November 23: Confronting other worldviews

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Henlee H. Barnette, who formerly taught ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, pointed out errors in ethical reasoning. In the error most relevant to our topic, one makes the mistake of substituting ethical reasoning for ethical action. In these studies of competing worldviews, coming to understand another worldview does not fulfill our moral obligations under the Gospel. We must put into practice what we have learned.

• To confront another worldview, we must take the initiative (vv. 16-17). After Paul had been forced out of Berea for preaching the Gospel (v. 14), Christian friends escorted him to Athens to await the arrival of Silas and Timothy (v. 15). He left the discussions in the synagogue and headed straight to the famous Agora, the central place for all kinds of discourse.

• Paul carried on a dialogue with the philosophers who happened to be present. He saw evidence of philosophy gone astray as he noted idols scattered throughout the city dedicated to an unknown god.

• Paul’s engagement with the Epicureans and Stoics revealed a second principle in confronting a different worldview, understanding the other point of view (vv. 18-20). Teachers of philosophy in a Christian college know about the admonition in Colossians 2:8 that we not be taken "captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy." One way to guard against being deceived is to be familiar with the philosophical method, as Paul demonstrated.

Paul’s belief in the resurrection caught their attention. The best they could discern, he preached about some strange, new God. They could not resist jabbing at his strange accent, calling him a babbler.

• Paul disarmed their rhetoric as he decided on a point of contact (vv. 22-25). As he stood in the midst of the quadrangle on Mars’ Hill with his adversaries seated in the stairs, he gave them credit for being religious. They even had idols to an unknown god, just in case they had overlooked one of the deities. Paul’s assertion that he knew the name of their nameless deity avoided the possible accusation of a strange, foreign deity.

He began with an observation. The Stoics emphasized the universe and its laws. Paul pushed their view one step back. The universe did not self-exist. It was begun by the Lord of heaven. Since He created everything, it would follow He has no need of earthly temples made by human hands.

• In confronting a different worldview, one should also construct what coaches call a game plan (vv. 26-28). In affirming the existence of one God who is Creator, Paul drew a simple conclusion. God made all humans from one basic stock and decided where each group would dwell. Consequently, one national entity has no grounds for considering others inferior to it.

Paul then shifted his presentation to a second conclusion. Citing one of the ancient philosophers, he argued that all humans have a kinship with God because in Him, we live, move, and have our being.

• Finally, we should seek to build on commonly-held beliefs (vv. 29-31). If we are God’s offspring, we must be like God. However, God cannot be transformed into likenesses hewn from stones by human hands. At that point, however, Paul then stated the essence of the Gospel. God has revealed Himself in Jesus for the atoning for sin, commanding people everywhere to repent. In this respect, the Christ worldview differs from all others. Society is to be transformed by transformed people.