The Christian World View "Elements" (Content)

While the "core" components of the Christian paradigm are universally agreed to by all "3" branches of Christianity, the "non-core" issues are not. In fact, the more one studies the non-core elements in detail, the more, not less complicated the issues become. However, our purpose in this essay will be to outline that which is generally agreed upon. We will list some of the universal "Core" elements of the Christian paradigm in order to elucidate that which represents classic, conservative, orthodox Christian Monotheism. The following is a brief discussion of the "Core" Christian World view elements. These elements follow the "3" components or elemental divisions ascribed to world views in general; ie, the theoretical, physical, and regulative components outlined by Dembski and Richards (1). We will explore each of these in more detail in another essay.

God, (a transcendent omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omni benevolent, omni-just, immutable, tripartite personal being in Unity), created ex-Nihilo (out of nothing) everything that exists except God, (Gen. 1:1). He is timeless, (that is, exists both separate from time which he created at the same time He created space, energy, matter etc.). He can enter time, (a part of His creation) and did so most vividly in the form of Jesus of Nazareth, the second person in the Triune Godhead, who was both fully God, and fully man (human), (John, 1: 14).

This is the first major component in Christian Monotheism, that is the "Creation" tenet. All World Views have "3" major divisions or elements including 1) the notion of how everything came into being, 2) the nature of existence, the problem if you will, or in Christianity, "the fall", and 3) what can be done about it, (in Christianity, redemption/salvation), (2).

God created unembodied spiritual entities commonly called Angels, some of whom participated in an insurrection led by the most exalted of angelic beings (now referred to as Satan), who wished to assume the position occupied by the triune God-head, (the only entity which is not created). This led to the "insurrectionists" being "ejected" from the presence of the God-head and the other unembodied spiritual beings who did not participate in the insurrection, (2 Peter, 2: 4; Jude, 1:).

God also created many other embodied creatures, only one class of which (Humans), were created in the image of the Triune Godhead, (Gen. 1:27), that is with various characteristics which endowed them with self-awareness, self actualization, ability to love, etc., possessing a spiritual as well as a physical nature, often referred to as a "soul".

The original created "prototype" was an actual man named Adam, in whom God placed a soul, (Gen. 2: 7). A "help-mate", or companion, Eve, was "fashioned" that is "made" by God from part of the man Adam, with whom Adam could have fellowship, along with God, (Gen. 2: 22).

Variations exist as to whether this prototypical Adam and Eve were physically developed from lower animals, and then at a specific time Adam (in a separate creative act by God) was given a soul, the so-called theistic evolution variation) or whether God created both a unique body and spiritual entity in one developmentally creative act, the more traditional creation scenario. Entire books worth of information exist about the differences between these two variations on the creation of Man by God and we will not discuss the details here while trying to outline the "Core" Christian paradigm. Suffice it to say for now however, that there is a great deal of new molecular biology and genetic data from "Y" chromosome and mitochondrial DNA studies and other suggestive data from anthropology and archeology which is available to suggest that God created Adam's body and soul in a separate act utilizing unique material which was not obtained from lower animals, (3).

As an aside, note that Darwinists (naturalists) purport that Human Beings are descended or "evolved" from lower animal life forms, a supposition which is associated with many inconsistencies in the scientific data and many other problems, (explored elsewhere on this site). This "naturalistic" World View stands in stark contrast (opposition) to the Christian World View.

Back to our story, unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose to disobey the God of the Universe, and "fell" from their position of direct fellowship with God, incurring both physical and spiritual death, since no way existed for them to be reconciled to an all-righteous, all-just God, (Gen. 3). This is referred to as the "Fall" and represents the second major tenet in the Christian World View, (4). Fortunately for us, God had a plan by which we could be reconciled, (rightly related again to Him). The "breach" that had been created in the relationship between God and Man as a result of the "Fall" of Adam and Eve could be "fixed". Simply put, the only entity (being) capable of "mending" the "breach" was God, so God enacted a plan to "mend" it by entering the space/time manifold or "continuum" in the form of a man (Jesus of Nazareth), in what is referred to theologically as the incarnation, as John's gospel states, "The word became flesh", (John 1: v. 14). In so doing He provided a way for the second Adam (Jesus) to fulfill the aspirations God had for Humanity prior to the Fall. This involved Jesus of Nazareth, (the second person of the Holy Trinity), being born of a virgin (Mary), without a human father, (Mt. 1: 20),growing into a man, and then commencing a "3" year ministry. Ultimately, by assuming our guilt, "representing" us, "substituting" for us, he was crucified (died) on a Roman Cross for the sins of the world, (Mt. 27: 50). In other words, we who are guilty are declared innocent by ( almost unbelievably) having God (who is innocent) declared guilty in the person of Jesus Christ in our place. This concept is theologically referred to as the "atonement", and represents the third major tenet of the christian paradigm, that is, salvation is possible for us because of Christ's "atoning" work on the Cross, (5). Christians believe that this literally happened to Jesus of Nazareth at age 33, on a Friday afternoon, at roughly "3" PM, in roughly 30 AD, on a Roman Cross on a mound of dirt called Golgotha, where "3" people were crucified that day, (Jesus, and 2 "thieves"), just outside of the gates of Jerusalem, (Mt. 27: 33 and 45). There is a wealth of Biblical and Secular evidence to suggest that this happened by the way, some of which is discussed on this site, and is referenced in detail in the suggested reading section under references.

