Worldview Course Development

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itsreed

itsreed

Puritan Board Freshman
Brothers and Sisters:

Asking for your help with a Worldviews Course I am constructing for use in teaching my two teenage daughters. Rather than using any of the common reformed materials on this subject, I’d like to develop a “point - counter-point” course using readings from two different strains:

1. The “utopian” theme common in Western (et.al.) culture,

counter-posed with

2. The “pilgrim” theme common in Christianity.

Here is the list of works I’m thinking appropriately counter-pose one another. You’ll note a particular historical ordering.

Christian Representative - vs. - Secular Representative

  • Augustine, City of God, City of Man - vs. - Plato, Republic
  • John Bunyan Pilgrim’s Progress - vs. - Thomas Moore, Utopia
  • Richard Baxter Saint's Everlasting Rest - vs. - Francis Bacon, New Atlantis
  • Jonathan Edwards God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (Piper) - vs. - Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
  • Matthew Henry, The Pleasantness of a Religious Life - vs. - Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
  • Horatio Bonar, Night of Weeping and Morning of Joy - vs. - Francis Engels, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific
  • Dietrich Bonhoffer, Cost of Discipleship - vs. - Aldous Huxley, Island
  • John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life - vs. - Khurshid Ahmad, Islam, Its Meaning and Message
I’m asking for feedback on the list here. Any critique of my selections, any suggestions, etc.?

As well, I covet your prayers for this course. I anticipate God’s use of it beyond my immediate family, and at least into the life of our church here in Montgomery.

Reed DePace
Pastor, 1st PCA
Montgomery, AL, USA
:tumbleweed:
busy seeking
a better home.
~ Heb 11:14-16
 
Looks like an interesting and informative study Reed. Will pray for it to bear fruit.
 
I would humbly suggest that you consider substituting something else for Bonhoeffer's "Cost of Discipleship". My point has nothing to do with the question of "was Bonhoeffer a Christian". We may leave that to God. But his theology was infected with principles borrowed from less that orthodox writers. In other words, he would not provide the reader with a clear antithesis between a Christian and non-Christian worldview because of the elements of non-Christian thinking in his own works. For a very thorough and helpful view I highly recommend Cornelius Van Til's "Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Review Article" found in the Westminster Theological Journal 34:2 (May '72) p.152.
 
If you are teaching your kids about worldviews, by the use of these two schemes are you then teaching them that only these two schemes occur or that these are the two themes that predominate?

Animism was more of a theme than either of these two during the history of mankind.
 
Reed, it's my humble--but hopefully informed--opinion that any Worldview Course would be a total loss without Herbert Scholssberg's masterful work, "Idols for Destruction." I keep coming back to that book again ... and again... and again. It is not even "new." It was written in 1983! Beats anything I've ever read for "Worldview" ideas.



itsreed said:
Brothers and Sisters:

Asking for your help with a Worldviews Course I am constructing for use in teaching my two teenage daughters. Rather than using any of the common reformed materials on this subject, I’d like to develop a “point - counter-point” course using readings from two different strains:

1. The “utopian” theme common in Western (et.al.) culture,

counter-posed with

2. The “pilgrim” theme common in Christianity.

Here is the list of works I’m thinking appropriately counter-pose one another. You’ll note a particular historical ordering.

Christian Representative - vs. - Secular Representative

  • Augustine, City of God, City of Man - vs. - Plato, Republic
  • John Bunyan Pilgrim’s Progress - vs. - Thomas Moore, Utopia
  • Richard Baxter Saint's Everlasting Rest - vs. - Francis Bacon, New Atlantis
  • Jonathan Edwards God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (Piper) - vs. - Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan
  • Matthew Henry, The Pleasantness of a Religious Life - vs. - Jonathan Swift, Gulliver’s Travels
  • Horatio Bonar, Night of Weeping and Morning of Joy - vs. - Francis Engels, Socialism: Utopian and Scientific
  • Dietrich Bonhoffer, Cost of Discipleship - vs. - Aldous Huxley, Island
  • John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life - vs. - Khurshid Ahmad, Islam, Its Meaning and Message
I’m asking for feedback on the list here. Any critique of my selections, any suggestions, etc.?

