# 02 Faith and Worldview This module surveys the integrated Christian package, the six structural commitments of [Christianity](/codex/christianity/) together with the faith-and-reason relationship and the comparison with rival worldviews. ## The worldview-question frame Every coherent worldview answers (or refuses to answer) the same four basic questions: 1. **What is real?**, the metaphysics question 2. **What is wrong?**, the diagnosis question 3. **What is the remedy?**, the salvation question 4. **Where is history going?**, the eschatology question Christianity has crisp, integrated answers: God the Creator is what is ultimately real; sin is what is wrong; the death and resurrection of Christ is the remedy; new heavens and new earth is where it ends. The competing worldviews each have answers too, and the apologist must know enough of each to compare like with like. ## Learning objectives By the end of Module 2 a believer should be able to: - Articulate the six structural commitments of [Christianity](/codex/christianity/) without hedging, in a few sentences each - State the historic Christian position on faith and reason: not opposites, not identical, ordered - Explain the difference between [Classical Theism](/codex/classical-theism/) and [Theistic Personalism](/codex/theistic-personalism/) and identify which one historic Christianity confesses - Recite [1 Corinthians 15.3-8](/codex/1-corinthians-15-3-8/) from memory as the earliest summary of the gospel - Compare Christianity with Judaism, Islam, atheism/naturalism, and pantheism at the level of the four worldview questions - Distinguish denominational distinctives from load-bearing core doctrines - Recognize the suppression-of-God dynamic ([Romans 1.18-21](/codex/romans-1-18-21/)) - Defend Christianity, not generic theism, recognize when an argument lands at "some god" rather than the Father of the Lord [Jesus](/codex/jesus/) Christ ## Lessons - **[Lesson 2.1, Faith and Reason](/codex/lesson-2-1-faith-and-reason/)**, faith and reason as ordered partners; Aquinas's *praeambula fidei*, [Anselm](/codex/anselm/)'s *fides quaerens intellectum*; the rejection of both fideism and rationalism; the modern redefinition of "faith" - **[Lesson 2.2, The Six Structural Commitments of Christianity](/codex/lesson-2-2-the-six-structural-commitments-of-christianity/)**, the six load-bearing claims, why each is non-negotiable, and how removing one collapses the package - **[Lesson 2.3, The Doctrine of God](/codex/lesson-2-3-the-doctrine-of-god/)**, classical theism in detail: the incommunicable and communicable attributes; the Trinitarian elaboration - **[Lesson 2.4, Christology in One Lesson](/codex/lesson-2-4-christology-in-one-lesson/)**, the Chalcedonian formula; the eight categories of biblical evidence for Christ's full deity; the six major Christological heresies - **[Lesson 2.5, Worldview Comparison](/codex/lesson-2-5-worldview-comparison/)**, Christianity vs. Judaism, Islam, atheism/naturalism, pantheism, deism, process theology, run through the four worldview-questions grid ## Key passages - **[Genesis 1.1](/codex/genesis-1-1/)**, creation *ex nihilo*; the Creator-creature distinction - **[Deuteronomy 6.4](/codex/deuteronomy-6-4/)**, the Shema; Old Testament monotheism presupposed by Trinitarian confession - **[John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/)**, Logos Christology; Christ's full deity and personal distinction from the Father in one verse - **[John 14.6](/codex/john-14-6/)**, the exclusivity of Christ - **[Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/)**, Christ as the image of the invisible God; reconciliation through the cross - **[Philippians 2.5-11](/codex/philippians-2-5-11/)**, the *kenosis* hymn; pre-existence, Incarnation, obedience, death, exaltation - **[Isaiah 53](/codex/isaiah-53/)**, the Suffering Servant; the substitutionary atonement - **[1 Corinthians 15.3-8](/codex/1-corinthians-15-3-8/)**, the AD 35-38 creed; the gospel in four lines (memorize this) - **[Hebrews 