Glocal Conversations Vol 9 (1) May 2021 http://gc.uofn.edu De Melo Glocal Conversations Vol 9 (1) ISSN: 2296-7176 Misunderstandings about the Christian Worldview in Plural Society and Public Engagement Tiago de Melo Novais Email: tiago-melo@hotmail.com.br Abstract This article explores Christian worldview as a central theme, especially within two contemporary scenarios in the context of Brazil: the present plurality of worldviews, and the growing engagement of Christians in the spheres of society. In the face of the first scenario, this paper argues that religious intolerance by Christians to other worldviews may reflect a misunderstanding about the comprehensiveness and truthfulness claim of the Christian worldview. In the second scenario, we argue that a misunderstanding of Christian worldview may confuse God’s own action in the world with human effort to inaugurate the Kingdom of God. In response, we offer an alternative way, namely, the way of Christian witness. In this way, the praxis of Christian worldview in the face of the two scenarios presented is to witness the effects of the Kingdom to come, discerning the eschatological tension and the different characteristics of the already and the not yet. Key words: Christian worldview, Plurality, Christian engagement, Spheres of Society, Brazil ******* In the last fifty years the concept of Christian worldview has demonstrated its importance in contemporary theological debate, especially with regard to its proposal for a more integral and engaged Christianity in the world, serving as an important conceptual ally for Missio Deo, the Mission of God. In fact, much of the material we currently have on the subject was written and disseminated during this period, 1 mainly by evangelicals, who show interest in both Christian worldview and in underlying themes such as the Mission of God and the Kingdom of God. 2 This period of evangelical effervescence has given us books, articles, events, and institutions based on Christian worldview, 3 making the concept widely known and accepted among evangelicals. Some names that contributed to the discussion and dissemination of this theme were John Stott, Francis Schaeffer, Brian Walsh, Richard Middleton, Nancy Pearcey, David Naugle, James Sire, and Albert Wolters, among others. The main purpose of this paper is to address the possibility of a misunderstanding about the concept of Christian worldview, when Christians find themselves in pluralist society with the challenge of being present in a way that is faithful to their articles of faith. To explore this problem we will use the following path. First, we will define what we mean by the term Christian worldview in order to clarify the discussion. Second, we will elaborate two possible 1 Despite major productions in this period, the first Protestant work to use the German term Weltanschauung (derived from Kant) is authored by James Orr, entitled The Christian View of God and the World (1893). 2 As a landmark of evangelical interest we can cite the International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne in 1974, where important names in evangelicalism were present and actively assisted in the formulation of the Lausanne Covenant. In its turn, the Lausanne Covenant has become an important document that highlights a more comprehensive understanding of God's Mission and God's Kingdom. 3 Examples of institutions are L’Abri and Youth With A Mission, founded (respectively) by Francis Schaeffer and Loren Cunningham.