Worldview Curriculum

Originally, WVE had projected two different types of worldview curriculum: (a) a 13-session curriculum for youth and young adults and (b) a video-oriented discussion-type curriculum based on footage from the program's "Reality Trip." Due to insurmountable challenges in the post-production work of Reality Trip, the current plan is to produce one worldview curriculum that will consist of a resource text, a leader's guide, a student guide, and video resources (e.g. lesson introductions, interviews with various evangelical scholars, and selected video clips from Reality Trip).

The curriculum will be based on the idea that Christian youth and adults should not hide their heads in the cultural sand as though they can, or should, be isolated from non-Christian philosophies and religions. In the first place, it just doesn't work, especially in our media world of easy and instant access to all kinds of worldview influences.

It is our belief that Christian youth are simply not being adequately and properly exposed to non-Christian worldviews while they are in the environment of church and home. Youth group games and emotional highs may produce excitement and fun, but they will not prepare young people for what they will inevitably face. As a result, a high percentage of church youth are "lost" to other worldviews when they are exposed to them after high school without the "watching eye" of their youth leaders and parents. And many Christian kids who do "stay with the church" are not adequately prepared to be effective witnesses with their Christian worldview.

Writing/Production
Dr. Rich Knopp, the WVE Director, will write the resource text and will develop a leader's guide based on the preliminary drafts of lesson materials that have been written by a panel of youth specialists and educators (see the picture below - from left to right):

Tracy Thomas, Minister of Youth @ Lincoln Christian Church, Lincoln, IL.
Roger Songer, Campus Minister @ the Christian Campus House at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL.
Greg Taylor, former Director of Admissions @ Lincoln Christian University; former youth minister.

Rondel Ramsey, Professor of Youth Ministry @ Lincoln Christian University; former youth minister at Central Church of Christ, Streator, IL
J. K. Stevens, Headmaster @ Traders Point Christian Academy in Indianapolis, IN
Shane Taylor, Lead Pastor @ Common Ground Church, near Seattle, WA; former campus minister at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(Not pictured: Bob Monts, assistant professor of Adult Education, Lincoln Christian University.)

Projected "Lessons" and Format
1. "What's a Worldview?" 8. "The Worldview of Existentialism"
2. "How Can I Identify MY Worldview?" 9. "The Worldview of Postmodernism"
3. "Worldviews in the Bible" 10. "The Worldview of New Age Pantheism"
4. "Christianity as a Worldview" 11. "Choosing a Worldview with a Future"
5. "The Worldview of Islam" 12. "Applying a Christian Worldview
to My World"
6. "The Worldview of Secular Humanism:
Optimistic Atheists"		 13. "Living a Christian Worldview in My Life"
7. "The Worldview of Nihilism:
Pessimistic Atheists"		  
  • An informative resource text that will also acquaint readers with other worldview texts and resources.
  • Optional v ideo introductions for each of the lessons.
  • Files and graphics to use for PowerPoint and Apple Keynote.
  • A resource DVD video with interviews with top Christian scholars (see below).
  • A Student Guide that can be easily adapted for Sunday school, small group studies, home school settings, high school groups, campus ministries, and adults).
  • Updates and downloadable Internet resources, including clips from Reality Trip.

UNIQUE FEATURES
Several "worldview" curricula have been published by others, but the WVE curriculum will be unique and especially valuable in several ways.

  • Style: It will especially appeal to a "younger audience," using an entertaining and instructional video and other multimedia resources. Yet it will balance "lighter moments" with contributions from some of the best Christian scholars in the world.
  • Structure: It will help students think more about their faith and their culture in terms of competing "isms" (e.g., Secular Humanism, Nihilism, Existentialism, Postmodernism) rather than academic "disciplines" (e.g. history, economics, politics). A "discipline" approach to worldviews can be very valuable, but we believe that the "ism" emphasis will be perceived as more immediately relevant and understandable for a younger audience.
  • Approach to "worldview": It will offer a more balanced approach to the notion of "worldview" by emphasizing that it is not simply, or perhaps even primarily, a "mind" thing. Rather, worldview will be explained as the basic makeup of one's mind, emotions, will, and behavior. It will help Christians see that their worldview is directly connected to their entire life of discipleship--loving God will all their heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).
  • Relevance: It will make the idea of worldview come alive by using "pop culture" for many of its illustrations. This will help students recognize how prominent worldviews are in their own media world and how important it is to respond appropriately and effectively as a Christian.
  • Content: It will deal with many of the most influential "isms" in our world, but it will also teach a lot about the Christian worldview in the process. It will provide a valuable biblical background for worldview study, and it will guide students on how to recognize other worldviews and how to evaluate them. However, it will not simply condemn these worldviews as totally false. In fact, it will prompt students to understand the insights and attractions of these other worldviews. Yet it will also expose their problems and limitations. Several lessons will help students apply their Christian worldview to their school life (e.g. their approach to study, science, history, extra-curricular activities), to their work and future careers, to their family life, and to their social behavior.

Video resources will include videotaped material from a number of leading Christian scholars. WVE has already videotaped interviews with the following impressive list of notable evangelical scholars.

  • Dr. James Sire, author of The Universe Next Door (InterVarsity Press) and many other books.
  • Dr. Nancy Pearcey, co-author with Charles Colson of How Now Shall We Live? (Tyndale, 1999), and author of Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Crossway Books, 2004).
  • Dr. David Naugle, author of Worldview: The History of a Concept (Eerdmans, 2002).
  • Dr. William Lane Craig, author of Hard Questions; Real Answers (Crossway, 2003); co-author of To Everyone an Answer (InterVarsity, 2004); and many other works.
  • Dr. Millard Erickson, author of Introducing Christian Doctrine , 2nd ed (Baker, 2001); Truth or Consequences: The Promise and Perils of Postmodernism (InterVarsity, 2002); and many others.
  • Dr. Harold Netland, Encountering Religious Pluralism: The Challenge to Christian Faith and Mission (InterVarsity, 2001).
  • Dr. Francis Beckwith, co-author with Gregory Koukl of Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air (Baker, 1998); co-author with J.P. Moreland and William Lane Craig of To Everyone an Answer: A Case for the Christian Worldview (InterVarsity, 2004); and other works.
  • Josh McDowell, author of numerous books on Christian apologetics, including More Than a Carpenter, More Evidence that Demands a Verdict, and Beyond Belief to Convictions.

Many of these videotaped interviews were done with a "green screen" background, so a variety of computer graphics can be added in post-production.

Watch an Intro to
the concept of "worldview"

WVE
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