1.1-3](/codex/hebrews-1-1-3/)**, classical theism and Christology in one sentence - **[Romans 1.18-21](/codex/romans-1-18-21/)**, the suppression text; what unbelief actually is - **[Revelation 21.1-3](/codex/revelation-21-1-3/)**, the new heavens and new earth; where history is going ## Next module When you can state Christianity in one paragraph covering all six structural commitments, recite [1 Corinthians 15.3-8](/codex/1-corinthians-15-3-8/) from memory, distinguish classical theism from theistic personalism, hold the Trinity in mind for an extended conversation without drifting into modalism or tritheism, and steel-man at least one rival worldview, you are ready. → Continue to [03 Arguments for God](/codex/03-arguments-for-god/). ## See also - [Course](/codex/course/), the master course page - [01 Foundations](/codex/01-foundations/), the prior module - [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), the integrated doctrinal master hub - [Doctrine](/codex/doctrine/), the systematic-theology locus - [Trinity](/codex/trinity/), the master hub - [Trinity vs Oneness vs Modalism vs Arianism](/codex/trinity-vs-oneness-vs-modalism-vs-arianism/), the multi-position comparison - [Classical Theism vs Theistic Personalism](/codex/classical-theism-vs-theistic-personalism/), the contemporary in-house dispute - [Atonement Theory Spread](/codex/atonement-theory-spread/), the multi-position hub on *how* the cross saves - [Resurrection of Jesus](/codex/resurrection-of-jesus/), the master hub (Module 3 returns to this as an argument) - [Eschatology](/codex/eschatology/), the master hub - [Faith and Reason](/codex/faith-and-reason/), the historic Christian position - [Suppression of God Thesis](/codex/suppression-of-god-thesis/), the [Romans 1:18-21](/codex/romans-1-18-21/) framework - [World Religions](/codex/world-religions/), comparative breadth for the rivals - [Cumulative Case for Christian Theism](/codex/cumulative-case-for-christian-theism/), the synthesis the course builds toward
## Common questions this page answers **Q: What is Module 2 of the apologetics course about?** Module 2 surveys the integrated Christian package: the six structural commitments of [Christianity](/codex/christianity/), the historic relationship between faith and reason, the doctrine of God (classical theism and the [Trinity](/codex/trinity/)), Christology in one lesson, and the comparison with rival worldviews. The work is *what Christianity claims*, before the arguments and defeaters of Modules 3-4. **Q: What are the four worldview questions?** Every coherent worldview answers (or refuses to answer): What is real? (metaphysics), What is wrong? (diagnosis), What is the remedy? (salvation), and Where is history going? (eschatology). Christianity answers: God the Creator, human sin, the death and resurrection of Christ, and new heavens and new earth. **Q: What Bible passages should I memorize for Module 2?** [1 Corinthians 15.3-8](/codex/1-corinthians-15-3-8/) is the most important: it is the earliest Christian creed (AD 35-38) and contains the gospel in four lines. Also: [Genesis 1.1](/codex/genesis-1-1/), [Deuteronomy 6.4](/codex/deuteronomy-6-4/) (the Shema), [John 1.1](/codex/john-1-1/), [John 14.6](/codex/john-14-6/), [Colossians 1.15-20](/codex/colossians-1-15-20/), [Philippians 2.5-11](/codex/philippians-2-5-11/), [Isaiah 53](/codex/isaiah-53/), [Hebrews 1.1-3](/codex/hebrews-1-1-3/), [Romans 1.18-21](/codex/romans-1-18-21/), and [Revelation 21.1-3](/codex/revelation-21-1-3/). **Q: How do I know when I'm ready for Module 3?** You are ready when you can state Christianity in one paragraph covering all six structural commitments, recite [1 Corinthians 15.3-8](/codex/1-corinthians-15-3-8/) from memory, distinguish [Classical Theism](/codex/classical-theism/) from [Theistic Personalism](/codex/theistic-personalism/), hold the [Trinity](/codex/trinity/) in mind for an extended conversation without drifting into modalism or tritheism, and steel-man at least one rival worldview.