A tool to navigate diversity

Worldviews:
A Comprehensive Approach to Knowing Self and Others

John Valk
Palgrave Macmillan, 2021.

Worldview is a frequently used term among Christian Courier readers, but not always well understood. It is easy to assume everyone knows what it means – the way we view the world – but people have very different understandings of what that includes. John Valk, a professor of Worldview Studies, draws on more than two decades of teaching about worldviews to put together a useful guide. Written primarily for serious study and academic classrooms, the book is also useful for anyone who wants to dig deeper into their own worldview or improve how they engage with different worldviews.

The book is true to its sub-title. It goes into great detail about the components of a worldview, how it is influenced by factors such as one’s identity and culture, and how one’s worldview in turn influences how one understands and engages with the world. There is nothing simple in this text. Complexity and inter-relationships between various factors that need to be considered are highlighted in every chapter. Valk cautions, for example, against the common assumption that all Christians or all followers of Islam are likely to think and act the same on any given ethical issue.

Valk’s experience as a teacher comes through in the way he helps the reader unpack one’s own worldview or better understand the worldview of another. The book explores a wide range of factors: the role of personal identity and cultural context, the meaning and purpose of life, the influence of religious beliefs, concepts of right and wrong and more. Every chapter uses examples from both religious and secular worldviews, such as humanism and capitalism, to illustrate the different components and their implications. Valk also traces the history of the concept from Kant’s Weltanschauung in 1790 to its use in many different fields today. It has gained popularity, says Valk, because it gives legitimacy to the rich variety of cultures in human history. Valk’s emphasis on diversity and complexity also serves as a caution against making assumptions based on any one of the multiple factors involved. Worldviews, in Valk’s approach, resemble an ecological web of meaning more than a deductive, logical framework.

Takeaways

Of particular interest at this moment is the chapter on universal and particular principles. Even if there is agreement on a universal principle, other factors will influence how it is applied through one’s worldview. Christians, for example, broadly agree that love of God and neighbour are universal priorities, but how that is applied varies widely and makes a big difference in how Christians approach current issues. The tension between the two can be healthy, claims Valk; but careful consideration of all elements is essential to understand and engage in meaningful dialogue. In addition, worldviews are dynamic, not fixed over time. That they evolve, however, does not mean total relativism. Valk claims that worldview analysis is a useful tool to avoid both dogmatism and relativism as we navigate the growing diversity in our society. To achieve that goal, a popular version of Valk’s work, or a study guide, might be helpful for a broader audience.

The book left me with a greater appreciation for worldview analysis as a diagnostic tool to better understand why I think and act as I do and why others come to different conclusions. I came away with less certainty about the usefulness of worldviews to guide one’s actions, which is how it was primarily used in my education. It is just not as simple as drawing straight lines from one’s beliefs, for example, to how one should act in a particular situation. I will also be more careful in how I use the word publicly – or go back to Valk’s book as a reference.