As well, I covet your prayers for this course. I anticipate God’s use of it beyond my immediate family, and at least into the life of our church here in Montgomery.

Reed DePace
Pastor, 1st PCA
Montgomery, AL, USA
:tumbleweed:
busy seeking
a better home.
~ Heb 11:14-16
Click to expand...
 
Adam: agreed. I'm open to any suggestions. Bonhoffer is included only because of the historical setting. Any ideas about someone whose work fits the pilgrim theme that would counter-point the secular work?

-----Added 6/17/2009 at 02:43:53 EST-----

Pergamum:

I've deliberately chosen the Utopian theme because it seems to me to be the best representation of the unbelieving answer to the question: why are we here, what is the goal of life? I've deliberately chosen the Pilgrim theme because it seems to me to be the best representation of the biblical answer to the same question. I.e., these two serve as the poles (in my estimation) with reference to the question of worldviews.

Arminianism, as a system of doctrine, will more or less (depending on the source) center on one or the other of these answers. Since I am persuaded that Arminianism is a defective system of doctrine, I'm not inclined to explore its worldview from either pole.

Likewise, I've self-consciously eliminated from this course of study numerous other ways of approaching the worldview perspective. My conviction is that, in terms of answering the initial worldview question, the Westminster Shorter Catechism's answer is the starting point - it gives us our purpose. I'm hoping that this course will demonstrate the goal of life; fleshing out how this purpose is to be pursued in the Christian Life.

-----Added 6/17/2009 at 02:51:38 EST-----

Thanks Steven. I'm familiar with Schlossberg's book. I'll review for this purpose.
 
Using primary texts in comparative fashion is a brilliant idea for a worldview course (esp. as opposed to relying on some secondary source that, while it might be an easier and more reassuring read, also runs the risk of oversimplifying or even misrepresenting non-Christian thinkers). Your choices are quite good, too.
Can I attend? :cool:
 
itsreed said:
Pergamum:

I've deliberately chosen the Utopian theme because it seems to me to be the best representation of the unbelieving answer to the question: why are we here, what is the goal of life? I've deliberately chosen the Pilgrim theme because it seems to me to be the best representation of the biblical answer to the same question. I.e., these two serve as the poles (in my estimation) with reference to the question of worldviews.

Arminianism, as a system of doctrine, will more or less (depending on the source) center on one or the other of these answers. Since I am persuaded that Arminianism is a defective system of doctrine, I'm not inclined to explore its worldview from either pole.

Likewise, I've self-consciously eliminated from this course of study numerous other ways of approaching the worldview perspective. My conviction is that, in terms of answering the initial worldview question, the Westminster Shorter Catechism's answer is the starting point - it gives us our purpose. .
Click to expand...


Few people self-consciously asks themselves questions in order to arrive at a worldview. The worldview itself which they hold to determines the questions. Most people don't even know their own worldview.

Given your limited scope, you are doing great. But that limited scope is the problem.

If you are really wanting to adequately teach worldviews, you need to deal with ALL of them, especially the very popular ones, such as animism, that governs most of the world's population.
 
Pergamum said:
Few people self-consciously asks themselves questions in order to arrive at a worldview. The worldview itself which they hold to determines the questions. Most people don't even know their own worldview.

Given your limited scope, you are doing great. But that limited scope is the problem.

If you are really wanting to adequately teach worldviews, you need to deal with ALL of them, especially the very popular ones, such as animism, that governs most of the world's population.
Click to expand...

So, what would be the best defense against Animism? How does the Bible counter it? I've never actually thought to look.
 
D. Paul said:
Pergamum said:
Few people self-consciously asks themselves questions in order to arrive at a worldview. The worldview itself which they hold to determines the questions. Most people don't even know their own worldview.

Given your limited scope, you are doing great. But that limited scope is the problem.

If you are really wanting to adequately teach worldviews, you need to deal with ALL of them, especially the very popular ones, such as animism, that governs most of the world's population.
Click to expand...

So, what would be the best defense against Animism? How does the Bible counter it? I've never actually thought to look.
Click to expand...

The Bible always speaks of Himself as stronger than all the other powers out there. Also, casting of lots, high places, occultic practices are all condemned.
 
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