Francis Schaeffer
Encyclopedia
Francis August Schaeffer (30 January 1912 – 15 May 1984) was an American
Evangelical Christian
theologian
, philosopher
, and Presbyterian
pastor. He is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the L'Abri community
in Switzerland
. Opposed to theological modernism, Schaeffer promoted a more historic Protestant faith and a presuppositional
approach to Christian apologetics
which he believed would answer the questions of the age. A number of Christian leaders, authors, and evangelists credit Schaeffer's ideas with helping spark the rise of the Christian Right
in the United States and were strongly influenced by him. Among them are Operation Rescue
founder Randall Terry
, Focus on the Family
's James Dobson
, the 700 Club's Pat Robertson
, Prison Fellowship
's Charles Colson
, columnist Cal Thomas
, preacher and author Tim LaHaye
, former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris
, and Liberty University
and Moral Majority
founder Jerry Falwell
.
Schaeffer's wife, Edith (Seville) Schaeffer
, has become a prolific author in her own right. Schaeffer was also the father of - and at times collaborator with, and at times the object of criticism from - Frank Schaeffer
, an author, film-maker and painter.
to Franz A. Schaeffer III and Bessie Williamson.
In 1935, Schaeffer graduated magna cum laude
from Hampden-Sydney College
. The same year he married Edith Seville, the daughter of missionary
parents who had been with China Inland Mission
founded by Hudson Taylor
. Schaeffer then enrolled at Westminster Theological Seminary
in the fall and studied under Cornelius Van Til
(presuppositional apologetics
) and J. Gresham Machen
(doctrine of inerrancy
).
In 1937, Schaeffer transferred to Faith Theological Seminary
, graduating in 1938. This seminary was newly formed as a result of a split in the Presbyterian Church of America (now the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
) and the Bible Presbyterian Church
, a Presbyterian denomination more identified with Fundamentalist Christianity
and premillennialism
. Schaeffer was the first student to graduate and the first to be ordained in the Bible Presbyterian Church. He served pastorates in Pennsylvania
(Grove City
and Chester
) and St. Louis, Missouri
. He later left the BPC and joined the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, a forerunner of the Presbyterian Church in America
, an evangelical denomination.
In 1948, the Schaeffer family moved to Switzerland and in 1955 established the community called L'Abri
(French for "the shelter"). Serving as both a philosophy seminar and a spiritual community, L’Abri attracted thousands of young people, and was later expanded into Sweden, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In 1954, Schaeffer was awarded the honorary
Doctor of Divinity
degree from Highland College in Long Beach, California
.
In 1971, Schaeffer received the honorary Doctor of Letters
degree from Gordon College
in Wenham, Massachusetts
.
In 1982, John Warwick Montgomery
nominated Schaeffer for an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, which was conferred in 1983 by the Simon Greenleaf School of Law, Anaheim, California
in recognition of his apologetic writings and ministry.
Schaeffer died of lymphoma
on May 15, 1984, in Rochester, Minnesota
.
In Crazy for God, Schaeffer's son Frank
presents a portrait of his father that is far more nuanced and multi-dimensional than was suggested by his public persona. He states, for example, that Schaeffer's primary passions in life were not the Bible and theology but rather art and culture. "And what moved him was not theology but beauty"(p. 140). Schaeffer's son claims he had frequent bouts with depression and a verbally and physically abusive relationship with his wife, Edith. Those in the inner circle at L'Abri challenge Frank's account. Os Guinness
, who lived with the Schaeffers and was a close friend of both the younger and elder Schaeffer, described Crazy for God as a "scurrilous caricature" and said, "[N]o one should take Frank's allegations at face value."
