationship to morality, continued

2). We can, thus, agree that ethics do not require any religious input from a functional standpoint in its applications. Ethics, and good ethics, can and do go on daily without any specific reference to God. But this is where we must part ways with the humanist assumption that ethics and religion are completely independent from each other and say from a foundational standpoint, ethics must find its ultimate ground in God's existence because if there is no God, then we humans are a mere accident of a mindless and meaningless universe.

The modern framing of the Euthyphro dilemma:

Is something good or right because God commands it, or does God command something because it is good or right? The more modern framing bypasses the whole polytheistic context. The version that atheists of all sorts use to (as they conclude) successfully defeat the general consensus of theists (who make morality a matter of what God commands). Their attacks are on the monotheistic religions (such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam) that all seek to ground their moralities in God's Commandments. The atheist then rephrases the Euthyphro dilemma for the monotheist like this: The Euthyphro dilemma is used by atheists to "make religion and ethics, God and morality, completely independent of each other and declare that God and religion are completely unnecessary to morality."

Basic problem in relation to life being created in a lab

Life cannot arise by an undirected, non-intelligent process.

What are Presuppositions?

Presuppositions are generally UNCHALLENGED ASSUMPTIONS about what is considered self-evidently true. They cannot be proven to be true with scientific certainty. But while they cannot be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, they must be proven beyond a REASONABLE doubt. Everyone has presuppositions, therefore, everyone has a worldview.

Meaning— purpose

WHY do human beings EXIST? What is our PURPOSE on this earth? Do love, family and human relationships really matter? Is life really worth living?

Why is it important that women were the first eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus?

"It is particularly striking that the earliest witnesses to Jesus' appearance were women. This makes it highly unlikely that the stories were invented by the early church. In the ancient world the testimony of women was regarded as worthless, so if anyone were going to invent a story about Jesus appearing to credible witnesses, women would not have been good candidates for the job. Yet all the Gospels agree that the first witnesses were women, and that the male disciples were initially unbelieving. This was an embarrassing story for the leadership of the early church, and therefore one that it would hardly have invented." ~C. Stephen Evans

Creation vs Evolution

1). Origin 2). Identity 3). Meaning 4). Morality 5). Destiny

Key ideas for a biblical worldview

1). The Anthropic principle 2). Key idea of Biogenesis 3). The principle of irreducible complexity 4). The Fossil record

The creation orchard

If creation is true, the fossil record would reveal many different, clearly distinguishable species with major gaps separating them and with no links in between. The orchard of creation: separate kinds created individually from which similar species evolved. Genesis 1:24-25 supports the creation orchard model.

The tree of evolution: a common ancestor from which all other species evolved.

If evolution was true, the fossil record would be littered with transitional forms that bridge the gap between species with no major gaps in the process.

A better, coherent approach to establishing the necessity of a theistic basis for morality: The necessity of atheistic basis for morality as argued from human value.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to find a worldview outside Biblical Theism that provides a solid foundation for affirming inherent, or intrinsic, human dignity and worth. 1). Morality largely has to do with how we treat one another, and the belief that how we treat each other really matters. 2). There is an underlying and unchallenged moral assumption in nearly every society that human life is important and worth preserving, and that each individual should be treated with dignity and respect. 3). Many things point to this reality. 4). Most societies and individuals have this assumption, but could not explain why. 5). The best explanation for this reality is that humans have intrinsic/inherent value of which most people are intuitively aware. 6). Yet to have such value, it must be indisputable that human life is really important and worth preserving. Human value must be a fact, not a fiction. 7). The only way that this can be a fact, is that humanity has had this value from the beginning of its existence. This applies to every individual. 8). What worldview offers this explanation? 9). Pantheism or materialism? Both of these views promote the idea that human life has an impersonal origin, and that ultimately, its value is nothing more than a convenient illusion. 10). In either of these basic alternatives to Christianity, human life has no real intrinsic worth because there is no fixed, or certain basis for affirming it. 11). A biblical Judeo-Christian view of humanity offers fixed and certain basis for affirming true dignity and value in human life.

