Creational Worldview: An Introduction

by P. Andrew Sandlin

We sometimes hear the well-meaning exhortation, “Christianity doesn’t start with the Bible, but with Jesus Christ.” This might very well be true, but Christians must embrace biblical truth anterior to Christianity, and that is creation as the Bible describes it. Put another the Bible is bigger than Christianity. We will not understand his person and work in their greater depths if we bypass creation. This is a small book about not bypassing creation. It’s a book about thinking in creational categories, and purging contra-creational categories that infect our culture and, in too many cases, our churches.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2020

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply phenomenal. A “paradigm shift” type book. Dr. Sandlin demonstrates the importance of a creational worldview. When we bypass creational standards we undervalue the redemptive work of the cross. As Adam brought cosmic sin, Christ brought cosmic redemption! Must read.

[Bracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrew Sandlin provides some excellent insights regarding the effects of redemption. He embarks with a thought provoking gem declaring that redemption is first and foremost creational. In other words, Jesus is the mediator of the created cosmos and as a result He is a consistent and ongoing mediatorial mediator for all creation. This implies that Paul is not arguing that the main idea of Scripture is that Jesus is redeeming sinners, and, therefore, must redeem all of creation. Rather, Paul is making the case that Jesus Christ is Lord of all creation and redeeming all creation of which sinners are a part. The emphasis is totally different and the thrust of this book covers the redemption of all things from this creational perspective.

We are also introduced to the concept that Jesus is the Lord of both the invisible and visible world. Often times the modern day interpretation of the Christian faith centers around the idea that if something is non-physical it’s superior. But the Bible doesn't pit the visible v. the non-visible against one another. Jesus is Lord of both the invisible and the visible, and he is deeply, and equally, interested in both. The implications are enormous and Sandlin highlights a few areas where understanding the visible reign of Jesus is needed: Church, Weather, Architecture, Clothing, Healing, The Environment, etc. The insights on Gnosticism as viewed through a creational worldview are worth the price and time of the read. The chapter on ecology and the creational worldview was extremely helpful. The author was right when he said that this book is not about bypassing creation but rather, thinking in creational categories. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Rusten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really important stuff for our day and age. Many Christians are being seduced into creation denying Gnostic-ish tendencies. Sandlin’s book is a helpfully corrective.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Sandlin speak and got his book afterward. It's very helpful to challenge our current paradigms.

[Ryan Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read. Evangelicals have bought into a truncated Christianity.