Who founded or discovered your worldview?

Modern naturalism is a collaborative development of many scientists and philosophers over many thousands of years, and is continually evolving, because it does not adhere to any fixed dogma but allows continual change and revision as new information and understanding arise. But we can say something of its origins. Historical sources for deepest antiquity are scarce and difficult to interpret, but the first thinker we can positively identify in the surviving evidence as having proposed any version of naturalism as a complete worldview is the Greek philosopher Leucippus (500-450 B.C.), the tutor of Democritus (460-370 B.C.). The earliest complete text that survives describing a naturalist worldview is an epic discourse by the Latin poet Lucretius "On the Nature of Things" (c. 100-50 B.C.), summarizing the naturalism developed by the Greek philosopher Epicurus (c. 300 B.C.). But modern naturalism is significantly different, being heavily influenced by the Scientific Revolution (1500-1700 A.D.), making its methods more scientific and its claims and theories better informed. Modern naturalism is more accurately described as an amalgamation of ancient Epicurean, Aristotelian, and Stoic worldviews, with a modern scientific worldview.

Biography of Leucippus

Atheist view Christian view

Christian doctrine has been gradually developed over several millennia since the time of the very first people. However, since the time of Jesus of Nazareth, also called Jesus Christ, and his immediate followers, approximately 2000 years ago, essential Christian doctrine has not changed at all.

Thus, fully developed Christian doctrine came through Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. It is from His title, "Christ", that we get the word "Christians".

The Christian faith, however, was held to in a more elementary form by innumerable people from the time of creation until the time of Jesus. This elementary form consisted of at least the following characteristics that uniquely identify it as "Christian".

1. There is only one eternal God, Creator of heaven and earth, and He alone deserves our loyalty.

2. Men should obey God perfectly, but none do.

3. We all universally justly deserve to be condemned for this, and God, who is just, will ensure perfect justice.

4. We are incapable of fixing this problem ourselves.

5. God Himself alone can, will, and/or has, fixed this problem for us out of His immeasurable love and forgiveness, without neglecting justice.

6. Because of this, He not only deserves our loyalty, but also our love, our thanks, and our praise.

These basic points have been at the core of Christian doctrine since the time of the very first people, and still remain the most basic outline of the Christian faith. Since the time of Jesus Christ, we have been given a more thorough understanding of exactly how God has fixed the problems resulting from our disobedience. He has done this through the sacrifice of His perfect Son, Jesus, who substituted Himself in our place to pay the price for our sins.

Atheist view Christian view