The Anthropic principal in scripture

Proverbs 3:19-20 19- The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens. 20- by knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He has established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord; and there is none else.

What are the consequences of consistently applying the same standards to the New Testament documents to other documents of antiquity?

"To be skeptical of the resultant text of the new testament books is to allow all of classical antiquity to slip into obscurity, for no documents of the ancient period are as well attested bibliographically as the New Testament." ~John Warwick Montgomery

What verses are important for the internal evidence test and why?

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Another test scholars use to establish a documents historicity is the internal evidence test. This test considers the documents themselves and what they say. It states that He was seen at Cephas, then of the 12, and after that He was seen of above 500 brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain living, others not. Note the capitalized words below: Paul states "for I deliver unto you first of all THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED", and "THAT CHRIST DIED for our sins", and "HE WAS BURIED and rose again".

Know the statement(s) about truth and which is/are correct, p15

1) Truth and the law of non-contradiction: What does the word truth mean? According to Aristotle, "to say of what is, that it is, and what is not, that it is not, is true. To say of what is, that it is not, and what is not, that it is, is false." 2) Truth claims are statements that are either true or false: they make an assertion about reality; or what is or is not the case. Normally, the one who makes the claim believes it to be true and wants others to believe that is true. Commonly, when someone makes a truth claim, they are proposing to be saying something that corresponds to what is the actual case, or reality. Truth claims = propositions = ASSERTIONS about reality BUT does it correspond TO reality? Truth = CORRESPONDENCE to reality

The 5 megathemes are:

1). Creation 2). Corruption 3). Covenant 4). Consummation 5). Christ

The seven E's for proving the resurrection and their best general description: EFFICIENCY, EMPTY, EARLIEST, EYEWITNESSES, EVANGELISTIC ENTHUSIASM, EMERGENCE/EXPANSION, EXPERIENCE

1). EFFICIENCY of crucifixion The New Testament repeatedly affirms that Christ died as do historical records outside of the Bible that attest to the certainty of His death. Jesus was dead, not merely fainted or passed out. 2). EMPTY tomb Why is it that the tomb of Jesus is empty, yet you can visit the tombs of Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed, etc.? 3). EARLIEST records The New Testament is unique in history as it boasts the most existing copies of any document from antiquity. Further, they are copies that are less removed in time from the events they record than any other ancient manuscripts considered to be historically reliable by scholars. What they record is that Jesus definitely had risen from the dead, and they indicate that this is a belief that arose early among the first Christians and was passed on to successive generations of Christians. Scholars use several texts to demand the historicity, or historical authenticity, of ancient texts. One of these is called the bibliographical test.

The contrast between a naturalistic and biblical theistic view of human emotions: NATURALISM

1). Emotions, like everything else in a naturalistic framework, ultimately came to be by pure accident, and random, chance mutations over time, and serve no ultimate purpose. 2). Emotions can only be explained in terms of survival value, but some emotions like awe and guilt are not necessary to survival, so why do we have them? 3). Even emotions that can be said to have survival value point to purpose and design in our having them.

How should Christians relate God to the moral life?

1). Ethics as imitation. "To know the love of God and trust in it, is to become a people of love. To know the mercy of God is to become a people who are merciful. To know the creator God who cares for the earth and everything in it is to become a people who are good stewards of that creation. To know God in Jesus Christ as the one who gave himself up for all people is to be a people ready to receive and affirm the worth of all people, even our enemies. To know God in Jesus as the creator and redeemer of all life is to be a people who uphold the value of life. In these and many other ways we become a people whose choices in life for the right and good are a reenactment of God's action in our life."

Identify specific historical facts about Jesus and his disciples from Tacitus' Annals.