On the third day after his death, Christ was resurrected, (John, 20:1), that is, came back to life after having been dead, something no one had been able to do before or since (of their own volition), as the gospels say; He (Christ) laid down His life, and took it up again. He then appeared physically to many people, over 500 on one occasion alone we are told, (1 Cor. 15, v. 6) and then 40 days later, he ascended (Acts, 1:9), (disappeared before their very eyes) into Heaven (to return to his father) after commissioning his Apostles to preach His saving message (Gospel) to all of the Earth, (Mark, 16: 15and 16),that is that we can be saved, (ie, not spend eternity after we die in Hell, away from our creator), if we accept what Christ has done for us on the Cross of Calvary, and believe that He came and suffered for us in our place that we might have (eternal) life, and have it more abundantly here while still embodied in our present physical (earthly) form.

Nine to ten days later, the Holy Spirit, (the third member of the Holy Trinity), came upon those assembled in an upper room in Jerusalem (Acts, 2: 1-4), as Christ had promised, which began the Christian Church on Earth. We call that day Pentecost. From then until the completion of the New Testament Canon, (the completed Old and New Testament books accepted by the early church) the Gospel message was handed down from person to person by word of mouth, beginning with the original witnesses (the Apostles and disciples) to the life, passion, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. The following is a brief summary of the "Core" elements of the Christian World View or paradigm. It expands on the statements of faith made in the Apostles and Nicene Creeds, which can be found elsewhere on this site.

1) Ex-Nihilo Creation (out of nothing) of everything seen and unseen by a "transcendent" all powerful being, including an insurrection by the most powerful of created (Angelic) beings (Satan), and the followers of that being. The effects of that insurrection are still felt today by virtue of the battle for the souls of man still being waged by the adversary (Satan) and his "agents", commonly referred to as "demons".

2) Man is specifically created by God in HIS image as a spirit/physical entity, sometimes referred to as a body, mind, and soul) tripartite entity in scripture

3) Man falls from the position God intended him to have on the basis of his free will choice to be disobedient.

4) God chooses a people (the Jews), specifically Abraham, through which he will enter the space/time manifold and with whom he makes his OT covenant and to whom He delivers His laws in the form of the 10 commandments.

5) God provides a way (Jesus of Nazareth), (a Jew), for mankind to become reconciled to Him for the results of the Fall from grace by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, and in so doing establishes a New Covenant in his blood, shed on a Roman Cross. Christ is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in a human (virgin) mother without a human father. His lineage as a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and David is therefore insured through his mother Mary.

6) Jesus Christ establishes His authenticity, and His divinity by performing many miracles including raising the dead back to life, casting out demons, changing water into wine, controlling the weather, and predicting His death and resurrection within a "3" day window and literally accomplishes same in space/time (roughly 30 AD).

7) Jesus Christ is seen alive again as a physical entity by many witnesses, His tomb is empty, and no one has ever produced the body.

8) Jesus Christ (after 40 days), disappears in a cloud, returning to his father, after which in 9-10 days the Holy Spirit begins the church on earth at Pentecost, as Christ predicted.

This is either the most outlandish story ever conceived by man, or it is the truth. Either God exists (and became a man in Jesus of Nazareth), or the entire universe is a cosmic accident, the result of purposeless, random change over time with no explanation for the information source which "appears" to exist and order it. By the philosophical law of the excluded middle, no other possibility exists. By that we mean, the Universe is either created or it is not. It was either planned (designed) by a transcendent being or it was not planned.

No other religious system other than Christianity holds that a transcendent all powerful God became man, allowed Himself to be crucified (clearly the most horrific form of capital punishment ever invented), in the place of man, died, came back to life, and now is forever changed. (Christ had to accept His humanity forever as a result of His be willing to do the will of His father). We are in a better intellectual position today to defend the entire "Core" of the Christian faith than anyone since the time of the Apostles who were witnesses to it. Utilizing the available evidence and information from science, philosophy of religion and theology, we can provide a powerful Christian apologetic, (defense of the Christian faith).

Ref:

1) Dembsky, William, A. and Jay Wesley Richards. "Unapologetic Apologetics": Meeting the Challenges of Theological Studies. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2001.

2) Colson, Charles, and Nancy Pearcey. "How Now Shall We Live?". Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1999.

3) Ross, Hugh. "The Genesis Question": Scientific Advances and the Accuracy of Genesis. Colorado Springs, Colorado: NavPress, 1999.

4) Colson, Charles, and Nancy Pearcey. "How Now Shall We Live?. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1999.

5) Ibid.