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Worldview: It Ain't What You Think...
How often have we reduced our worldview to what we think? To a catalog of intellectual assertions about various segmentations of life?
Christians are accustomed to think that a worldview consists of the things that you think. What are your "views" about the world? What are your opinions about this and that?I am afraid that this is a very truncated view of what it means to have a worldview. We need to develop this at length some other time, but a worldview consists of your dogma, your manner of life, your story, and your symbols. What do you believe? How do you treat your family and friends? Where do you understand your place in history to be? And what symbols and rituals do you honor?
We must remember that this is a truncated view of what our worldview is. As James Sire has so aptly reminded us, our worldview is "a fundamental orientation of the heart " Everything else proceeds from that.
Do you think that symbols and rituals are a good indicator of our worldview? In reading the story of the exodus, I have seen that God certainly established rituals and symbols to mark and remind his people of their worldview. Is it not God's intention for us also to have symbols and rituals that mark our existence as new creatures.
What are your symbols and rituals that mark your worldview? Are these symbols and rituals subversive to the powers at be like they were to Pharaoh? If not, maybe we should rethink our symbols and rituals.
Wilson continues and reflects on the Lord's Supper as one of these symbols and rituals that marks the Story we live in or the reality that we know, our worldview:
This is a ritual in which we eat the body of Jesus Christ, who is alive this moment at the right hand of God, and in which we drink His blood, which is the cup of blessing, the cup of the new testament. Our worldview includes what we are eating and drinking here.This is therefore part of who you are. You are not defined simply as a thinking machine who entertains certain thoughts in your bone box. You are defined, bounded, shaped, organized, and loved, as a member of this community, this church, this body. And you are loved in this way by what you eat and drink, and by the fact that we are eating and drinking (at the same moment) the same.
The symbols, whether they be a Paschal Lamb, a fish, a cross or even bread and wine, are powerful reminders of this story and the presuppositions that we live our lives according to. Whether that be cognitively recognized as falling into categories like ethics, epistemology or even metaphysics. It doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that the elements of the story that we live according to dictate and indicate our worldview.
I just finished Eugene peterson's Book called Living the Resurrection. It was a great book. In it he talks about the Monk Dom Gregory Dix and his observation that at each meal Jesus takes, we are blessed, broke and gave. (Bear with me)
Jesus takes what we bring to the table and blesses it, he takes us. Jesus blesses what we bring to the table and prospers it. Jesus breaks what we bring. Sometimes to break us of ourselves. Then he Gives it back. But differently. He takes what we bring to the table and turns it into something great.
All this to say that sacraments and rituals are crucial to spiritual growth. Every meal we take, every meeting with friends we have has some element of the above. It is a holy sacrament in and of itself, and it is wonderful.
Something that concerns me about post modern movements today is the move away from rituals. I rebeleed against them in my youth, but now as a father I realize how much of my worldview can be cirected by holding fast to rituals, and how much heritage it can provide my family.
Posted by: Carl Holmes | February 14, 2006 09:29 PM
Sorry about the bad grammar. I worked on this post over a few hours. Proofreading was not my strong point in school.
Posted by: Carl Holmes | February 14, 2006 09:32 PM
Carl,
Why do you say that postmodern movements are moving away from rituals?
Posted by: B.A. | February 14, 2006 11:19 PM
Just some observations of the Church I attend here in the springs (you know where I attend) and another large counterpart. The only ritual really still followed is Communion.
Part of the problem is the size of the church. I just feel with so many "mega churches" popping up around the country that it is harder and harder to cultivate the sacraments that are passed down generation to generation and the signifigance of them. I did not mean to be an alarmist.
Great Post by the way!
Posted by: Carl Holmes | February 15, 2006 07:11 AM
i don't think that mega churchs and postmoderns go together...
Posted by: Anonymous | July 17, 2006 01:48 PM
Anonymous,
I agree with you. While someone espousing a postmodern worldview may be in a mega-church, mega-churches are not synonymous with postmoderns.
Posted by: B.A. | July 18, 2006 06:58 AM
I agree as well. The problem though is that in a bigger church it is sometimes harder to monitor the teachings of certain people who would let the gospel lead to a more relative and relational interpretation. If unchecked it can grow out of control before you really know it.
I speak from experience, I was a little bit jaded in February with the original post. Things are a little better now, but it was getting it;s tentacles into the way the church was working pretty fast.
Posted by: Carl Holmes | July 26, 2006 09:09 AM