1). He regards "CHRISTUS" as the founder of the movement that was by the mid 60s identified as "CHRISTIANS." This point also counters the idea that Paul invented Christianity. Instead it was Christus who inspired the Christians. 2). He CONFIRMS THE EXECUTION OF JESUS UNDER PILATE DURING THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS IN JUDEA, THE FIRST SOURCE OF THE MOVEMENT. 3). He indicates that JESUS' DEATH "CHECKED" THE CHRISTIAN FAITH FOR A TIME. This seems to mean that they were silent and inactive for a while, and then later "BROKE OUT" and spread Christianity from Judea all the way to Rome itself. 4). He confirms that following being "checked" for a "moment" that it again "BROKE OUT" sometime after Christ's death. 5). He identifies JUDAEA AS THE "SOURCE" of the movement, and that it had,BY THE MID 60'S AD, SPREAD ALL THE WAY TO ROME. 6). He indicates that Christians in Rome in the mid 60s AD were being TORTURED HANDS OF THE EMPEROR NERO for their faith.

Three ways Christ's resurrection is central to the Christian faith: CONFIRMS : PROVES : SEALS

1). It CONFIRMS all that Christ taught about human DESTINY and future judgment (that there really is an afterlife, and that in it all will give an account for their beliefs and behavior while living on earth. 2). It PROVES that Christ was Whom He claimed to be: the Son of God (a claim to personal deity). 3). It SEALS the promise of eternal life with Christ to all who believe the gospel.

Who were the first to skeptics who converted to believe in Christ?

1). JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JESUS, a skeptic who was hostile to Jesus before the crucifixion, but after the crucifixion, became a committed follower of Christ, calling himself, "the servant of the Lord, Jesus Christ," rising to prominent leadership in the church and according to Josephus, was killed as a martyr (most likely for his testimony to Jesus and leading the church). The best explanation for James' transformation is in the tradition of the church that Paul shared with the Corinthian's, that Jesus, after His resurrection "appeared to James". 2). SAUL, The Pharisee who became Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ. What can best explain such a sustained turnaround that led this man not only to proclaim Jesus, but also to repeatedly suffer for His message?

Regarding tests 1-3: CCR C orrespondence C oherence R elevance

1). The Bible is clear that our faith is never merely believing in what we cannot see or prove; it does not call us to "blind faith". 💝It calls us to believe what is not seen based on what we have observed right in front of our eyes💝. 2). The biblical writers never ask us to believe simply because we have been told. The writers strive to provide evidence to support the faith to which they called their readers.

Concluding remarks on God's relationship to morality

1). We can conduct ethics completely within the realm of human experience. We can agree with a humanist who says that ethics can be considered and discussed completely independent from religion. We hold, however, that God made it that way, knowing that many would not believe in or acknowledge His authority. If people did not respect others or their rights unless they believed in God this would be a more dangerous world than it is. Further, it would have been a complete absurdity on God's part. It seems most reasonable to say that God made humans in his image, partly which includes a moral sense, or a built-in moral capacity which presupposes a general respect for human life. This moral sense in humanity was part of his plan for preserving that humanity. Reference: Genesis 26:5 & 10-11, Romans 2:14-15, Acts 28:4.

Worldviews of Western materialism, Eastern mysticism and Monotheism, and what happens to humans after death

1). Western materialism— Nothing, death is the end of it all. Annihilation, or nothingness, is all that awaits us. If we do live on in any way after we die, it is in those whose lives we influenced while still living. (naturalists, atheists, secular humanist, materialists). 2). Eastern mysticism— According to our karma we will be reborn, or reincarnated, and return to the cycle of living and dying, (SAMSARA), unless we have done what it takes to be delivered, (MOKSHA), from the cycle and achieved Nirvana. If and when we achieve Nirvana we will be absorbed into BRAHMAN, the impersonal everything, and will no longer be subject to samsara. 3). Monotheism— We only have one life to live, and once it's over, we will face judgment before God who will either reward or punish us eternally. (Judaism, Christianity, Islam).

