My Reflection Page

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Rylie Brown
Dordt University
KSP

Reflection on Worldview

Reflection on Worldview

It can be difficult to sum up your worldview. At least, I found it hard to put into words

what I had yet to figure out. I began to consider my worldview once I was seriously looking at

Dordt as my future college. I considered myself a Christian and other than that it was something I

had not thought a lot about. However, Dordt was a reformed school and if I was going to go there,

I decided I needed to know more about the Reformed Tradition and background. Besides reading

Letters to a Young Calvinist, I also consulted a friend of mine who had begun attending Dordt a

year before me and had grown up in the Reformed Tradition. He guided me through TULIP – the

five points of Calvinism – and we discussed many theological points in which he and the

Reformed community had strong beliefs about. This was a stark contrast to the foundation of my

beliefs which were rooted in very little theology and of which I had only considered briefly. As I

wrote this paper, I reflected on all that I had learned about the Reformed Christian Church and

where my worldview fell with regards to it. Since my time at Dordt, I have not taken an extensive

theology class and have not chosen to commit to the Reformed faith. However, I have appreciated

learning more about it and hope to continue to develop my worldview throughout my time at

Dordt.
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Worldview

by

Rylie Brown

Professor Dengler

KSP 151

October 17, 2017

I. Introduction:
A. Hook: anecdote about Songwon
B. Definition of worldview, definition of Christian worldview
C. Thesis
D. Set up
II. Origin and development of the word and concept
A. Origin of concept and origin of word
1. James Orr
2. Walsh and Middleton
B. Christian worldview
C. Calvinism
1. Ability of Calvinism to give insight to three relations to human life
2. Elements of Kuyper’s Calvinism
a. “Pillar Points”
b. Themes (explanations/implications)
3. Impact on science (specifically engineering)
III. Vocational Impact of a Christian Worldview
A. Application of Christian worldview
1. Shalom
2. Cultural mandate
B. DLVK passages
C. Particular vocation – engineer
1. Preparation/education
IV. Effect of Worldview on Scholarship
A. Christian approach to scholarship in universities
B. Difference between “Student who is a Christian” and “Christian Student”
C. Difference between worldview and philosophy
V. From Worldview to Philosophy
A. “Palegenesis” vs “ground motives”
B. “Multidimensionality” and “reductionism”
C. “Modes of being”
D. Structure vs direction
VI. Conclusion
A. Revisit anecdote
B. Redefine worldview
C. Restate thesis
D. Worldview/shalom in engineering
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Songwon walked into the house smiling nervously. She awkwardly extended her hand in

greeting as her new American host mom wrapped her in an excited hug. Already the difference

in culture was apparent. Originally from South Korea, Songwon was not used to embracing

someone so quickly, but America was different and as an international student here, she was

going to need to get used to their culture. As time went on, a variety of differences, in more than

just language, presented themselves. Although she spoke English very well and no one would

guess she was not born in the states, her worldview was quite different from other Americans

due to her cultural heritage, upbringing, and religious beliefs. A worldview, as defined by Walsh

and Middleton, is a “perceptual framework” or “way of seeing” (17). Therefore, a Christian

worldview as described by Naugle in Chapter One of his book Worldview: The History of a

Concept is an “attempt to provide a comprehensive explanation of reality that is rooted in the

Word of God” (4). Having a Christian worldview will be foundational to one’s philosophy and

ultimately way of behaving within his/her vocation. An understanding of worldviews, including

their history, implications, and subsequent philosophy will provide the background necessary for

comprehending the difference in being an engineer who is a Christian and a Christian engineer.

From the beginning of time, people have attempted to make sense of the world around

them. James Orr, in Naugle’s book Worldview: The History of a Concept discusses the concept

of worldview being “as old as thought itself” (9). He would argue that every religion and

philosophy since the beginning of time has had a worldview (9). So “what are the causes, he

asks, that lead to the formation of worldviews?” (9). According to Orr, “human beings are

motivated from within to find answers to the ‘why, whence, and whither’ questions of life” (10).

