Transforming Worldviews: An Anthropological Understanding of How People Change

Front Cover
Baker Academic, May 1, 2008 - Religion - 368 pages
In the past, changes in behavior and in belief have been leading indicators for missionaries that Christian conversion had occurred. But these alone--or even together--are insufficient for a gospel understanding of conversion. For effective biblical mission, Paul G. Hiebert argues, we must add a third element: a change in worldview. Here he offers a comprehensive study of worldview--its philosophy, its history, its characteristics, and the means for understanding it. He then provides a detailed analysis of several worldviews that missionaries must engage today, addressing the impact of each on Christianity and mission. A biblical worldview is outlined for comparison. Finally, Hiebert argues for gospel ministry that seeks to transform people's worldviews and offers suggestions for how to do so.

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Contents

List of Figures
9
Characteristics of Worldviews
31
Worldviews in Human Contexts
71
Methods for Analyzing Worldviews
89
Worldviews of SmallScale Oral Societies
105
Peasant Worldviews
123
The Modern Worldview
141
The Worldview of Late Modernity or Postmodernity
211
The PostPostmodern or Glocal Worldview
241
10
265
A Model for Worldview Analysis
335
ModernPostmodern Shift
345
Index
359
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About the author (2008)

Paul G. Hiebert (1932-2007) was distinguished professor of mission and anthropology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and previously taught at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also served as a pastor and missionary to India. He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota and was the author or coauthor of numerous articles and books in the fields of anthropology and missions.

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