, Edward John Carnell
, and Cornelius Van Til
, but he was not known to be a strict presuppositionalist in the Van Tillian tradition. His approach to culture was heavily influenced by his friendship with Hans Rookmaaker
. In a 1948 article in The Bible Today, Schaeffer explained his own apologetics and how he walked a middle path between evidentialism
and presuppositionalism, noting that "If the unsaved man was consistent he would be an atheist in religion, an irrationalist in philosophy (including a complete uncertainty concerning 'natural laws'), and completely a-moral in the widest sense." J. Budziszewski summarizes the article about this middle path approach by writing:
Schaeffer came to use this middle path as the basis for his method of evangelism which he called Taking the roof off. An example of Taking the roof off in written form can be found in Schaeffer's work entitled Death in the City. Nancy Pearcey
also describes two books by Schaeffer, Escape From Reason and The God Who Is There in this way:
theologian Rousas John Rushdoony
with appreciation, "and it is quite likely that Schaeffer’s belief that the United States was founded on a Christian base came in part from Rushdoony." Schaeffer later lost this fervor because Rushdoony was a postmillennialist
(holding the doctrine that the kingdom of God will be built on earth before the second coming of Jesus) while Schaeffer was a premillenialist
(holding that the kingdom of God will only be ushered in with the second coming). Further Schaeffer thought that Rushdoony’s system would require a merger of church and state, which he opposed. He held that the principles, not the actual details, of Old Testament civil law were applicable under the New Covenant of Jesus. He wrote "The moral law [of the Old Testament], of course, is constant, but the civil law only was operative for the Old Testament theocracy. I do not think there is any indication of a theocracy in the New Testament until Christ returns as king."
, Switzerland. It is led by one of his daughters and sons-in-law as a small-scale alternative to the original L'Abri Fellowship International which is still operating in nearby Huemoz-sur-Ollon
and other places in the world. On the other hand, Schaeffer's son Frank Schaeffer
initially supported his father's ideas and political program, but has since distanced himself from many of those views and has converted to the Eastern Orthodox Church
.
Covenant Theological Seminary
has established the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute directed by a former English L'Abri member, Jerram Barrs. The purpose of the school is to train Christians to demonstrate compassion
ately and defend reason
ably what they see as the claims of Christ
on all of life.
Schaeffer popularized, in the modern context, a conservative, though not a fully Calvinism|Reformed perspective.
. In his memoir Crazy for God, Schaeffer's son Frank takes credit for pressing his father to take on the abortion issue, which Schaeffer initially considered "too political." Schaeffer called for a challenge to what he saw as the increasing influence of secular humanism. Schaeffer's views were expressed in two works, his book entitled A Christian Manifesto, as well as the book and film series, Whatever Happened to the Human Race?.
of 1848 and the Humanist Manifesto
documents of 1933 and 1973. Schaeffer's diagnosis is that the decline of Western Civilization is due to society having become increasingly pluralistic
, resulting in a shift "away from a world view that was at least vaguely Christian in people’s memory... toward something completely different". Schaeffer argues that there is a philosophical struggle between the people of God and the secular humanists.
In a sermon also titled "A Christian Manifesto", Schaeffer defines secular humanism
as the worldview where "man is the measure of all things," and in the book he claims that critics of the Christian Right miss the mark by confusing the "humanist religion" with humanitarianism, the humanities, or love of humans. He describes the conflict with secular humanism as a battle in which "these two religions, Christianity and humanism, stand over against each other as totalities." He writes that the decline of commitment to objective truth that he perceives in the various institutions of society is "not because of a conspiracy, but because the church has forsaken its duty to be the salt of the culture." Schaeffer explains:
He then suggests that similar tactics be used to stop abortion. But Schaeffer argues he is not talking about a theocracy:
Christian Reconstructionists
Gary North and David Chilton
were highly critical of A Christian Manifesto and Schaeffer.
Their critical comments were prompted, they wrote, by the popularity of Schaeffer's book (pp. 116–17). They suggested that Schaeffer supports pluralism because he sees the First Amendment as freedom of religion for all; and they themselves reject pluralism (pp. 128–29). Pointing out negative statements Schaeffer made about theocracy, North and Chilton then explain why they promote it (pp. 121–22). They extend their criticism of Schaeffer:
leaders such as Tim LaHaye
have credited Schaeffer for influencing their theological arguments urging political
participation by evangelicals. Randall Terry
, the founder of Operation Rescue
, also acknowledged the influence of Schaeffer.
Beginning in the 1990s, critics began exploring the intellectual/ideological connection between Schaeffer’s political activism and writings of the early 1980s to contemporary religious-political trends in the Christian Right, sometimes grouped under the name Dominionism
, with mixed conclusions.
