The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog

I highly recommend this book to any Christian who is looking for a high-level comparison between the major worldviews. The author admit that it is a treatment of the topic from a Christian point-of-view, but then, any treatment of the topic will be from *some* worldview, so I can't fault him for being honest, at least. There were some points at which I felt like issues were flown over rather quickly, but since it's just meant to be an introduction (and there are plenty of references in the back for further study), I think Sire achieves his purpose.

Yes, this author practically states up front which worldview he subscribes to, but for one who merely wishes to learn about other worldviews and not necessarily dabble in them, this is a great book. It has analytical discussions of all the major worldviews and why people subscribe to them or not. This book makes a good "textbook" for framing the discussion of worldviews from a western (esp. Christian) perspective. I ended up citing this book when I wanted to express my own worldview because the book is so well-written and has some great content.
I highly recomment this book if you want to learn about worldviews.

In "The Universe Next Door", James Sire articulates and discusses all of the major worldviews held by persons today. Since worldviews are important to every individual, this book is relevant and useful for almost everybody. Each worldview is explained quickly and concisely, which means that this book is by no means a comprehensive look at the issue. However, this is a strength rather than a weakness- the short chapters are easy to grasp and Sire relays complicated ideas in an easy-to-understand manner.

Sire definitely approaches the issue from a Christian perspective. Some may see this as a major flaw, but I think it is appropriate for Sire to openly announce his biases rather than try to hide them. In any case, I feel Sire is correct in that theism is the only consistent and complete worldview. His discussion of Christian theism is absolutely great. Sire does point out that there are many "inner" issues or problems within Christianity- but still contends that Christianity provides the outer framework of a consistent worldview.

"The Universe Next Door" is a recommended read for everyone.

As a student of both psychology and philosophy I found this book to be a missing link in literature. The truth is I read this book many years ago and bought it again to read after I gave my original copy to my son in college. If you are a Christian and interested in understanding how the message of the Bible stacks up with other world views you cannot pass up this book. You may find the book tough reading in places, however the author has kept the content as simple as possible while still exploring differences in major world philosophical perspectives.

If you are a Christian who wants to understand how your faith stacks up against alternative human views of creation, human nature, the existence of God, life after life, revelation and other issues you must read this book. One note...before you begin reading be determined to finish it. It is very important to read the entire book, no matter the effort, to get the most value from the message. A TRUE MASTERPIECE!!

I chuckled as I read reviews critical of this ambitious little book. What did its critics expect? A book critical of theism from InterVarsity Press would be shocking.

I first read this book when it was published about twenty years ago. It is not as detailed as Norm Geisler's Introduction to Apologetics but it serves a different purpose and is aimed at a different audience. The value of the book is obvious from the number of reprints it has enjoyed over the years. The author writes with understanding and appreciation for other worldviews. I expect this from a professor of English who wrote a book entitled "How to Read Slowly." One of Sire's favorite authors is Saul Bellow; Sire would purchase Bellow's books sight unseen. His literary tastes should tell discerning readers a great deal about the author. As a professor of English, Sire writes clearly and lucidly about a subject that others fumble and stumble through.

The only other author who has attempted such an ambitious book about understanding worldviews is Mortimer Adler, the deceased editor of Encyclopedia Britanica. Adler's and Sire's works on worldviews compare favorably. If anything, this single book by Sire has a greater scope than any of Adler's books except for The Great Ideas: A Lexicon of Western Thought. And Sire is just about at the same level for concise, pointed critiques of various worldviews.

A critical assessment of postmodernism (Foucault, Derrida, etc.) is a welcome chapter in the book. I don't believe that Foucault's dependence on Heidegger is acknowledged. Barthes and Lucan are not discussed. I find Tasic's Mathematics and the Roots of Postmodern Thought to be among the most interesting and sympathetic surveys of the complex postmodern phenomenon. It might serve as an excellent supplementary text although it might prove to be challenging reading.

This well-written book is highly recommended for readers looking for a single book that fairly and concisely assesses worldviews.