Walsh and Middleton would agree with Orr, saying that “a worldview provides a model of the

world which guides its adherents in the world” (32). They would say that a worldview is based in
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a “faith commitment” (35) and each person’s worldview is rooted in their answers to similar

questions of “who am I?” and “where did I come from?”, as well as, “what’s wrong” and “what

is the remedy?” (35). Answering these questions gives a basis for seeing the world in some sort

of order or pattern. Humans cannot escape having a worldview as they “must think and act in the

world” (Naugle 35).

The Christian worldview does in fact answer these questions in a “vision of reality”

(Naugle 8). The focus of the Christian worldview is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. For

“believing in the biblical presentation of Jesus entailed a host of additional convictions, forming

an overall view of things” (8). Christianity’s particular worldview, as Orr believes, has “its own

interpretation of reality rooted in a personal, holy, self-revealing God and a doctrine of

redemption” (10).

A specific Christian worldview takes the form of Calvinism. Kuyper argues in his

Lectures on Calvinism, originally delivered at Princeton and later published by WM. B.

Eerdmans Publishing Company, that “Calvinism made its appearance, not merely to create a

different Church-form, but an entirely different form for human life, to furnish human society

with a different method of existence, and to populate the world of the human heart with different

ideals and conceptions” (17). He argues that Calvinism has not only a way, but the best way to

fulfill the conditions for a life system: “our relation to God, our relation to man, and our relation

to the world” (19). Developing each of these conditions, Kuyper proves Calvinism “to claim for

itself the glory of possessing a well-defined principle and an all-embracing life-system” (32).

Calvinism’s stance on humanity’s relation to God is based in the idea that “God enters

into immediate fellowship with the creature, as God the Holy Spirit” (Kuyper 21). Calvinism

develops the idea that God wants “every square inch” () and controls every domain of life.
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Therefore, “the whole of a man’s life is to be lived as in the Divine Presence” (25). Another

aspect of existence Calvinism explains is the relation between men. Kuyper, and ultimately

Calvinism, says that “there is no uniformity among men, but endless multiformity” (26). In other

words, we are all created different from each other – man and woman, varying spiritual gifts, and

diverse personal experiences. Through the Calvinistic approach to God, an interpretation of

man’s relation to man has been derived. We are all before God as creatures and lost sinners;

therefore, we “have no claim whatsoever to lord over one another, and that we stand as equals

before God, and consequently equal as man to man” (27). In addition, Calvinism answers the

third condition of humanity’s relation to the world. The world is a “Divine creation, and has at

once placed to the front the great principle that there is a particular grace which works Salvation,

and also a common grace by which God, maintaining the life of the world, relaxes the curse

which rests upon it, arrests its process of corruption, and thus allows the untrammeled

development of our life in which to glorify Himself as Creator” (30). Consequently, we as

humans must recognize “that in the whole world the curse is restrained by grace, that the life of

the world is to be honored in its independence, and that we must, in every domain, discover the

treasures and develop the potencies hidden by God in nature and in human life” (31). Overall,

Calvinism adequately answers and explains the three conditions, thus proving its role and ability

to be an all-encompassing life system based in a Christian worldview.

Calvinism as defined by Kuyper revolves around three “pillar points” (Naugle 22). These

are the creation, fall, and redemption. To understand the Christian worldview, one must first

understand creation. The biblical account as detailed in Genesis answers the questions of “who

am I” and “where am I?”. God created us in his image to be image bearers, thus proclaiming

creation as very good. The story continues with the fall of mankind from the status of very good
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to a sinful nature, answering the question of “what’s wrong?”. The gospels then detail the

redemption story of Jesus Christ and the free gift of salvation He offers, summarizing how to

“remedy the situation”.

Kuyper also develops four themes intertwined with these “pillar points” (22). The first is

“the idea that God’s redemptive ‘grace restores nature’; that is salvation achieved by Jesus Christ

is cosmic in scope and entails the renewal of everything in creation to its original divine

purpose” (22). He goes on to assert that “God is sovereign and has ordered the universe and all

aspects of life within it by his law and word, thereby giving each things its particular identity,

preserving the wondrous diversity of creation, and preventing the usurpation of one sphere of

existence over another” (22). Third, the concept of “antithesis” appears, “namely, that the human

race is divided distinctly between believers who acknowledge the redemption and kingship of

Jesus Christ and unbelievers who do not, with the concomitant implications of both life

orientations across the whole spectrum of human existence” (23). Lastly, Kuyper affirms that

“the ‘cultural mandate’ in the opening chapters of Genesis, demonstrates that God intends the

progressive development of the creation in history as a fundamental human occupation to God’s

glory and for the benefit of mankind” (23). The concept of the cultural mandate and the call to

develop creation is further developed in the Dordt College textbook, Introduction to

Engineering, written by Kevin Timmer and including essays by D. Livid Vander Krowd.

