A worldview is simply the way we view the world. This view determines how we act, how we choose live and, to a great extent, how we feel. If our actions and decisions have meaning, we will naturally consider our thoughts to be very important.
When our views of the world and how it works are incorrect, our actions and decisions won’t be very useful. For example, a child who believes that their parents will protect them at all times may wander into the street, ignoring danger. Those who believe that God will always provide health and wealth to His children will, inevitably, struggle to maintain their relationship with Him when a loved one dies, or when they lose their job. For these reasons and more, a worldview based in truth will always be helpful, and a worldview that fails to accurately describe reality will inevitably cause harm.
It’s been said that all religions share four common elements, asking and answering four questions. This is their ‘worldview.’ Because all religions share this common framework, an easy way to understand any religion is to examine its worldview and compare it with others. Here are the four questions, and the structure of the chart:
- Where did we come from? (Creation)
- What is our problem? (Fall)
- How can this be fixed? (Redemption)
- What does the future hold for us? (Restoration)
Each religion answers this group of questions differently. This chart is designed to help you understand what each religion teaches. Individuals within each religion may differ, but – as a group, whether officially or unofficially – those who practice each religion will generally believe the same things.
Below is an outline of some of the more common worldviews. The Christian worldview is at the top, specifically because – to date – I know of no other worldview that so accurately explains reality. I do not pretend to know with certainty that Christianity is true. I have tested it again and again, am convinced of its truthfulness, and continue to compare it with other worldviews. I do not believe that Christianity is true simply because I prefer it; I believe that Christianity is true because I have been convinced by the evidence. If you have questions about this chart, or about the evidence that causes me to be a Christian, don’t hesitate to contact me. If you hold to a non-Christian worldview and wish to add to, or change, the information presented here, I welcome your feedback.
To sort the table, click the top of each column.
| Religion | Creation | Fall | Redemption | Restoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | God created everything, from nothing. | Humanity rebelled against God, breaking our relationship with Him and dying spiritually as a result. | God came to earth as a man (Jesus) and died a sacrificial death to demonstrate God’s love for us. | Those who accept new life from God will live with Him forever. Those who reject Him will live apart from Him forever. |
| Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) | Heavenly Father and Jesus, with the pre-mortal agreement of every human, created the earth and everything in it. | Our pre-mortal life didn’t provide enough opportunity to progress toward godhood, so we were sent to earth for greater opportunity. | The goal of this life is to gain a body, exercise agency, prove ourselves, and progress toward godhood. | Almost everyone goes to one of three levels of Heaven. Those in the highest (Celestial) may progress toward godhood (exaltation). |
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