Developing a Biblically Consistent Worldview

The historical philosophical framework:

Ontology:

entos – of being; logia – science, study, theory;

• relationships of being;
• to study conceptions of reality

Epistemology:

pistos – to know or believe, to have faith – to believe;

A search for answers to the questions "What do you know?" and "How do you know it?" - Ontology can be represented as a search for an answer to the question "What is the nature of the knowable things?”

How practical are principles of Ethics? Let’s look at just a few ethical principles:

1.         Veracity: tell the truth

2.         Fidelity: keep your word

3.         Gratitude: does this one need an explanation?

4.         Reparation: bring equity, or right a wrong

5.         Beneficence: do good

6.         Nonmaleficence: don’t harm

7.         Justice: equitable distribution of risks and benefits

8.         Resource allocation: equitable distribution of resources

9.         Universality: applies to everyone…regardless

10.        Utility: greatest benefit/least harm to greatest number of people

11.        Autonomy: making one’s own decisions (also called the “respect for persons” principle)

12.        Confidentiality: holding entrusted information

13.        *Teleological or Finality: nothing exists or was made except for a determinate end (predestination in Theology)

There are others. There are also various ‘schools’ of ethics: Bio-Ethics, Utilitarian, Consequential theory of ethical reasoning, Aristotelian, Platonic, Augustinian…

• brought to its end, finished
• wanting nothing necessary to completeness
• perfect
• that which is perfect
  • consummate human integrity and virtue
  • of men
    • full grown, adult, of full age, mature

To ‘view’ the world is to evaluate our conceptions of the

• reality of conditions
• motives
• relationships
• threats
• opportunities (material and ethereal)
• balances of power
• analysis of risks/benefits
• ideal goals
• potential for realized goals
• social system ideals
• risks/benefits of ideals transference (i.e., ‘democracy’ – as a western ideal)
• Involvement for the sake of changing the individual or the group

How is our knowledge shaped by the

• ‘news’ media?
• Westernized Christianity? (denominationalism; Bible Belt; etc.)
• Cultural distinctions and values?
• Accuracy/inaccuracy of presumptions?
• Faces and features – first hand awareness?

How does our motivation affect our mission?

Areas in which a Christian needs a Biblically consistent and comprehendible worldview: