(Excerpted from A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Test by Kenneth Richard Samples, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2007, ebook)

“A worldview, then, is a set of beliefs and practices that shape a person’s approach to the most important issues in life.” —Michael D. Palmer, Elements of a Christian Worldview. (Loc 203 of 6920)

“In the simplest terms, a worldview may be defined as how one sees life and the world at large. In this manner it can be compared to a pair of glasses. How a person makes sense of the world depends upon that person’s vision, so to speak.” (Loc 225 of 6920)

“A worldview functions in much the same way as a pair of glasses through which a person sees the world. The interpretive lens helps people make sense of life and comprehend the world around them. Worldviews also shape people’s understanding of their unique place on Earth. Sometimes worldviews bring clarity, and other times they can distort reality.” (Loc 225 of 6920)

“Worldview perspectives involve much more than merely a set of intellectual beliefs. However, thinking of a worldview in terms of a basic conceptual system is critical. Rather than a disconnected or disparate group of unrelated beliefs, a carefully examined and reflective worldview consists of a network of interconnected ideas that form a unified whole.” (Loc 236 of 6920)

“More than just an interpretive lens, a worldview perspective shapes, influences, and generally directs a person’s entire life. Because people behave as they believe, their worldviews guide their thoughts, attitudes, values, interpretations, perspectives, decisions, and actions.” (Loc 248 of 6920)

“Living a well-balanced life based on realistic values requires thinking about basic and critical questions. When a worldview attempts to answer them, it functions like a chart or plan used to navigate through the journey of life (though the distortions of the sunglasses must be kept in mind).” (Loc 248 of 6920)

“The central purpose of this book is to present the foundational ideas for thinking ‘Christianly’ about reality and life and the ‘box top,’ or worldview, that portrays truth. I will stress the word thinking when I refer to Christians, because Christians are and must be thinkers. There is nothing about a strong Christian faith that excludes the importance of learning and reason. We must rid ourselves of the notion that faith and learning are somehow opposites or enemies. Some well-meaning Christians think that God is honored by faith alone and is dishonored by evidences or a reasoning mind. However, the human mind is God-created, and we honor God by using our minds and thinking His thoughts after Him.”

(Mark P. Cosgrove, Foundations of Christian Thought: Faith, Learning, and the Christian Worldview, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2006, 14)