Sire explains the Christian worldview, and all the others in this book, by propositions concerning these key questions: The Reformed tradition often speaks of the Christian worldview as involving creation, fall, redemption, consummation, thus emphasizing narrative. It’s as much a matter of intuition and feeling as it is intellectually articulated. Or it might be called it a grand narrative of existence: Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going? A worldview may be explicit or implicit in someone’s life. Without quoting him, I summarize a worldview as a set of philosophical assumptions about the basic makeup of the world that guide your thinking and living. Sire refined his definition of a worldview through the various editions of his book. The concept of a worldview is an intellectual key to open new levels of understanding for apologetics and social critique especially, but it applies to all aspects of the intellectual life. For apologetics, you must know what to defend (the Christian worldview) and what to defend against (non-Christian worldviews). The concept of a worldview is an intellectual key to opening new levels of understanding for apologetics and social critique especially, but it applies to all aspects of the intellectual life. Paul’s apologetic speeches in Acts 14 and Acts 17 reflect a keen awareness of his audience’s non-Christian worldviews. Most thoughtful evangelicals since the 1970s have been concerned to help Christians think about their worldview and that of others. Since Sire’s death, retired InterVarsity Press publisher Jim Hoover helped edit this sixth and last edition. While he wrote other fine books, this was Sire’s signature achievement.

My chapter “The Christian Worldview” in Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith was shaped significantly by Sire’s work. I’ve taught courses at the University of Oregon and Denver Seminary using the first five editions of The Universe Next Door. The Universe Next Door has been used widely inside and outside of academia and has become a modern classic. That word “worldview” would change my life and the lives of countless others in the 1970s, and we largely have Sire to thank for that. I had warmed to philosophy during my first year in college, but after my conversion I was a little slow to understand Christianity as a rational worldview, or philosophy of life.

I had been reading Francis Schaeffer (1912–1984) and was learning to think philosophically about my newfound faith. The book was published in 1976 and was used in an alternative education class at the University of Oregon. I first read The Universe Next Door as an undergraduate and new convert in 1977.

The Universe Next Door by James W. Sire