A worldview is the set of assumptions through which we interpret reality — who are we, what's wrong with the world, what's the solution, and what does a good life look like? The Christian worldview has specific answers: we are made in God's image; creation is good but fallen; Jesus is the solution; the good life is one of love, justice, and worship. Teaching SRE means exposing students to these answers — not forcing them to adopt them.
What We Mean by 'Christian Worldview'
Invitation, Not Coercion
SRE is not evangelism in the pejorative sense. Students are attending on the basis of parental consent, but they bring their own questions, doubts, and emerging convictions. The goal is to present the Christian faith clearly, compellingly, and honestly — inviting students into a story that makes sense of the world — not to produce a set of correct religious responses on demand. When students feel invited rather than pushed, genuine formation happens.
Use Questions as Your Primary Teaching Tool
'What do you think makes a person valuable?' is a better opener than 'The Bible says every person is made in God's image and is therefore valuable.' The question creates space for students to arrive at the Christian insight themselves — or to surface a competing view that you can then engage honestly. Inquiry-based teaching in SRE is not a compromise of content; it's a better way of reaching it.
Model Honest, Doubting, Living Faith
Nothing is more disarming than a teacher who says, 'I've struggled with this question too, and here's where I've landed.' Certainty that never acknowledges complexity reads as naive or dishonest to reflective students. Faith that holds hard questions with intellectual seriousness while remaining personally committed is the most compelling advertisement for Christianity that any SRE lesson can offer.