Sara Diamond
and Frederick Clarkson have written articles tracing the activism of numerous key figures in the Christian Right to the influence of Francis Schaeffer. According to Diamond: "The idea of taking dominion over secular society gained widespread currency with the 1981 publication of...Schaeffer's book A Christian Manifesto. The book sold 290,000 copies in its first year, and it remains one of the movement's most frequently cited texts."
Diamond summarizes the book and its importance to the Christian Right:
Frederick Clarkson explains that this had practical applications:
Analyses of Schaeffer as the major intellectual influence on Dominionism
can be found in the works of authors such as Diamond and Chip Berlet
. Other authors argue against a close connection with dominionism, for example Irving Hexham
of the University of Calgary
, who maintains that Schaeffer's political position has been misconstrued as advocating the Dominionist views of R. J. Rushdoony, who is a Christian Reconstructionist
. Hexham indicates that Schaeffer's essential philosophy was derived from Herman Dooyeweerd
, not Rushdoony, and that Hans Rookmaaker
introduced Schaeffer to his writings. Dooyeweerd was a Dutch legal scholar and philosopher, following in the footsteps of Neo-Calvinist
Abraham Kuyper
.
Congresswoman and 2012 United States presidential candidate
Michele Bachmann
has cited Schaeffer's documentary series How Should We Then Live? as having a "profound influence" on her life and that of her husband Marcus.
In addition to his books, one of the last public lectures Schaeffer delivered was at the Law Faculty, University of Strasbourg. It was published as "Christian Faith and Human Rights", The Simon Greenleaf Law Review, 2 (1982–83) pp. 3–12. Most of his writings during his Bible Presbyterian days have not been collected, nor reprinted in decades.
In addition to the five volume Complete Works listed above there were also two books by Dr. Schaeffer published after his death:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, philosopher
Christian philosophy
Christian philosophy may refer to any development in philosophy that is characterised by coming from a Christian tradition.- Origins of Christian philosophy :...
, and Presbyterian
Bible Presbyterian Church
The Bible Presbyterian Church is an American Protestant denomination.-History:The Bible Presbyterian Church was formed in 1937, predominantly through the efforts of such conservative Presbyterian clergymen as Carl McIntire, J. Oliver Buswell and Allen A. MacRae. Francis Schaeffer was the first...
pastor. He is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the L'Abri community
L'Abri
L'Abri is an evangelical Christian organization founded by Francis Schaeffer and his wife Edith in Huémoz-sur-Ollon, Switzerland on June 5, 1955. They opened their alpine home as a ministry to curious travellers and as a forum to discuss philosophical and religious beliefs.- The development of...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Opposed to theological modernism, Schaeffer promoted a more historic Protestant faith and a presuppositional
Presuppositional apologetics
In Christian theology, presuppositionalism is a school of apologetics that presumes Christian faith is the only basis for rational thought. It presupposes that the Bible is divine revelation and claims to expose flaws in other worldviews...
approach to Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics
Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...
which he believed would answer the questions of the age. A number of Christian leaders, authors, and evangelists credit Schaeffer's ideas with helping spark the rise of the Christian Right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
in the United States and were strongly influenced by him. Among them are Operation Rescue
Operation Save America
Operation Save America is an organization based in Dallas, Texas, that opposes human induced abortion and its legality. In 1994, Flip Benham became the director of the organization, then called Operation Rescue National. Benham replaced Keith Tucci, who had replaced Randall Terry...
founder Randall Terry
Randall Terry
Randall Almira Terry is an American pro-life activist and candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 2012. Terry founded the pro-life organization Operation Rescue. The group became particularly prominent beginning in 1987 for blockading the entrances to abortion clinics;...
, Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
's James Dobson
James Dobson
James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder in 1977 of Focus on the Family , which he led until 2003. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influential spokesman for conservative social positions in American public life...
, the 700 Club's Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
, Prison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship is a Christian prison outreach and criminal justice reform organization. Its programs reach prisoners, ex-prisoners, and families of prisoners throughout the United States and, through Prison Fellowship International , in 112 countries worldwide.- Leadership :Charles W...
's Charles Colson
Charles Colson
Charles Wendell "Chuck" Colson is a Christian leader, cultural commentator, and former Special Counsel for President Richard Nixon from 1969 to 1973....
