Abstract

VAN DER WALT, B.J.. Towards a Christian perspective on social life: Biblical foundations and historical development. In Skriflig (Online) [online]. 2008, vol.42, n.1, pp.1-24. ISSN 2305-0853.

This article is structured in the following way: The introduction asks the practical question why Christianity has such a small impact on contemporary society. This topical question is partly answered by indicating that most Christians lack a worldviewish framework or social philosophy to inspire them to get involved outside their churches and do so correctly. In the second section a brief explanation of the possible solutions to this problem indicates that the reformational social philosophy may offer some help. Christian theology and Christian philosophy should mutually assist each other in this important endeavour to shape a Christian worldview, including a perspective on social life. The third section indicates how such a philosophy for social life can be firmly based on God's Word. In light of the fact that this social philosphy is not well-known, the last part of the article provides a brief historical survey of how this kind of societal philosophy originated and developed over the course of more than a century.

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