Christians believe that the only system of thought and interpretation of reality is the one where Christ is the starting point, as Athanasius said. The ABCs of the Christian worldview is that God is in the equation and man cannot live without God--He is not dead! Will Durant, a historian, has said, "The central question [issue] of our time is whether man can live without God." When Friedrich Nietzsche declared that God is dead, he meant this and that He is no longer needed to explain things or that we can live without Him, i.e., irrelevant. The denial of God opens the door to multiple false worldviews that are all bleak in outlook because they deny ultimate purpose, meaning, or intentional design.
Without God in our metric or dynamic, there is no basis for knowledge, meaning, or hope. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (cf. Proverbs 1:7). The alternatives are this: Begin with God and explain reality or the cosmos, or begin with the cosmos and your understanding of it and explain God or explain Him away. The Bible categorically states, "In the beginning God...." This means God was before the beginning and created time in which we dwell. Man is not the measure of all things as humanists postulate.
What are the basic tenets? Theologically, we believe in monotheism and Christ-centered, and all other forms of faith are paganism or primitive. Academia denies supernaturalism as a rule, but this is the whole basis of Christian thought--that God has revealed His truth to us propositionally and personally through the incarnation of Christ to us as absolute truth, who said, "I am the truth" (cf. John 14:6). (Christianity is a "revealed religion").
What are the basic tenets? Theologically, we believe in monotheism and Christ-centered, and all other forms of faith are paganism or primitive. Academia denies supernaturalism as a rule, but this is the whole basis of Christian thought--that God has revealed His truth to us propositionally and personally through the incarnation of Christ to us as absolute truth, who said, "I am the truth" (cf. John 14:6). (Christianity is a "revealed religion").
Ethically, we believe in moral absolutes and they are knowable, and not relative or open to debate. Scientifically, Creation in the Bible account is taken at face value and evolution is denied because we believe in creation science or creationism that the Bible is literally true in the account of Genesis. Psychologically, man has a soul and spirit, and is not a simple interaction of molecules and physical phenomena, to make him cognizant of himself, others, and God, and to relate appropriately--the mind and brain are distinct and the mind is immaterial and lives on after death. FURTHERMORE:
As far as institutions are concerned, the sanctity of the family is maintained, based on the inherent worth of the individual, and the ordained state and church are to keep evil at bay and spread God's Word respectively. Government is subject to God's Higher Law and does not have unlimited powers, but has responsibilities from God and is also accountable to God. It is said that government is a "social contract" but no specific form is sanctioned by Scripture; however the rule of law is basic to law and order--its primary task (to keep evil at bay). Law is the expression of God's character and consistent with it and the Bible is the basis of all Common Law--there also exists natural law that we all should be aware of and are responsible to know, which is above any government law. FURTHERMORE:
The economic system should be as open and free as possible with minimal interventionism by the government to control ethical practice, which means not entirely laissez-faire, but regulated as Adam Smith confessed it must be. Politically, Christianity affirms liberty and justice for all and equal opportunity, but not necessarily equal outcomes or the redistribution of wealth, though welfare has its precedent in Scripture. We believe in human rights such as the freedom of religion and speech, and they are conferred by God and merely recognized by the state. God is the owner of all and we are mere stewards and held accountable for His riches and blessings, which is manifest in the work ethic and generosity such as in alms.
As far as institutions are concerned, the sanctity of the family is maintained, based on the inherent worth of the individual, and the ordained state and church are to keep evil at bay and spread God's Word respectively. Government is subject to God's Higher Law and does not have unlimited powers, but has responsibilities from God and is also accountable to God. It is said that government is a "social contract" but no specific form is sanctioned by Scripture; however the rule of law is basic to law and order--its primary task (to keep evil at bay). Law is the expression of God's character and consistent with it and the Bible is the basis of all Common Law--there also exists natural law that we all should be aware of and are responsible to know, which is above any government law. FURTHERMORE:
The economic system should be as open and free as possible with minimal interventionism by the government to control ethical practice, which means not entirely laissez-faire, but regulated as Adam Smith confessed it must be. Politically, Christianity affirms liberty and justice for all and equal opportunity, but not necessarily equal outcomes or the redistribution of wealth, though welfare has its precedent in Scripture. We believe in human rights such as the freedom of religion and speech, and they are conferred by God and merely recognized by the state. God is the owner of all and we are mere stewards and held accountable for His riches and blessings, which is manifest in the work ethic and generosity such as in alms.
Finally, the course of history is culminating (consummating) in the Second Advent of Christ and does not repeat itself or is cyclical but linear. The story and course of history is creation, fall, redemption, judgment, and eternity. Christian history is centered on the veracity of the Scriptures and rejects the uniformitarian (no divine intervention. e.g., the deluge).
In contrast, postmodern thought is "theologically atheist, philosophically skeptical, ethically relativist, biologically evolutionist, psychologically soul-less, legally pragmatist, and politically leftist," according to David A. Noebel). To be a communist you must become an atheist. Marxists acknowledge "that God, whether known as a Supreme Being, Creator, or Divine Ruler, does not, cannot, and must not exist" (David A. Noebel).
In short, we have dignity as humans because we are in God's image, are here to glorify and enjoy God, and will be rewarded in eternity for our good deeds. We have true meaning in life and hope for the future that the other worldviews deny and seem bleak in comparison. There is no class envy, class consciousness, class struggle, or class warfare in Christianity since God is the Maker of the poor and the rich and takes care of His own, promising to meet their needs.
In contrast, postmodern thought is "theologically atheist, philosophically skeptical, ethically relativist, biologically evolutionist, psychologically soul-less, legally pragmatist, and politically leftist," according to David A. Noebel). To be a communist you must become an atheist. Marxists acknowledge "that God, whether known as a Supreme Being, Creator, or Divine Ruler, does not, cannot, and must not exist" (David A. Noebel).
In short, we have dignity as humans because we are in God's image, are here to glorify and enjoy God, and will be rewarded in eternity for our good deeds. We have true meaning in life and hope for the future that the other worldviews deny and seem bleak in comparison. There is no class envy, class consciousness, class struggle, or class warfare in Christianity since God is the Maker of the poor and the rich and takes care of His own, promising to meet their needs.
Most important is the concept that man is a sinner and lost and in need of redemption and salvation and the purpose of the church is to win souls for Christ. The Christian worldview is given by divine and supernatural revelation and this is declared in the Scriptures. Soli Deo Gloria!
