J. Mark Bertrand - Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This World

Rethinking Worldview throws off sparks able to light the dry tinder that many Sunday school classes and seminary seminars have become. J. Mark Bertrands four worldview pillars, his explanation of how to move from consumer to critic to contributor, his discussion of personal unity and diversity within the Trinity, and much besides, make this book worth having and giving.

MARVIN OLASKY, editor-in-chief, World magazine

The strength of Bertrands book is its comprehensiveness, as the author turns the prism of worldview until every angle has been illuminated. Bertrand maintains our interest throughout his long discussion with an incipient narrative thread in which his understanding of worldview is told as the sum of his own discoveries and experiences in relation to worldview. The book actually has the quality of a suspense story in which the reader is led to wonder what Bertrand discovered next in regard to worldview.

LELAND RYKEN, professor of English, Wheaton College

Rethinking Worldview is an engagingly written work to strengthen believers in their efforts to engage the world in a winsome and effective manner. Built around the themes of worldview, wisdom, and witness, this excellent book provides an illuminating and thoughtful way forward for the twenty-first-century church to think, live, speak, and worship. Mark Bertrand has made a splendid contribution to the ongoing conversation regarding Christian worldview thinking. After reading this book I wanted to shout Yes, and Amen! I heartily commend this book and trust that it will receive a wide readership.

DAVID S. DOCKERY, president, Union University

For those of you suffering from worldview fatigue, or who think its a theologically unhelpful concept, or who are new to the notion altogether, read this book. Its like a satisfying draught of ice-cold, refreshing water on a hot summer day! It offers reinvigorating approaches to the priceless Christian worldview concept, properly focuses our attention on its wisdom-giving properties, and propels us to full-bodied Christian witness and cultural engagement on its basis. Bertrands book is a rich gift to serious citizens of the kingdom of God.

DAVID NAUGLE, professor of philosophy, Dallas Baptist University;
author, Worldview: The History of a Concept

Learning to Think, Live, and
Speak... Online!

If you have enjoyed Rethinking Worldview, be sure to visit the online community at:

www.RethinkingWorldview.com

You can contact author J. Mark Bertrand and access interviews, essays, and a number of web-only extras. The site also features a free annotated discussion guide to facilitate group study of Rethinking Worldview. Visit today!

Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This World

Copyright 2007 by J. Mark Bertrand

Published by Crossway Books
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Josh Dennis

Cover illustration: iStock

First printing 2007

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bertrand, J. Mark, 1970
Rethinking Worldview: Learning to Think, Live, and Speak in This
World / J. Mark Bertrand.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-58134-934-4 (tpb)
1. IdeologyReligious aspectsChristianity. 2. Theology, Doctrinal
Popular works. 3. Apologetics. I. Title.
BR115.I35B47 2007
230dc22

2007006233

VP 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07

15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For Laurie

CONTENTS

MEDICINAETEMPUSEST

In the old days, authors introduced their books with an apology, taking advantage of the dual meanings of the word. They begged indulgence for the shortcomings of the work, and at the same time offered a defense of why it was written in the first place. If you ask me, that was a fine tradition, and Id like to revive it here.

This is a book about worldview, which means it will touch on matters of theology, philosophy, and culture. These are deep waters, and I admit at the outset that Im not the most authoritative guide. I make no claims to expertise. Instead, I am a fascinated amateur. In a field packed with professional ministers, theologians, historians, and philosophers, I am a layman. If anything, my sensibility is more artistic than academica fact that will no doubt drive some readers crazy, though I hope it will open up unexpected vistas, too.

As the title Rethinking Worldview suggests, these pages represent a two-pronged invitation. First, this is a call to rethink and reevaluate your own perspective on the nature of reality. You are right about some things, wrong about others; and perhaps this is an opportunity to ensure that the balance tips the right way.

Second, I invite you to think again about the idea of worldview itself. So much has been written on the subjectmuch good, some notthat it has become familiar, even commonplace. In some ways, the popular understanding of the concept is deficient, and as a result, those quick to dismiss it as old-fashioned might be operating without a good, nuanced grasp of what worldview thinking really is. Hopefully, reading this book will stimulate a desire to take a second, deeper look.

What to Think, How to Think

For all its ambition, there are some things this book will not do, and we might as well establish them up front.

This book will not tell you what to think.

It does not include a catalog of official Christian viewpoints on theological, philosophical, or political matters. For the most part, it is not polemical. We will not be considering the shortcomings of various public policies and formulating idealistic alternatives. That really is the realm of experts, and while I am as opinionated as the next man, and as convinced that my ideas, if implemented, would usher in a golden age, I know that everybody else thinks the same thing, and for reasons just as sound (or unsound, as the case may be).

No, this book will not tell you what to thinkbut that is a common enough caveat. Most authors say something along these lines: I wont teach you what to think; Ill teach you how to think.

Noble as that sentiment might sound, this book will not teach you how to think, either.

As a young man, I read many, many books that made this claim and never found one that actually delivered. Later, when I became a writer and teacher myself, I always tried to be careful never to set such ambitious goals. My aim is to inspire reflection and action; so think of this book as a conversation, where you are free to elaborate and dissent.