Not only does Kuyper acknowledge that God allows Christians to be involved with

science, Calvinism creates a demand for engaging with scientific principles through its emphasis

on the cultural mandate. Both Kuyper in Lectures on Calvinism and Kevin Timmer in his essay,

“Shalom Seeking: The Engineering Edition”, point out the necessity for humans to develop the

creation. Timmer says:

God calls humanity to be stewards or managers of His creation, to bear His image by

ruling it as loving servants. As shalom seeking stewards God expects us to serve the

creation by enabling it to flourish in every conceivable way. Flourishing certainly means

that creation is allowed to thrive in its natural state, but it also includes responsible

unfolding or development of the creation through our technological activities (4).

Science, and specifically engineering, are not only allowed but encouraged vocations by God. He

desires us to fulfill the cultural mandate by creating, designing, and flourishing the creation into

new technologies that fulfill “legitimate needs” (DLVK 34). Therefore, being a Christian

engineer is a vocation that follows the worldview established by the Bible and developed by

Kuyper.

Being a Christian engineer requires a great deal of courage. To truly seek shalom in the

workplace, one may take actions that others find ludicrous. In essays written by D. Livid Vander

Krowd, he argues that being a Christian engineer is much more than an engineer who also

attends church on Sundays. DLVK proposes the idea of shalom, saying as engineers we should

strive to have different motives than the others working around us. One example he continually

uses throughout the book is regarding solar energy. While it may save a homeowner money,

DLVK argues monetary gain should not be the reason we invest in solar energy. Instead, he

claims that the benefit of solar energy to the poor, better use of natural resources, and reversal to

the original intent of the creation should be the top priorities in our work. The quote below from

D. Livid Vander Krowd’s essay, “Motives for Solar Development” should strike a chord with

Christian engineers around the world to ponder their Christian worldview and reevaluate its

impact in their vocation.

So getting back to the question of why we want to learn more about solar energy, we

must examine our motives in the light of God’s Word, to see if they are “pagan” motives

or “Kingdom” motives. I would like to suggest that if we are motivated only by a desire

to save money on our fuel bills, or to gain personal or even national energy

independence, then we are one with the “pagans” who are anxious only about the

material needs of life. What then ought to be our motivation, as Christians, for learning

about and perhaps developing solar energy in our community? In Matthew 6:33 Jesus

said “seek first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness.” What can that mean for our

current energy situation? I’d like to suggest two answers to that question. First, we ought

to concern ourselves with the needs of others. In particular there are many poor people in

our country and around the world who will suffer during the winter because of inadequate

heat for their homes. We ought to be concerned about their suffering. And since solar

energy has such enormous potential for alleviating that suffering, we ought to be busy

studying it and planning how we can put it to use for this purpose.

Obviously, following through on creating a company or even a product with helping others as the

main purpose, rather than making a profit, can seem daunting. However, the Christian

worldview, based in faith, allows its followers to engage in this behavior knowing God will

provide for their needs monetarily.

However, getting to this point of being able to 1) know about God’s will for His creation

and 2) have the opportunity to create such products requires a great deal of education and

scholarship. Walsh and Middleton argue that “unless Christians do some serious academic

reflection, their cultural witness will lack both depth and insight” (164). Universities are the

“nerve center” (166) for Western Culture and only when Christians “bear witness and contribute
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there” will they be “fully effective agents of God’s healing kingdom in our declining culture”

(166). Consequently, a university that values a Christian worldview can develop its students both

academically and spiritually. What is the difference between a “student who is a Christian” and a

“Christian student” (166)? To fully be a “Christian student” (167), one must integrate their

foundational beliefs into their studies. Walsh and Middleton formulate that “the years that a

student spends in college or university are extremely important and formative for developing a

worldview. Developing as ‘Christian students’ (that is, students who think ‘Christianly’) at

college will set the stage for becoming a ‘Christian culture-former’ for the rest of life” (167).

