Biblical vs Secular Worldview, Why It Matters for Mental Health

by Keri Mankos

A biblical worldview and a secular worldview are two radically different ways of understanding life. And what you believe about God will shape how you answer every one of life’s biggest questions. Every person lives with a worldview. It is a mental map that helps us interpret reality and make decisions. Whether we realize it or not, our beliefs about identity, purpose, suffering, and truth are shaped by how we answer. Philosopher Mortimer Adler proposed five questions that every person must answer regardless of their worldview:

1.     View of the person

2.     Source of authority

3.     Cause of problems

4.     The solution

5.     The goal

So, let’s compare:

1.     View of the person:
Secular models see people mainly as biological and psychological beings.
The Christian model provides a more holistic view; we are a body and a soul with spirit (1 Thess. 5:23).

2.     Source of authority:
Secular approaches rely on science as the highest authority.
The Christian approach values science too, but as a tool under the authority of God’s truth.

3.     Cause of problems:
Secular views focus on trauma, environment, and brain chemistry.
A Christian worldview includes those but also recognizes sin, spiritual warfare, and a fallen world.

4.     The solution:
Secular care emphasizes therapy and coping skills.
Christian care includes those, but also includes spiritual renewal, truth, prayer, grace, and community.

5.     The goal:
Secular models aim for symptom relief and personal well-being.
Christian models aim for something deeper: Christlikeness, peace with God, and lasting transformation.

Let’s go deeper:

Where did we come from? (Origin)

Secular View: We are products of chance: biological accidents formed by time, matter, and evolution.
Biblical View: We are intentionally created by a personal, intelligent God (Genesis 1:27).

The fine-tuning of the universe, the complexity of DNA, and the existence of consciousness all point to intelligent design, not random processes. The biblical answer better aligns with observable reality and affirms our inherent value and purpose.

Identity

Secular View: Identity is self-defined. You are whatever you feel, choose, or construct.
Biblical View: We are image-bearers of God—unique, fallen, but deeply loved and redeemable.

The secular view collapses under the weight of shifting emotions and cultural trends. Christianity provides a solid, unchanging identity rooted in divine purpose—not personal performance or public approval.

Why are we here? (Purpose)

Secular View: There is no ultimate purpose—just survival, pleasure, or personal fulfillment.
Biblical View: We were made to know God, love others, and reflect His glory.

Humans long for meaning because we were designed for it. Christianity answers that longing with purpose that transcends suffering and death. Without God, “meaning” is just wishful thinking.

What’s gone wrong? (Problem)

Secular View: Mental health struggles, injustice, and evil are the result of trauma, social structures, or evolutionary leftovers.
Biblical View: Sin has corrupted the world. The problem is not just external—it’s in us.

Christianity offers a more comprehensive explanation for both the beauty and brokenness of humanity. It accounts for internal guilt, relational conflict, and moral failure and not just external systems. The gospel deals with the root, not just the symptoms.

How do we fix it? (Solution)

Secular View: Self-improvement, therapy, and medication.
Biblical View: We need redemption—transformation through Christ.

While therapy and practical support are helpful, only Christianity offers a personal Savior who not only heals us but also transforms us. The resurrection of Jesus provides historical evidence that hope is not just a concept but that He is a person (1 Peter 1:3). Transformation occurs by the process of santification through salvation.

Why This Matters for Mental Health, Identity, and Hope

Your worldview shapes how you interpret suffering, healing, and even yourself.

The Christian worldview offers a foundation:

• A reason for your existence

• An anchor for your identity

• A solution to your deepest brokenness

• A community to belong to

• A hope that outlasts death

The secular approach may offer coping tools, but if God doesn’t exist, then you define everything for yourself.

• No Creator? your origin is chance.

• No design? your identity is up to you.

• No higher purpose? your meaning is what you make of it.

• No objective truth? then morality is subjective; it will shift with culture, trends, or feelings.

• No afterlife? then death is the end.

Christianity Isn’t Just True—It Makes Sense

The Christian worldview doesn’t just answer the big questions, and it answers them coherently, consistently, and redemptively. When tested against reality, it stands stronger than secularism, not only intellectually but also emotionally and spiritually. That’s why it matters. Because how you see the world shapes how you live in it, and Christianity offers the most beautiful, truthful, and life-giving way to see it all.

References:

Adler, M. J. (1985). How to think about the great ideas: From the great books of Western civilization. Macmillan.

New International Bible. (2011) Zondervan. (Original work published 1978).