A worldview is a way of thinking about the world. It is made up of all the things that I assume are common sense. These beliefs will color and shape the way that I view everything else in life.
The belief that the only things that exist are made of matter. Materialists believe that the universe came into being for no reason and has no purpose. They do not believe in God or spirits.
The belief that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural processes and laws. Naturalists do not believe in miracles.
NOTE: Naturalism and materialism are closely linked worldviews that describe the beliefs of most people who identify as atheists. This worldview will be described as naturalism in this website.
The belief that an impersonal god created the universe, but does not suspend the natural laws of the universe. God is known by applying human reason to our observation of the universe.
The belief that a personal god (Jesus) created the universe and is active in the governance and organization of the universe. God is known because he reveals himself to us – most clearly through his incarnation.
The bible teaches that the universe speaks clearly of God's existence.
"People... know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."
Romans 1:18-20
Worldviews always influence the work of scientists. The work of cosmologists and astrophysicists is influenced by their worldview as much as any area of scientific investigation. The Big Bang theory was proposed by a Catholic priest in 1931 and is consistent with a theology of creation. Steady State theory, proposed in 1948 by a group of astrophysicists at Cambridge University, is a naturalistic alternative to the Big Bang theory. After the triumph of the Big Bang theory over Steady State theory the existence of multiple universes has been postulated as a naturalistic variation on the Big Bang theory.
What is a Worldview? Multnomah University
Tenets of Naturalism Centre for Naturalism
Christian Theism Multnomah University
Worldview Summary Diagram Fellowship for Evangelism in the Visual Arts