Course Information
Registration period
Year-round Recruitment
Course Level
Study Mode
Duration
4 Hour(s) 49 Minute(s)
Language
English
Rating
Course Overview
Critical to understanding the New Testament world and our world is an understanding of worldview-- the lens of living.
This course, taught by Professor N.T. Wright, is designed to take students into the realm of what a 'worldview' is. While most people think about 'beliefs' and 'actions', the real power behind each is the interplay that occurs within a person's or society's worldview. Understanding this worldview, particularly of the world of the New Testament, will assist students of the Bible in understanding what a New Testament text meant in its own context. Prof. Wright will describe the worldviews of the first century Romans, Jews, and Christians. He will then move through history to describe the Western worldview as a way of helping students discern where they fit and how to look at and through their own lenses in the 21st century. Prof. Wright will be joined by Prof. David Seemuth who will look at the U.S. worldview of the early 21st century as an outgrowth and reaction to the Western worldview that emerged from the Enlightenment period.
Course Content
- 9 section(s)
- 44 lecture(s)
- Section 1 Welcome to the Course, Worldviews, the Bible, and the Believer
- Section 2 Worldviews: How They Work
- Section 3 Worldviews: The Ancient World-- The Roman Empire
- Section 4 Worldviews: The Ancient World-- The Jewish Culture of the New Testament Era
- Section 5 Worldviews: The In Messiah Shift
- Section 6 Worldviews: The Movement of Worldview from Paul's day to the 21st Century
- Section 7 Subversive Christianity by Brian Walsh, 2nd Edition, Chapter One
- Section 8 Worldviews: The 21st Century United States Perspective
- Section 9 Final Project
What You’ll Learn
- describe what makes up the lens called a 'worldview', describe the worldviews of the Ancient Roman world, the Jewish world of the 1st Century AD, and the world of the emerging 'in Messiah' people, discern narratives within a culture that often dictate behavior and beliefs, explain how symbols reinforce and create fertile ground for a worldview to develop, discuss what role questions play in the development and strengthening of a worldview, articulate how 'praxis', or automatic behaviors, show how a worldview works, develop a reflective perspective on one's own worldview as described by Prof. N.T. Wright, process how the biblical text of the New Testament may be better understood when the worldviews at play are understood, articulate what an 'in Messiah' worldview might look like in this present day within your own culture, examine the journey from the pre-Modern Age to the present day by examining the Western culture from the perspective of the underlying worldviews of each era
Reviews
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JJohnson Selwyn
Having already been introduced to the term "Worldview" through lectures by Ravi Zacharias and books by Colson, this Course helped further expand my Understanding of Worldview, besides helping me contrast it with the "In-Christ" worldview not just in matters of Origin, Meaning, Morality & Destiny but also how we live it out in the Economic, Social and Political landscape.
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DDave Pinch
Very good start to the topic...would enjoy a bit more depth discussion on today’s Christian Worldviews and application
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WWilliam Tongue
This course is critical for anyone interested in cultural sensitivity. Culture is like the water in the fish tank, as well as the bits put in the tank for the fish to enjoy (e.g., a treasure chest with filtered water coming out, etc.). Is the fish "aware" of any of it, or do they simply assume these are ubiquitous? When looking out of the tank, does the fish see those bipedal animals as "other fish looking in", or is there something altogether different going on beyond the glass? When it comes to our American culture, we are often just unthinking fish swimming in waters of manifest destiny and presumed superiority. We see those "beyond the glass" as pale reflections of ourselves, wishing they were like us but with nothing of value to offer in the realm of worldviews. Yet, at the same time, many of us take the name of Christ as dear, and see no conflict between our identity in Christ and our American "water". We all need this tragic form of groupthink challenged...and that's what this course does! "He who never changes his mind never changes anything" -GB Shaw. If Paul was right, and transformation begins in the mind (Rom 12:2), then it's time to get started...no?
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AAlan grills
This is an excellent course, with an excellent book inserted that allow us to see a twenty-two year spread with the post-script. I found the worldview diagram helpful as we worked with the materials and lectures. Perhaps a final few thoughts from Professor Wright/Professor Seemuth would close off the course, leaving us with a final question or two to ponder/that could be actionable. Walsh does address this in postscript of course and as I reflect, perhaps his actionables are sufficient...ie "practice your legitimate rule in creation", "engage in culture etc." thank you both. Warmly,Alan Grills
