The fourth chapter of the book focuses on the different components that comprise a worldview. They are the building blocks of a worldview and without any one of them you can not have a complete worldview and this is why it’s so important to define each one and to expand upon each level to under the questions that they need to answer.

Another key factor that each of these worldview building blocks serve to show how utterly non-sensical the Atheist worldview is in that since it cannot accept order in the Universe and therefore is left to attribute every event to chance he cannot justify in what he observes.

Metaphysics

The study on what is the nature of reality. Beyond the physical as in laws of logic & science.

Metaphysics seeks to address three core questions:

• What does it mean to exist?
• What is the nature of man? Is he free? Good? An animal?
• What is the nature of the universe? Is it objectively real? Or is it simply appearance?

Metaphysicians seek to understand the world as a whole.

What Metaphysicians study is actually Christian theology in secular dress.

God is the ultimate ground of all reality. – Gen 1:1, Exodus 20:11, Neh 9:6, Rev 4:11

Epistemology

The study of the nature and limits of human knowledge.

Epistemological inquiry focuses on four class of questions:

• What is the nature of truth & objectivity?
• What is the nature of belief and of knowledge? What are their relationships? Can we know and yet not believe?
• What are the standards that justify belief?
• What are the proper procedures for science & discovery? How can they be trusted?

The unbeliever will not be able to rationally to account for the order of the universe which he experiences, since he is committed to the fate of chance.

There is no way to account for reason in the non-Christian system.

Ethics

Studies right & wrong attitudes, judgments, and actions, as well as moral responsibility and obligation.

Focuses on four main areas of concern:

• What is the nature of good and evil?
• What are the standards for ethical evaluation?
• What about guilt and personal peace?
• How do we attain or produce moral character?

For the non-Christian there is no sure basis for ethics.

The chapter can be best summed up in this Atheist Creed crafted by Christian scholar Steve Kumar:

There is no God.
There is no objective Truth.
There is no ground for Reason.
There are no absolute Morals.
There is no ultimate Value.
There is no ultimate Meaning.
There is no eternal Hope.

Recommended Reading

Bahnsen, Greg, “The Concept and Importance of Canonicity”

Butler, Michael R., “A Truly Reformed Epistemology”

Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy

Humanist Manifesto II

Thompson, Bert, “In Defense of the Bible’s Inspiration” Part 1 | Part 2