, columnist Cal Thomas
Cal Thomas
John Calvin "Cal" Thomas is an American conservative syndicated columnist, pundit, author and radio commentator.-Life and career:...
, preacher and author Tim LaHaye
Tim LaHaye
Timothy F. LaHaye is an American evangelical Christian minister, author, and speaker. He is best known for the Left Behind series of apocalyptic fiction, which he co-wrote with Jerry B. Jenkins. He has written over 50 books, both fiction and non-fiction.-Early life:LaHaye was born in Detroit,...
, former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris
Katherine Harris is an American Republican politician, former Secretary of State of Florida, and former member of the United States House of Representatives. Harris won the 2002 election to represent Florida's 13th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She held that post...
, and Liberty University
Liberty University
Liberty University is a private Christian university located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Liberty's annual enrollment is around 72,000 students, 12,000 of whom are residential students and 60,000+ studying through Liberty University Online...
and Moral Majority
Moral Majority
The Moral Majority was a political organization of the United States which had an agenda of evangelical Christian-oriented political lobbying...
founder Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell
Jerry Lamon Falwell, Sr. was an evangelical fundamentalist Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and a conservative commentator from the United States. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia...
.
Schaeffer's wife, Edith (Seville) Schaeffer
Edith Schaeffer
Edith Rachel Merritt Schaeffer is a Christian author and co-founder of L'Abri, a Christian organization which hosts guests...
, has become a prolific author in her own right. Schaeffer was also the father of - and at times collaborator with, and at times the object of criticism from - Frank Schaeffer
Frank Schaeffer
Frank Schaeffer is an American author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer...
, an author, film-maker and painter.
Biography
Schaeffer was born on January 30, 1912, in Germantown, PennsylvaniaGermantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
to Franz A. Schaeffer III and Bessie Williamson.
In 1935, Schaeffer graduated magna cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
from Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampden–Sydney College is a liberal arts college for men located in Hampden Sydney, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1775, Hampden–Sydney is the oldest private charter college in the Southern U.S., the last college founded before the American Revolution, and one of only three four-year,...
. The same year he married Edith Seville, the daughter of missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
parents who had been with China Inland Mission
China Inland Mission
OMF International is an interdenominational Protestant Christian missionary society, founded in Britain by Hudson Taylor on 25 June 1865.-Overview:...
founded by Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor
James Hudson Taylor , was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China, and founder of the China Inland Mission . Taylor spent 51 years in China...
. Schaeffer then enrolled at Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westminster Theological Seminary is a Presbyterian and Reformed Christian graduate educational institution located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, with a satellite location in London.-History:...
in the fall and studied under Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til , born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist.-Biography:...
(presuppositional apologetics
Presuppositional apologetics
In Christian theology, presuppositionalism is a school of apologetics that presumes Christian faith is the only basis for rational thought. It presupposes that the Bible is divine revelation and claims to expose flaws in other worldviews...
) and J. Gresham Machen
John Gresham Machen
John Gresham Machen was an American Presbyterian theologian in the early 20th century. He was the Professor of New Testament at Princeton Seminary between 1915 and 1929, and led a conservative revolt against modernist theology at Princeton and formed Westminster Theological Seminary as a more...
(doctrine of inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy
Biblical inerrancy is the doctrinal position that the Bible is accurate and totally free of error, that "Scripture in the original manuscripts does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact." Some equate inerrancy with infallibility; others do not.Conservative Christians generally believe that...
).
In 1937, Schaeffer transferred to Faith Theological Seminary
Faith Theological Seminary
Faith Theological Seminary is an conservative, evangelical Christian seminary founded in 1937 in Baltimore, Maryland. Originally located in Wilmington, Delaware, it moved to Philadelphia in 1952, then to its current location in Maryland in 2004. It was founded amidst the Fundamentalist-Modernist...
, graduating in 1938. This seminary was newly formed as a result of a split in the Presbyterian Church of America (now the Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church is a conservative Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America who strongly objected to the pervasive Modernist theology during the 1930s . Led...
) and the Bible Presbyterian Church
Bible Presbyterian Church
The Bible Presbyterian Church is an American Protestant denomination.-History:The Bible Presbyterian Church was formed in 1937, predominantly through the efforts of such conservative Presbyterian clergymen as Carl McIntire, J. Oliver Buswell and Allen A. MacRae. Francis Schaeffer was the first...