Worldview descriptions/definitions

1). Worldview is a MENTAL FRAMEWORK through which we interpret ideas, information and events to make as much sense as possible of our life and the lives and experiences of others. 2). It is a set of PRESUPPOSITIONS by which we order our lives and that deeply influence (consciously or unconsciously) our religious, ethical and social beliefs, values and practices. 3). Worldviews can also be thought of as META NARRATIVES or MASTER STORIES believed to encompass and explain everyone else's story. 🌟4). A worldview is a collection of presuppositions about life and the world that influence the way I live my life in the world.

Regarding tests 1-3: continued

3). The writers cared a great deal about evidence. They never asked people to believe "on faith alone". The skeptic may not believe their testimony, but they cannot argue that the Bible asks people to "simply believe" with "ungrounded faith" something for which there is "no evidence." 4). Christians need not fear nor reject science. Science means, literally, "knowledge." Whether we are studying the solar system or cells, we are gaining knowledge, or science. Science about creation can be properly used to effectively help Christians make their case for biblical theism.

The seven E's, continued EFFICIENCY, EMPTY, EARLIEST, EYEWITNESSES, EVANGELISTIC ENTHUSIASM, EMERGENCE/EXPANSION, EXPERIENCE

6). The EMERGENCE and EXPANSION of the early church. For the same reasons mentioned, this makes no sense unless the earliest believers were motivated by a strong belief in the resurrection of their Lord and Savior. It is difficult if not impossible to explain the existence of the Christian movement and it's expansion through the ancient world in the midst of harsh persecution apart from the strongly held conviction of the disciples that Jesus had risen. 7). EXPERIENCE of believers through the ages. When coming to Christ and obeying his teachings as given in the New Testament, one experiences a life transformation that cannot be explained through mere personal reform.

4 things Christians should avoid doing when connecting morality to God

Avoid connecting God to morality by saying: 1). without God there is no punishment for wrongdoing. 2). the highest motivation to do good is eternal reward. 3). that humans need divine surveillance to do right. 4). Lastly, deny the atheist true goodness, morality and virtue just because they do not believe in God. References: Genesis 26:5 & 10-11, Romans 2:14-15, Acts 28:4.

Tests

Bibliographical test Internal evidence test

What do western materialism and eastern mysticism share in common?

Both of these views promote the idea that human life has an impersonal origin, and that ultimately it's value is nothing more than a convenient illusion. In either of these basic alternatives to Christianity, human life has no real intrinsic worth, because there is no fixed, or certain basis for affirming it.

Megatheme 5 Christ

Christ The centerpiece or hub of the biblical metanarrative. The One in whom all history, both cosmic and earthly, is summed up.

Megatheme 4 Consummation

Consummation The end of all things in which God will put everything right again and establish His kingdom in the new creation, the new heavens and the new earth.

Tests of worldview

Correspondence to reality; empirical adequacy Coherence, law of non contradiction; logical consistency Relevance, complexity; Existential relevancy

Megatheme 2 Corruption

Corruption Humans through their disobedience became sinful and brought a curse to the whole earth and condemnation to themselves. Death and depravity resulted in and spread throughout the human race.

Megatheme 3 Covenant

Covenant God seeks to restore the relationship with humans through establishing special arrangements with them, so that He, a holy God, could dwell with sinful humans. First, He redeems and establishes His chosen nation — Israel, through whom He would bring His chosen Messiah — Christ, with whom He would eventually redeem the world, as He proposed from the beginning.

Megatheme 1 Creation

Creation God made all things, but made humans uniquely in His image, giving them a special dignity and worth. Humans were made for an intimate relationship with their Creator and with a very particular role in His world.

Origin— accident or design

Did the universe come to be by ACCIDENT or DESIGN? How did the universe begin? How did life first begin? How did intelligent, self-conscious life develop?

