Have you ever really wondered what having a worldview means? Terms like biblical worldview, deism, Marxism, post-modernism, New Age, and the like are often tossed about freely. Most of us have a rudimentary knowledge of the words, but do we really understand what a worldview is and what these seemingly common terms mean?
The Universe Next Door lays out a clear, well-defined, working definition of a worldview before examining the ten worldviews that have shaped the Western world. As the author works through the diverse worldviews, he evaluates them using 8 basic questions:
- What is prime reality?
- What is the nature of the world around us (external reality)?
- What is a human being?
- What happens to a person when they die?
- Why is it possible to know anything at all?
- How do we know what is right and wrong?
- What is the meaning of history?
- What personal, life-orienting core commitments are consistent with this worldview?
Using each worldview’s own frame of reference, the author answers these questions, offers an effective critique of each worldview, and encourages the reader to examine his or her own core beliefs and commitments considering these worldviews. Helpful charts and discussion questions are included. The author does a great job explaining topics that are often difficult to understand. An excellent primer for teens and adults that equips them to understand the worldviews that influence us daily.