, a Presbyterian denomination more identified with Fundamentalist Christianity
Fundamentalist Christianity
Christian fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalist Christianity, or Fundamentalism, arose out of British and American Protestantism in the late 19th century and early 20th century among evangelical Christians...
and premillennialism
Premillennialism
Premillennialism in Christian end-times theology is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically be on the earth for his millennial reign, at his second coming. The doctrine is called premillennialism because it holds that Jesus’ physical return to earth will occur prior to the inauguration...
. Schaeffer was the first student to graduate and the first to be ordained in the Bible Presbyterian Church. He served pastorates in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(Grove City
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Grove City is a borough in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, approximately north of Pittsburgh. It is the home of Grove City College, a private conservative Christian liberal arts college; General Electric; Instron; USIS; George G. Howe Co.; and a number of small businesses. It is also the home to...
and Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
) and St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He later left the BPC and joined the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod, a forerunner of the Presbyterian Church in America
Presbyterian Church in America
The Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
, an evangelical denomination.
In 1948, the Schaeffer family moved to Switzerland and in 1955 established the community called L'Abri
L'Abri
L'Abri is an evangelical Christian organization founded by Francis Schaeffer and his wife Edith in Huémoz-sur-Ollon, Switzerland on June 5, 1955. They opened their alpine home as a ministry to curious travellers and as a forum to discuss philosophical and religious beliefs.- The development of...
(French for "the shelter"). Serving as both a philosophy seminar and a spiritual community, L’Abri attracted thousands of young people, and was later expanded into Sweden, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In 1954, Schaeffer was awarded the honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree from Highland College in Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
.
In 1971, Schaeffer received the honorary Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
degree from Gordon College
Gordon College (Massachusetts)
Gordon College is a liberal arts college located on the former Princemere estate in Wenham, Massachusetts, northeast of Beverly. Founded by Baptist minister A. J...
in Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
.
In 1982, John Warwick Montgomery
John Warwick Montgomery
John Warwick Montgomery is a noted lawyer, professor, Lutheran theologian, and prolific author living in France. He was born October 18, 1931, in Warsaw, New York, United States. In 2007 he was named "Distinguished Research Professor of Philosophy and Christian Thought" at Patrick Henry College...
nominated Schaeffer for an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, which was conferred in 1983 by the Simon Greenleaf School of Law, Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
in recognition of his apologetic writings and ministry.
Schaeffer died of lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
on May 15, 1984, in Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
.
Family relationships
In contrast to Schaeffer's own experience as a single child of father with a third-grade education and a disappointed mother, he grew up with a drive to understand reality in its complexity, including the glorious and tragic human realities. He was deeply engaged in the lives of each of his four children, continuously available to them, showing and explaining art, history, city and country life, philosophy, Roman ruins and medieval and Renaissance efforts to civilize a damaged human history. He enjoyed watching people, engaging them in conversation and showing his children the joy and tragedy of human existence. He laid out for them the philosophic foundations of societies without being idealistic about any of them.In Crazy for God, Schaeffer's son Frank
Frank Schaeffer
Frank Schaeffer is an American author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer...
presents a portrait of his father that is far more nuanced and multi-dimensional than was suggested by his public persona. He states, for example, that Schaeffer's primary passions in life were not the Bible and theology but rather art and culture. "And what moved him was not theology but beauty"(p. 140). Schaeffer's son claims he had frequent bouts with depression and a verbally and physically abusive relationship with his wife, Edith. Those in the inner circle at L'Abri challenge Frank's account. Os Guinness
Os Guinness
Os Guinness is an author and social critic.-Biography:Born in China, he is the great-great-great-grandson of Arthur Guinness, the Dublin brewer. He was a witness to the climax of the Chinese revolution in 1949, and returned to England in 1951, where he went to school and college. He received a B.D...
, who lived with the Schaeffers and was a close friend of both the younger and elder Schaeffer, described Crazy for God as a "scurrilous caricature" and said, "[N]o one should take Frank's allegations at face value."