Identity— value

Does human life have intrinsic/inherent VALUE? What does it mean to be "human"?

Memory Verses

EPHESIANS 4:14-15 v14 children, doctrine, sleight, deceive That we henceforth be no more CHILDREN, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of DOCTRINE, by the SLEIGHT of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to DECEIVE; ‭ v15 but, truth, grow, head BUT speaking the TRUTH in love, may GROW up into Him in all things, which is the HEAD, even Christ."

Tests of worldview — (1.) CORRESPONDENCE (to reality)

Empirical adequacy. This test asks whether one's beliefs provide an adequate explanation for the existence and nature of the universe, life, human uniqueness, etc. Do they correspond with what is observed in the physical world? This is the basic definition of truth —correspondence to reality. Key ideas for a biblical worldview 1). The Anthropic principle: The universe was designed with humans in mind, biblically supported by Proverbs 3:19-20 and Isaiah 45:18. 2). Key idea of Biogenesis: Life comes only from life. 3). The principle of irreducible complexity: Without one of the parts, the system falls apart. 4). The Fossil record: The missing links are still missing.

Tests of worldview — (3.) RELEVANCE (complexity)

Existential relevancy. This test asks whether the presuppositions of a worldview adequately account for our complex emotions and provide a reasonable prospect for the fulfillment of our deep-seated desires such as worth, hope, meaning, truth. Do they work in the real world?

H O P E

H eaven O ur P romised E ternity 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 specifically mentions "hope" as it relates to Jesus' resurrection and that of those who believe in Him.

How does western materialism and eastern mysticism fail as a basis for the concept of human dignity and value?

In eastern mysticism, or pantheism, everything, including human life, is Maya, or illusion. In western materialism, everything, including human life, is matter in motion, and ultimately meaningless. If all reality is nothing more than matter in motion, then nothing really matters at all.

The law of non-contradiction

It is the basic law of logic that states if one statement is true, it's exact opposite is false. No two propositions, which contain contrary claims, can both be true (1) at the same time and (2) in the same respect. For a statement to be meaningful or true, it cannot be contradictory. This is foundational to getting at truth. ***Contradictory propositions about the same subject cannot both be true.*** It applies to all experience and cannot be denied without using it.

Can conflicting worldviews be equally and objectively true?

JEWS 🇮🇱 do not believe that Jesus is Gods son or their promised Messiah, and consequently reject him as their Savior. CHRISTIANS ⛪️ believe Jesus to be God incarnate (God taking on human form and flesh), who came into the world He created to die by crucifixion to save sinners and give them eternal life. MUSLIMS ☪️ view Jesus not as God, or as Gods son, but as one of many prophets sent by allah. They also deny that Jesus died by crucifixion or rose again from death.

Tests of worldview — (2.) COHERENCE (non contradiction)

Logical consistency. This test considers the belief system as a system. It asks how the various elements relate to each other. Do they hold together as a system, supporting and not contradicting each other like the links in a chain? A coherent worldview finds no need to borrow ideas from other worldviews to fill in the gaps that it has in it sound; instead it is a complete and consistent system by itself. "If I begin in insignificance, and I end in insignificance, how can I possibly have any significance in between?"

What is essentialism and how does it help us respond biblically to Euthyphro's dilemma?

Right is rooted in the unchanging essence and character of God. This is the doctrine of essentialism. The answer to Euthyphro's dilemma is essentialism.

The problem with subjectivism & conventionalism

Subjectivism— A persons true moral beliefs are seen more in their EXPECTATIONS rather than their statements or even their actions. Denying God and moral absolutes is often an attempt to live as one pleases without the burden of guilt. Conventionalism— Social reformers of the past were in the wrong, because they were in the minority. Criticism of any practice of another society (human rights violations, war crimes, etc.) is unjustifiable. MAJORITY rules. Any consistently held form of relativism such as these provides no basis for resisting a might makes right approach to ethics, which may be summed up as: there's no such thing as right and wrong, all there is is weak and strong.

