Worldview as Worship - Eddie Karl Baumann

\nThe goal of many evangelical educators is to facilitate biblical thinking and the worldview transformation of their students. Yet, aside from upholding a set of moral behaviors or maintaining positions on issues perceived to be Christian, the goals and aspirations of most evangelical young people differ little from their unbelieving peers. As George Barna has noted, We have a generation coming up that . . . isn't looking at Christianity to answer spiritual concerns . . . We either change or we lose them. Worldview as Worship contends that the approach taken by most evangelical educators to the issue of worldview transformation has neglected to address two fundamental components of worldviews. First, that our initial worldviews are not philosophical systems but rather faith dispositions and that worldview transformation cannot simply present the biblical worldview as a more rational or logical system, but must address issues of the heart as well as the mind. Second, unlike philosophies that are individual, worldviews are communal and are learned and transformed within the context of community practice. Appealing to Paul's teaching in Romans 12:1-2, Worldview as Worship approaches the renewing of your mind as the result of the believer's presentation of themselves as a holy sacrifice . . . which is your spiritual service of worship. The book advocates an approach to worldview transformation that focuses on believers as apprentices rather than simply as students--an approach that holds true to the biblical model of discipleship. As a result, worldview transformation works best when the application of faith to the issues of learning and life are modeled by the faith community and where students are given the opportunity to put faith into practice. If you are a Christian educator passionate about seeing your students' lives transformed, this book is a 'must read.' Baumann suggests that true worldview transformation is the result of living in community and cooperation, supported by an apprenticeship model of teaching and learning. This book is as relevant for Christian educators in P-12 as for faculty in colleges and universities. -Rhoda C. Sommers Dean, School of Education and Human Development Malone University For more than twenty years Baumann's creative and inspirational teaching has helped teenagers, university students, and young adults 'develop a more consistent and all-encompassing biblical worldview in their own lives.' Now hi