Naturalism Versus Christianity
Apologetics Application Paper Final
Mike McDowell
APOL 500
7 November 2013
Naturalism versus Christianity
Naturalism is a prominent worldview that is held and praised widely in today’s modern world. However, when examined closely and held up to certain criteria that would establish it as a legitimate worldview, one can see that it comes up short in several areas such as the source of morality, internal logical consistency, and human nature. In these areas that Naturalism fails, Christianity succeeds by offering a valid alternative. Christianity then can further establish itself as a superior worldview by offering convincing arguments such as ontological, cosmological, argument for design, argument that shows God as the source of morality. As demonstrated through a proper logical analysis, Christianity is a superior worldview when compared to Naturalism.
Summary of Naturalism
Naturalism defines its basic definition of ultimate authority as “some source of knowledge that is normative.” (Groothuis, 79) Truth consists of “objects of knowledge” that are “extramental and that they exist as they are perceived to be.” (Dougherty, 206) Science, for naturalism, is the optimal method for discovering truth (Kurtz, 12) which can be confirmed “by and only by the naturalistic scientific method of research.” (Bush, 78) The cosmos and everything within is the “object of study,” and they are ruled by “natural laws.” (Hatzistavrou, 928) Thus, nothing precedes the laws of science, they are the ultimate authority.
When looking at history in terms of a worldview, one analyzes the meaning of history, if there is any. (Sire, 20) For Naturalists, history represents a “linier stream of events linked by cause and effect but without an overarching purpose.” (Sire, 68) The beginning of “human family is found in nature;” and the beginning of nature is found in the “origin of the universe.” (Sire, 68) Humans were brought forth from lesser beings as a
Mike McDowell
APOL 500
7 November 2013
Naturalism versus Christianity
Naturalism is a prominent worldview that is held and praised widely in today’s modern world. However, when examined closely and held up to certain criteria that would establish it as a legitimate worldview, one can see that it comes up short in several areas such as the source of morality, internal logical consistency, and human nature. In these areas that Naturalism fails, Christianity succeeds by offering a valid alternative. Christianity then can further establish itself as a superior worldview by offering convincing arguments such as ontological, cosmological, argument for design, argument that shows God as the source of morality. As demonstrated through a proper logical analysis, Christianity is a superior worldview when compared to Naturalism.
Summary of Naturalism
Naturalism defines its basic definition of ultimate authority as “some source of knowledge that is normative.” (Groothuis, 79) Truth consists of “objects of knowledge” that are “extramental and that they exist as they are perceived to be.” (Dougherty, 206) Science, for naturalism, is the optimal method for discovering truth (Kurtz, 12) which can be confirmed “by and only by the naturalistic scientific method of research.” (Bush, 78) The cosmos and everything within is the “object of study,” and they are ruled by “natural laws.” (Hatzistavrou, 928) Thus, nothing precedes the laws of science, they are the ultimate authority.
When looking at history in terms of a worldview, one analyzes the meaning of history, if there is any. (Sire, 20) For Naturalists, history represents a “linier stream of events linked by cause and effect but without an overarching purpose.” (Sire, 68) The beginning of “human family is found in nature;” and the beginning of nature is found in the “origin of the universe.” (Sire, 68) Humans were brought forth from lesser beings as a
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