Distinguish between subjectivism and conventionalism

Summary of moral relativism: MORAL **********RELATIVISM************ Subjectivism: right is what I say. Conventionalism: right is what society says.

Basic & conflicting worldviews

THEISM GOD ➡️ NATURE DEISM GOD ↩️ NATURE NATURALISM/MATERIALISM G🚫D NATURE PANTHEISM GOD = NATURE/NATURE = GOD

Four basic and seriously conflicting worldviews (know diagrams only) THEISM-DEISM-NATURALISM-PANTHEISM

THEISM GOD ➡️ NATURE (God created and governs nature but is not equivalent to it.) DEISM GOD ↩️ NATURE (God created nature but then leaves it to itself to run on its own.) NATURALISM/MATERIALISM G🚫D NATURE (The natural, material world is all that exists. There is no God.) PANTHEISM GOD = NATURE/NATURE = GOD (God and nature are one. God is all things and all things are god or a part of god.)

Megathemes of the Biblical Master Story

The Bible is a metanarrative, and should have similar effects on us as these metanarratives had on the main characters. The 5 megathemes are: 1). Creation 2). Corruption 3). Covenant 4). Consummation 5). Christ

What would the fossil record look like if evolution is true?

The diagram in figure 6 shows a complete fossil record. However, diagram 7 shows the fossil record according to current science. The majority of the links are missing.

Know the statement(s) about truth and which is/are correct, p16, continued

The wagon is red. The moon is cheese. Both of these are truth claims, or propositions, but both are not true. Both do not correspond to reality, or the actual state of affairs. Even the cystic thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Sigmund Freud identify "correspondence" to reality as the foundation to a proper understanding of truth. Such statements are also called propositions. Thus, truth claims equal propositions equal assertions ABOUT reality and truth equals correspondence TO reality. All truth claims exclude whatever contradicts them. "Correspondence ensures truth". "Correspondence with the real we call truth". Although being a truth claim or proposition, statements may or may not be true. They must correspond to reality, or the actual state of affairs. Even atheists identify "correspondence" to reality as the foundation to a proper understanding of truth. Bertrand Russell states "correspondence ensures truth". Sigmund Freud said "correspondence with the real we call truth."

The seven E's, continued EFFICIENCY, EMPTY, EARLIEST, EYEWITNESSES, EVANGELISTIC ENTHUSIASM, EMERGENCE/EXPANSION, EXPERIENCE

What are the two considerations of the bibliographical test as it relates to proving the historicity (historical accuracy) of the New Testament records? (1). The bibliographical test, the number of existing manuscript copies of an ancient writing we have. (2). The period of time between the writing and the oldest copies we have. 4). EYEWITNESSES The New Testament affirms, not only that Christ's tomb was empty, but also that there were numerous eyewitnesses to his resurrection. He did not just disappear, but rather "was seen" by numerous eyewitnesses and this according to the earliest records. Perhaps the most significant eyewitnesses were ultimately the very first ones; namely, the women, and two skeptics who became Jesus' followers. 5). EVANGELISTIC ENTHUSIASM of the disciples. Frank Morrison, a journalist and skeptic who set out to disprove Christianity, was overwhelmed by the evidence proving the opposite, and converted to Christianity. The lynchpin for him was the dramatic conversion of the disciples who, after being downcast and fearful, emerged in the city of Jerusalem proclaiming the resurrection of Christ under threat of death in the same place and by the same authorities who had crucified Jesus.

Destiny— death

What happens to us when we DIE? Will what we believed and how we behaved in this life matter? Will we be accountable?

Morality— principles

Who has the RIGHT to make the rules: God or man? How should we live? What is the basis for our ethical decision making? Are there any objective/absolute moral principles or is morality completely subjective/relative?