Why You Think the Way You Do

I just finished reading a very interesting book by the title of Why You Think the Way You Do: the Story of Western Worldviews from Rome to Home. The author is Dr. Glenn S. Sunshine a professor of history at Central Connecticut University. He is also a Research Fellow at Acton Institute and a faculty member of the Centurions Program at Charles Colson’s Breakpoint, the worldview training ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries. You can get a more complete picture of his background on the cover of the book.

The basic premise and conclusion of his thorough analysis of worldview perspectives in western society is to demonstrate that “As Christianity’s influence on the western worldview has declined…since ideas have consequences, since worldviews inevitably shape culture and even their most extreme implications are eventually put into practice, it is no accident that people in our culture are acting more and more like the Roman” (p. 203). The journey through western worldviews begins with a look at the pluralism of Rome’s various religions and the idea of tolerance that was built into the various religious expressions. Sunshine provides a readable yet substantial enough description of paganism (worship of nature), the mystery religions (mystical experiences with the deities), and Neoplatonic religion (mystical union with the One). The point he makes is that the Roman religious scene was comfortable with this pluralism and were tolerant up to a point. The point at which their tolerance ended was with the rise of Christianity and its growth from a Jewish sect into a Jewish and Gentile religious expression. The Roman Empire lost its patience with Christianity because it violated its worldview perspective of tolerance for all religions. Christianity made a claim of exclusivity “The claim that Christianity is true and everything that contradicts it is false. As in society that makes tolerance its principal virtue, there were limits, and Christianity’s claims of exclusivity crossed them” (p. 41).

What follows next is a discussion of the transformation from pagan worldview to a Christian worldview (chapter 2). To Sunshine’s credit he shows that the transformation which begins in the 4^th century is continued through the medieval period. Chapters 4 and 5 demonstrate the development of a Christian worldview during this period and how these developments benefitted western society and provided the foundational ideas that would be embraced by those who would follow; though important elements of the worldview would be challenged. Chief among the ideas that would be challenged is epistemology (question of knowledge). Sunshine shows how the Renaissance, Reformation, and Pyrrhonism challenged the medieval epistemology and how a new epistemology rose during the modern period. Sunshine does a very good job of summarizing and providing some correctives to the science versus faith debate in chapters 6 and 7. Chapter 8 examines the challenges to the Christian medieval worldview from the perspective of the Enlightenment and the three revolutions of the period (Glorious Revolution, American, and French). Chapter 9 is a history of the modernist worldview and how western society moved from Deism to Materialism and the implications of the shift.

The most profound implication may be what Sunshine describes as the call of the irrational. Materialism raises a number of profound questions. Sunshine mentions the following:

• How do you explain art scientifically?

• How do you do a scientific analysis of love in such a way that does not make it meaningless?

• If the human brain is the product of random chance plus time working on the primordial soup, how can we imagine the brain is capable of understanding the world, or even giving us accurate information about it?

These questions lead to chapter 10 and the rise of postmodernism and its embracing of the irrational whether it be through deconstruction, the politicization of language, or the emergence of the new spirituality. Sunshine concludes chapter 10 with the following observation: “…in the union of postmodernism with the new spirituality, we have come full circle and returned to the worldview of ancient Rome” (p. 202).

Why should leaders read this book? First, it builds upon the understandings that many of us have gleaned from James Sire’s worldview catalog in the Universe Next Door. Sire provides a philosophical and systematical way to understand the various worldviews. What Sunshine’s book provides is a historical narrative that helps us see how the worldviews developing and some of the major implications that the development had upon economics, labor, marriage and family, and other concerns that leaders have. Chapter 11 entitled Trajectories gives the thoughtful leader much to think about. A second reason that I would urge leaders to read this book is that his analysis forces us to consider how we ought to think, as opposed to, going with the cultural flow of thought. If we understand the” current” of thought we can find ways to get out of the current and find ways to reflect on where it is taking us. Leaders cannot be swept away by the current of worldview thinking. Leaders need to be informed and then thoughtfully reflect on what they are receiving. Then and only then are leaders prepared to lead. Leadership by its very definition is not a go with the flow mentality. The current direction of worldview thinking is going to produce some discomforting realities for leaders who are Christian (chapter 11). We need to see where the rapids are so we can help navigate others through the whirlpools and dangerous drops.

Academics may be less than enthusiastic about this book. In eleven chapters it has only 60 footnotes. Academics may want more in this regard. However, I will stand behind my recommendation of this book because the careful reader will be forced to pause and think. I can think of no greater reason to read than to expand our thinking and open new ways of seeing and ultimately leading.