Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview

by W. Gary Phillips, William E. Brown, John Stonestreet

There is an extensive, and growing, body of evangelical literature on worldview, but in my view, this book remains unique. There are excellent books that compare worldviews (i.e. Jim Sire's The Universe Next Door), there are excellent books that contrast the Biblical worldview with other worldviews (i.e. David Noebel's Understanding the Times), and there are a few excellent books that help one construct a Biblical Worldview (i.e. Nancy Pearcey's Total Truth). What Making Sense of Your World offers is a basic, accessible introduction to Biblical Worldview that covers all of these aspects of worldview thinking. Part One compares the basic worldviews, Part Two contrasts (and seeks to defend) the Biblical Worldview with the others, and Part Three constructs a biblical worldview in four key areas. This book is an overview; the Christian thinker is invited to continue his or her study through the recommended readings at the end of each chapter--an ongoing task Paul labels the "renewing" of our minds (Romans 12:2). - The reviser, John Stonestreet.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living, College, School, Theology, Philosophy

308 pages, Perfect Paperback

First published April 12, 2008

Reviews

[Lukas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book. It will make you think, it will help things make sense. It's objective, factual, and level-minded. This book uses objective tests to look at different worldviews and compare them against Christianity and sensibility. It's engaging and not at all a boring read! This will deepen your faith and challenge you to dive deeper.

[Madisson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was assigned reading for my Comparative Worldviews college class. Thorough examination of the most common worldviews of naturalism, transcendentalism, theism and postmodernism.

[Rob Mongeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used that book as a textbook to teach Biblical worldview to some teenagers over the last semester of this school year and i do not regret it. I really like the flow the authors chose to present their material there’s a really nice logical build up from one point to the other and one chapter to the other. I would have like a little more depth on some points and the addressing of others, that are simply mentioned. It is not a complicated book to read but not an easy one either, it’s a book to read in a quiet place allowing time to reflect as well. Highly recommend every Christian to read it as the authors simplified the worldviews under four big umbrellas, so no need to know about all the different religions in order to be able to refute them. Each chapter ends with a bunch of questions that really need you to think through the material seen in the chapter. There’s also some case study for each chapter at the end.

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for my Comparative Worldviews class. It was easy to get through (which is always a plus when it comes to required reading) and for the most part offered an intelligent interpretation of the various worldviews.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this, but unlike a majority of my classmates, my life wasn't "totally changed" after reading it.

[Kevin Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an excellent Worldview overview book. Can't recommend it enough for those who aren't sure what worldview is and why it's important, or would like a bit more clarification of one's own worldview.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logically organized, focused, easy to follow, and far my easiest read on worldviews. The analysis is balanced and at just the right level of detail that it's informative without being overwhelming.

[Dr. Jon Pirtle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excels in clarifying the truth claims of competing worldviews and how only biblical Christianity corresponds to and explains reality.

[David Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assigned reading that gives a good thorough examination of different worldview’s.

[Nile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. This book gave me a new understanding of how we develop our worldviews (usually unintentionally) and helped me understand the implications of the main worldviews prevalent today.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completed this book for a class that I'm currently teaching at Colorado Christian University. It's a really good text, gleaning from some of the best thinkers in their respective fields (Millard Erickson in theology, for example). About the last thing I needed on my bookshelf at this point was another apologetic for the Christian worldview. But I can honestly say that the approach here is relatively fresh. The authors compare the merits of Christianity to theism (Islam and Judaism), transcendentalism, naturalism and postmodernism. Considering that there's little monolithic about postmodernism, I didn't much care for it being described as a worldview, but considering its influence, I understand the authors' desire to say something about it. This book, in my opinion, is more helpful than a comparative religions text, because it distills what is popular from other faiths in American religious practice. I don't meet too many people from the Vedic tradition (Hinduism and Buddhism), but I do meet people that have adopted ideas from it (reincarnation, denial of evil, etc.). This text nicely shows the problems with these worldviews and offers Christianity as the logical alternative, considering things like community and anthropology. Well worth the time, as it clarifies today's messy worldview context.

[Greg D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading for my seminary class on worldviews. Great book. I particularly enjoyed the systematic teaching of the four worldviews. All ideas and principles can be classified in one of these four worldviews: naturalism, theism, transcendentalism, and post-modernism. The question is begged, which of these four worldviews can be best defended and most logical and true? The authors give evidence that theism, specifically Christianity, is the most logical and reasonable worldview over all others. This book is great for those that might not be Christian and are searching for truth.

[Mica Pruitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great text to begin to organize worldviews into three major categories: Theism, Naturalism, and Transcendentalism. Adds Postmodernism as a fourth defining it as a cultural as well as historical. Gives a nice overview and has helpful charts.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book, well written, mistakes post-modernism for a worldview. Reccomended

[Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful to various world views. I read this for a comparative world-views class and found it informative.