Ultimately to become a Christian engineer, one must start as an engineering student, theoretically

attending a Christian school that regular integrates biblical principles into their course material.

Because “all theoretical analysis, whether in the natural sciences, humanities or social sciences,

occurs within the context of a philosophical framework or paradigm” (170), Christians should

desire to be taught and learn in an environment that promotes similar values and reinforces their

Biblical worldview.

Although philosophy and other academic disciplines are both theoretical in nature,

“philosophy is concerned with the totality of reality, not just specific aspects” (Walsh 170).

Ultimately, the philosophy provides a framework through which the academic discipline is seen.

Worldviews are different from philosophies; however, “just as all scholarship presupposes a

philosophical paradigm, so all philosophical paradigms presuppose a religious worldview of one

kind or another” (171). The philosophical paradigm is necessary as it is “the route from the

certainties of the biblical vision of life to the details of specific scientific analysis” (173). But

how does one go from a worldview to a philosophical paradigm?

Just as a cleansing of scientism was necessary for true Christian scholarship to emerge, so

a cultural renewal can only be possible through: “recognizing the multidimensionality of life,

obeying God’ norms for society, and working toward a renewed sense of community” (175). The

Christian philosophy begins with the concept that everything exists as a response to God and his

laws. According to Kuyper, there are two kinds of people based on their response to spiritual

regeneration or “palingenesis” (Naugle 21). In other words, if someone is regenerate they will

produce a Christian worldview with a roughly theistic interpretation of science, whereas “non-

regenerate people with a non-Christian worldview produce an idolatrous science” (21).

Depending on their response to “palingenesis”, people will derive different philosophies and

worldviews.

The next part of the Christian philosophy is found in the concept of

“multidimensionality” (Walsh 180). Referring to the fifteen different dimensions of any given

part of creation, “multidimensionality” (180) can be obscured by “reductionism” (180).

“Reductionism” is an attempt to reduce the dimensions of something into just one aspect of its

being (180). As Christians we must ask ourselves the philosophical question of “on what basis do

we judge a position to be reductionism?” (180). This can only be answered if we have first

decided on the “irreducibles” (180) of life through the account of “multidimensionality”.

The fifteen different dimensions or “modes of being” (181) that cannot be reduced include:

aesthetic, biological, lingual, analytical, theoretical, confessional, physical/chemical, emotional,

economic, and ethical (181). Each aspect of life has each of these various dimensions.

For example, consider an expo marker. The marker has an aesthetic dimension of either

writing well or being dried up as well as the color of its ink. In addition, this expo marker has a

chemical/physical dimension of taking up space and using certain ingredients like plastic and an
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oily silicone polymer. Also, the expo marker has an ethical dimension depending on if the

employees involved in its creation were paid fair wages or if the resources are harmful to the

environment. The list goes on for the expo marker, detailing each dimension, just as can be done

with any part of the creation.

In the same way that an expo marker has fifteen different dimensions, the job of an

engineer also has each of these dimensions.

Overall, a worldview is the “perceptual framework” through which one sees their “vision

of reality”. Songwon grew up in the South Korean culture creating a very different worldview

than the Biblical principles that are foundational to many Americans. Each worldview was based

in a faith commitment, transferred to a philosophy, and fleshed out in a certain vocation. Having

a Christian worldview creates a completely different philosophy and ultimately behavior within a

vocation. As non-Christians design and build, they have a different set of driving motives and

values that exhibit themselves differently than a Christian engineer who will focus on stewarding

God’s creation while seeking shalom through their designs and use of resources.

Christian scholarship manifests itself in the students as they go out into the world and

become Kingdom workers.

In order for something to be considered a biblical worldview, it must exhibit three

characteristics: “a comprehensive vision”, a renouncing of idols, and a renewed sense of the

community.

A worldview leads to a philosophy for life, or as Walsh and Middleton put it, “It would

be a mistake to confuse a worldview with a philosophical or theological system. A worldview is

foundational to such a system, but never exhausted in it” (35). Christianity is a worldview, but it

is more than this; it is a