Emerging Worldviews (Part 1)
Bonus Content added by Doug Foltz at the bottom.
For many who follow Christ today, faith is evolving in ways that make the old prevailing worldviews feel irrelevant, or even untrue. Some are holding onto faith by a thread, shedding everything about religion except Christ. Others are pastors, desperately trying to guide their churches toward change but facing burnout, resistance, or despair.
The reality is that these Emerging Worldviews are not just cultural trends. They are often more faithful to historical Christianity than the worldviews they are replacing. This isn’t rebellion—it’s reformation. The shift is happening because people are seeking what is true, not just what feels good.
I’ll share some Emerging Worldviews but will use Prevailing Worldviews as contrast. More Emerging Worldviews to come later this week…
1. Christ > The Bible
For centuries, the church has either clung to biblical inerrancy (conservatives) or the inerrancy of self (progressives). But a more faithful approach is a third way—one that prioritizes Christ as the foundation of our faith. The Bible is sacred, but it is not God. Jesus is the revelation of God (John 1:14), and the Holy Spirit is our guide (John 16:13). When we elevate the Bible above Christ, we replace Jesus with an idol—what some call "Biblicism."
Doug wrote, “I heard Brian Zahnd once say that when the Reformation happened, it was like a divorce. Dad (the Protestants) got the Bible in the divorce and Mom got everything else. That has always helped me understand why the Bible gets elevated as well.”
Thomas Merton warned against placing scripture in the hands of those who aren’t spiritually awakened, as they often use it for ego-driven purposes.
Example:
Months ago, one of the largest churches in the U.S. released a sermon clip from their Lead Pastor. I used AI to transcribe the audio to highlight Biblicism at play:
Pastor’s claim: "And when everything around you is shifting and uncertain, the one thing that is certain, the one thing that will not shift, is that this church will be committed to God's word. It is our firm foundation."
Truth: "For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Pastor’s claim: "The Bible has the final say."
Truth: "I (Jesus) am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." (Revelation 22:13)
Pastor’s claim: "The Bible says there'll be a time when itching ears will just hear what they want to hear. I would say to my grandkids, one thing you will not have to wonder about is that this house will be built on that rock."
Truth: "They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." (1 Corinthians 10:4)
"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 18:2)
In this sermon, the crowd applauds. This subtle yet toxic worldview creates a faith rooted in control and certainty rather than wonder, mystery, and transformation. This is the prevailing worldview in many megachurches. Idols—and the desire for idols—tend to gather crowds. But as Kierkegaard and the Bible reveal…
"There is a view of life which conceives that where the crowd is, there also is the truth, and that in truth itself there is need of having the crowd on its side." - Soren Kierkegaard. As Christians, we learned an important lesson when the crowd chose Barabbas.
The Other Extreme: The Inerrancy of Self
On the progressive side, there is a tendency to affirm the inerrancy of self—believing that whatever feels true must be true. They have elevated inclusiveness and unconditional love but sometimes place human instincts on the same level as Christ. Many are skeptical of Christ’s authority and divinity. But when we put ourselves on the same throne as Christ, that’s not Christianity—it’s individualism.
Personally, I struggle more with individualism than Biblicism. I tend to be fiercely independent, questioning authority and breaking rules. This can be good, but it can also be dangerous when I let those instincts become my ultimate guide.
The emerging worldview is tired of the legalism, control, and spiritual shallowness of Biblicism, as well as the crushing weight of individualism.
Scripture is God-breathed.
People are God-breathed.
Neither should be worshipped.
2. Centered-Set Faith > Bounded-Set Faith
Emerging Worldview - Centered-Set Faith sees Christ as the north star, inviting everyone into a lifelong journey toward Him.
Prevailing Worldview - In contrast, Bounded-Set Faith creates rigid boundaries based on doctrine, belief statements, and who is "in" or "out."
Doug wrote, “Bounded sets draw a fence around church. That fence is typically doctrine but can also be things like how we practice faith. The fence lets us know who is in and who is out. The problem is that it doesn’t acknowledge if I’m moving toward Jesus in my faith and provides no motivation to do so once I’m in.
A great example in the Bible is the Pharisees. They drew the boundaries and were definitely ‘in,’ but by how they lived, they were moving away from Jesus.
Take the woman at the well as a contrast. She was outside the boundary but moving toward Jesus. Centered-Set Faith pays attention to the direction you are moving—either toward or away from Jesus.”
Doug Foltz Bonus Content:
1. Christ > The Bible
Prevailing Worldview: The Bible is the highest authority in faith.
Why?
This belief comes from the Protestant Reformation. Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin wanted to stop church leaders from abusing their power, so they taught sola scriptura (“Scripture alone”). Their goal was to make sure truth came from the Bible, not just from religious leaders.
Over time, some Christians started treating the Bible almost like God Himself. In many churches, following Scripture became the main focus, sometimes even more than following Jesus. This was meant to protect against false teaching and create unity—if everyone read the same book, they could agree on what was true.
Emerging Worldview - What’s Changing?
This isn’t about rejecting the Bible—it’s about putting Jesus back at the center. The emerging generation, whether they realize it or not, is continuing the Reformation’s goal (sola Christus, “Christ alone”) by challenging the way some churches use Scripture.
Today, people are more skeptical of authority, including religious institutions. With the internet, anyone can claim to speak “biblical truth,” which has led to confusion and division. Amid that noise, this generation is looking for a center, a person to orient around—not more interpretations, but the Incarnation.
2. Centered-Set Faith > Bounded-Set Faith
Prevailing Worldview: Faith is about following clear rules and deciding who is “in” or “out.”
Why?
Churches started using strict boundaries to protect what they believed was true. This was especially important during times of big cultural or religious change, like after the Enlightenment or during the rise of modern science. By creating official statements of belief, churches could keep their teachings clear and make sure people knew where they stood. This made it easy to tell who was part of the faith community and who wasn’t.
Emerging Worldview - What’s Changing?
The old way of thinking focused on clear categories and strong loyalty to institutions. But today, people see faith as more of a journey. With globalization, social media, and diverse communities, younger generations don’t want to be forced into strict boxes.
Many feel left out of churches because they don’t believe everything right away. A “centered-set” approach is different—it focuses on movement toward Jesus instead of a checklist of beliefs. It allows for growth, questions, and belonging before full understanding. Faith becomes a process, not just a status.