Everyone has a different way of perceiving the world that influences not only their beliefs, but what judgments and decisions they make. “A worldview is a set of beliefs about reality and human nature” (Cosgrove, 2006, p. 18).
Three of the components that help make up my worldview are the origin/nature of the universe (my etiology), the existence of God (my ontology) and the knowledge I have gained that justifies my beliefs (my epistemology) because they have shaped my thoughts, experience, education, and life decisions.My family has been the main strength in the development of my worldview because of the influence they have had in my life. According to Cosgrove (2006), people engage their beliefs when they are a child by observing those around them that believed in and represented those beliefs. Although I grew up in a strict Christian home, I was lucky enough to have parents that encouraged me to be my own person by teaching me to have an open mind about what I learn and allowing me to have a nature that caused me to question everything with the freedom to express myself openly.In order to best describe my worldview I feel I must begin with my etiology; my beliefs about the origin/nature of the universe. I believe that our beginning history comes from an unnatural beginning event created by God that resulted in natural events of evolution.
To just have a naturalistic universe, seems far beyond likely. It has only been in the last fifty years or so that many scientists agree that what is needed for life seems to be much greater than what is possible by natural process alone, furthermore stating that a natural origin of carbon-based life seems downright preposterous (Rusbult, 2004). Science cannot reach a single scientific conclusion about the ultimate source of the universe and nature.However, statements made about theology as many Christians believe are not scientific conclusions and can exert an unhealthy influence on people who cannot link science and religion together.
I believe that all people, including Christians, should be able to view science as a respected resource that should be approached as a valued answer in our search for the truth. The book of Genesis reveals that God made the world in seven days; science says the world was made over billions of years. Are we really to believe one or the other? How do we know that God’s “one day” equals what we as humans perceive as one day? I propose that perhaps the world’s creation can be interpreted the way the Bible declares, but one day to the intelligent designer may equal 100 million years to a human being. To me, the chance process of nature does not adequately explain the origin or complexity of life, but the Bible provides a confusing unlikely scenario of how life began.This leads me to my ontology, my theory of God’s existence. Although I am not certain of whom or what God is, I do believe that there is an ultimate source that caused life to begin.
Cosmologists of today claim that the origination of the universe arose out of event called the “Big Bang” about 15 billion years ago. From that I can only conclude that the universe has a definite beginning. Totten (1999) explains that the Big Bang begun from a “singularity,” and before the Big Bang there was no space, time or matter; the origin of the universe is something that transcends all of these things. Totten (1999) goes on to explain, scientifically, that thing or being that caused the Big Bang is something called the “first cause.” This leads me to support the many worldviews that believe that the ultimate “first cause” of the universe, was God (or any similar name that we give the creator).
Philosopher William L. Rowe (1998) said that human reason is incapable of rationally justifying the belief that deities do, or do not, exist. I, on the other hand, believe that humans can rationalize just about anything and everything. Nonetheless, I also believe that at this time, we cannot offer substantial proof that God exists.
This brings me to my epistemology; how I know what I believe is justifiable. The answer to that is: I don’t. I can be certain that human knowledge is limited to what we know for sure, and all we really know is of the natural world. As part of the natural world, it seems very difficult that we are to be able to fully understand the supernatural.
A theist, one who infinitely believes in the actuality of God, cannot essentially prove without a shadow of a doubt of God’s existence. One must rely solely on faith. I have already considered the inadequacies of natural causes for the beginning of the universe, but without actually proof, cannot rely on anything expect faith that there is an ultimate source we call God.Through the course of my research, my worldview has been questioned and redefined.
I was uncertain of how I actually view the world and what caused me to make the assumptions I live with every day. I believe that there is an Ultimate Source (God) that is responsible for the very first event that caused our universe to evolve over billions of years and resulted in life as we now know. I also believe that all paths will lead toward God, but no singular truth can be individually proven, one must rely on faith. Although this is just my personal theory, my beliefs about the origins of the universe, the argument of God’s existence and the knowledge I use to make my suppositions, are part of what helps make up my worldview. Interpreting our worldview is not often thought about and yet has effects as natural to us as breathing, eating and sleeping.
While I prefer facts, logic and reason, I also find myself relying on a little bit of faith to help me identify my worldview.
