🎥 Video 9A: Naturalism, Existentialism, Pragmatism, and Utilitarianism

Hi, I am Haley, a Christian Leaders Institute presenter.

A Life Coaching Minister meets with a man named Darren. Darren says, “I just want a philosophy that works. I do not care what is true anymore. I just want less pain.”

That sentence sounds modern. It is also deeply human.

PhilMinistry Skills helps leaders listen carefully when people bring modern philosophies into their pain. Naturalism may say, “You are mainly biology, chemistry, and environment.” Existentialism may say, “You must create your own meaning.” Pragmatism may say, “Truth is what works.” Utilitarianism may say, “The right choice is whatever produces the most benefit or least harm.”

Each approach notices something real.

The body matters. Personal responsibility matters. Practical outcomes matter. Consequences matter.

But Christian leaders must ask: What is being treated as ultimate?

Roy Clouser helps us ask, “What has become god-like in this explanation?” Is matter ultimate? Is choice ultimate? Is usefulness ultimate? Is pleasure or pain reduction ultimate?

Herman Dooyeweerd helps us notice reductionism. Naturalism may over-focus on the physical and biotic aspects. Existentialism may over-focus on personal freedom and formative choice. Pragmatism may over-focus on what seems useful. Utilitarianism may over-focus on measurable outcomes.

But a human being is not only a body, a chooser, a project, or a calculator of consequences.

Genesis 1:27 says, “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”

The Bible gives the fuller frame. Human beings are created by God, fallen in sin, redeemable in Christ, called into love, and destined for resurrection hope.

Ministry Sciences observes that people are helped when leaders consider the whole person: body, story, relationships, habits, beliefs, environment, and hope. But the Gospel gives what technique alone cannot give. In Christ, people are not trapped inside biology, despair, usefulness, or outcomes.

A helpful leader might ask, “What part of this approach is seeing something true? And what part is too small to hold your whole life before God?”

What helps is respectful comparison.

What harms is mockery, fear, or shallow dismissal.

Modern philosophies often try to help people solve real problems. PhilMinistry Skills teaches leaders to test every solution by its ultimate trust, its reduction risk, and its ability to honor the whole person before God.

The takeaway is this: notice what is true, name what is too small, and bring the person back to the God who made the whole life.


Modifié le: mardi 2 juin 2026, 08:36