Scripture verses are taken from the following versions: The King James Version of the Bible. The New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. The “New International Version” and “NIV” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. The Living Bible. Copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Published by Summit Press, a division of Summit Ministries, P.O. Box 207, Manitou Springs, Colorado 80829 © 1991, 1995, 2006 by David A. Noebel and Summit Ministries All rights reserved. First unabridged edition published 1991. First abridged edition 1995. Second abridged and revised edition 2006. Printed in the United States of America ISBN (hc): 0–936163–00–3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Noebel, David A. Understanding the Times : The Collision of Today’s Competing Worldviews / David A. Noebel p. cm. Includes glossary and index ISBN 0–936163–00–3 1. Apologetics. 2. Christianity. 3. Islam. 4. Humanism. 5. Marxism. 6. New Age Movement. 7. Postmodernism I. Title This book is dedicated once again to every student who attended the Summit Ministries’ one or two-week programs over the past 45 years either in Colorado, Tennessee, Ohio, Canada, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand. It is also dedicated to my son Brent who literally died persuading young lives what one blind guy and a bunch of teenagers could do for Jesus and the Body of Christ in the Sudan; and to Ronald H. Nash who left this world to be united with his Savior, and who told me many times how much he enjoyed working with and teaching our Summit students over the years. INTRODUCTION Part 01.......................................................................................................1 Part 02 ....................................................................................................13 Part 03 ....................................................................................................31 CHAPTER 01 Christian Theology ................................................................................ 43 Islamic Theology ....................................................................................51 Secular Humanist Theology.................................................................. 59 Marxist-Leninist Theology .................................................................... 65 Cosmic Humanist Theology ...................................................................71 Postmodern Theology ............................................................................77 CHAPTER 02 Christian Philosophy ............................................................................. 85 Islamic Philosophy ................................................................................ 93 Secular Humanist Philosophy..............................................................101 Marxist-Leninist Philosophy................................................................107 Cosmic Humanist Philosophy.............................................................. 113 Postmodern Philosophy ....................................................................... 119 CHAPTER 03 Christian Ethics ....................................................................................127 Islamic Ethics .......................................................................................133 Secular Humanist Ethics......................................................................137 Marxist-Leninist Ethics........................................................................145 Cosmic Humanist Ethics...................................................................... 151 Postmodern Ethics ...............................................................................155 CHAPTER 04 Christian Biology.................................................................................. 161 Islamic Biology .....................................................................................173 Secular Humanist Biology....................................................................179 Marxist-Leninist Biology......................................................................187 Cosmic Humanist Biology....................................................................195 Postmodern Biology ............................................................................ 201 CHAPTER 05 Christian Psychology...........................................................................209 Islamic Psychology ...............................................................................219 Secular Humanist Psychology............................................................. 225 Marxist-Leninist Psychology................................................................231 Cosmic Humanist Psychology............................................................. 237 Postmodern Psychology .......................................................................241 CHAPTER 06 Christian Sociology.............................................................................. 247 Islamic Sociology................................................................................. 253 Secular Humanist Sociology ............................................................... 259 Marxist-Leninist Sociology.................................................................. 265 Cosmic Humanist Sociology ................................................................271 Postmodern Sociology..........................................................................275 CHAPTER 07 Christian Law ...................................................................................... 283 Islamic Law...........................................................................................291 Secular Humanist Law ........................................................................ 297 Marxist-Leninist Law .......................................................................... 303 Cosmic Humanist Law ........................................................................ 309 Postmodern Law................................................................................... 311 CHAPTER 08 Christian Politics ..................................................................................317 Islamic Politics .................................................................................... 323 Secular Humanist Politics....................................................................331 Marxist-Leninist Politics ..................................................................... 337 Cosmic Humanist Politics ................................................................... 343 Postmodern Politics ............................................................................ 347 CHAPTER 09 Christian Economics ........................................................................... 353 Islamic Economics ...............................................................................361 Secular Humanist Economics ............................................................. 369 Marxist-Leninist Economics ................................................................375 Cosmic Humanist Economics ..............................................................381 Postmodern Economics ...................................................................... 385 CHAPTER 10 Christian History..................................................................................391 Islamic History .................................................................................... 397 Secular Humanist History................................................................... 405 Marxist-Leninist History...................................................................... 411 Cosmic Humanist History....................................................................417 Postmodern History .............................................................................421 CONCLUSION Part 01.................................................................................................. 427 Part 02 ..................................................................................................431 Part 03 ..................................................................................................441 Part 04 ................................................................................................. 467 Part 05 ................................................................................................. 475 Part 06 ................................................................................................. 483 COMPARING COMPETING WORLDVIEWS SECULAR MARXISM- COSMIC POST- CHRISTIANITY ISLAM HUMANISM LENINISM HUMANISM MODERNISM Humanist MacLaine, Nietzsche, Qur’an, Hadith, Marx, Engels, Bible Manifestos Spangler, Foucault, Sunnah Lenin, Mao I, II, III Chopra, Walsch Derrida, Rorty Theism Theism THEOLOGY Atheism Atheism Pantheism Atheism (Trinitarian) (Unitarian) Supernaturalism Supernaturalism Dialectical PHILOSOPHY Naturalism Non-Naturalism Anti-Realism (Faith and Reason) (Faith and Reason) Materialism Proletariat Moral Relativism