The Universe Next Door, Sixth Edition cover art

The Universe Next Door, Sixth Edition

A Basic Worldview Catalog

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The Universe Next Door, Sixth Edition

By: James W Sire, Jim Hoover - foreword
Narrated by: David Cochran Heath
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About this listen

For more than 40 years, The Universe Next Door has set the standard for a clear, concise introduction to worldviews. Using his widely influential model of eight basic worldview questions, James Sire examines prominent worldviews that have shaped the Western world: theism, deism, naturalism, Marxism, nihilism, existentialism, Eastern monism, New Age philosophy, postmodernism, and Islam.

Intertwined with this analysis, Sire presents an overview of intellectual history giving insight into the current state of Western thought and culture. Critiquing each worldview within its own frame of reference and in comparison to others, Sire encourages listeners to wrestle with life's biggest questions and examine the core beliefs and commitments on which they are building their lives. 

The sixth edition, updated by Sire's longtime editor Jim Hoover, features a chapter on challenges to a Christian worldview in the 21st century. New discussion questions will help listeners reflect more deeply on the ideas in each chapter. In a world of ever-increasing diversity, The Universe Next Door offers a unique resource for understanding the variety of worldviews that claim the allegiance of mind and heart.

©2020 The Estate of James W. Sire (sixth edition); copyright 2009 by James W. Sire (fifth edition); copyright 2004 by James W. Sire (fourth edition); copyright 1997 by James W. Sire (third edition); copyright 1988 by James W. Sire (second edition); copyright 1976 by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship of the United States of America (first edition) (P)2021 eChristian Christianity Philosophy Religious Studies Spirituality Morality
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Despite the author’s Christian background, he seems to do a good job of explaining some of the dominant worldviews. The clear exception is the chapter on Islam. It is a total disaster, an unfortunate misrepresentation, and contains some basic factual errors. James Sire did not write this chapter, but realised that it was important in the world, so left it for someone else to write. The result is a heavily biased view of what a typical evangelical Christian believes about Islam. It might have been better to let a Muslim write that chapter.
This gives rise to a further thought - perhaps all the chapters should have been written by a proponent of that worldview using the structure outlined by the author in the beginning.

Useful intro to various ideologies, except for the chapter on Islam

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