Apologetics
Schaeffer's approach to Christian apologetics was primarily influenced by Herman DooyeweerdHerman Dooyeweerd
Herman Dooyeweerd was a Dutch juridical scholar by training, who by vocation was a philosopher and the founder of the philosophy of the cosmonomic idea. He received early support for his work from his brother-in-law D. H. Th. Vollenhoven...
, Edward John Carnell
Edward John Carnell
Edward John Carnell was a prominent Christian theologian and apologist, was an ordained Baptist pastor, and served as President of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. He was the author of nine major books, several of which attempted to develop a fresh outlook in Christian...
, and Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til
Cornelius Van Til , born in Grootegast, the Netherlands, was a Christian philosopher, Reformed theologian, and presuppositional apologist.-Biography:...
, but he was not known to be a strict presuppositionalist in the Van Tillian tradition. His approach to culture was heavily influenced by his friendship with Hans Rookmaaker
Hans Rookmaaker
Henderik Roelof "Hans" Rookmaaker was a Dutch Christian scholar, professor, and author who wrote and lectured on art theory, art history, music, philosophy, and religion....
. In a 1948 article in The Bible Today, Schaeffer explained his own apologetics and how he walked a middle path between evidentialism
Evidentialism
Evidentialism is a theory of justification according to which the justification of a belief depends solely on the evidence for it. Technically, though belief is typically the primary object of concern, evidentialism can be applied to doxastic attitudes generally...
and presuppositionalism, noting that "If the unsaved man was consistent he would be an atheist in religion, an irrationalist in philosophy (including a complete uncertainty concerning 'natural laws'), and completely a-moral in the widest sense." J. Budziszewski summarizes the article about this middle path approach by writing:
- Presuppositionalists, he held, are right to assert that the ultimate premises of Christian and anti–Christian systems of thought are utterly at odds in relation to their origin. On the other hand, evidentialists are right to assert that between Christian and anti–Christian systems of thought there is always a point of contact in the shape of reality itself. The reason for this point of contact, he argued, is that nonbelievers cannot bring themselves to be completely consistent with their own presuppositions, and this inconsistency is a result of what many call common grace and is in fact the reality of God having made, and spoken into, a defined and unavoidable creation. "Thus, illogically," he wrote, "men have in their accepted worldviews various amounts of that which is ours. But, illogical though it may be, it is there and we can appeal to it."
Schaeffer came to use this middle path as the basis for his method of evangelism which he called Taking the roof off. An example of Taking the roof off in written form can be found in Schaeffer's work entitled Death in the City. Nancy Pearcey
Nancy Pearcey
Nancy Randolph Pearcey is an American evangelical author on the Christian worldview.-Career:Pearcey was the Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar for several years at the World Journalism Institute. In September 2007, Pearcey was named Scholar for Worldview Studies at the Center for University Studies at...
also describes two books by Schaeffer, Escape From Reason and The God Who Is There in this way:
- In these books, Schaeffer explains the history of the two-story division of knowledge, often referred to as the fact/value split. He also describes his apologetics method, which combined elements of both evidentialism and presuppositionalism.
Influence of Rushdoony
In the 1960s Schaeffer read the works of ReconstructionistChristian Reconstructionism
Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Evangelical Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life, within the private sphere of life and the public and political sphere as well...
theologian Rousas John Rushdoony
Rousas John Rushdoony
Rousas John Rushdoony was a Calvinist philosopher, historian, and theologian and is widely credited as the father of Christian Reconstructionism and an inspiration for the modern Christian homeschool movement...
with appreciation, "and it is quite likely that Schaeffer’s belief that the United States was founded on a Christian base came in part from Rushdoony." Schaeffer later lost this fervor because Rushdoony was a postmillennialist
Postmillennialism
In Christian end-times theology, , postmillennialism is an interpretation of chapter 20 of the Book of Revelation which sees Christ's second coming as occurring after the "Millennium", a Golden Age in which Christian ethics prosper...
(holding the doctrine that the kingdom of God will be built on earth before the second coming of Jesus) while Schaeffer was a premillenialist
Premillennialism
Premillennialism in Christian end-times theology is the belief that Jesus will literally and physically be on the earth for his millennial reign, at his second coming. The doctrine is called premillennialism because it holds that Jesus’ physical return to earth will occur prior to the inauguration...
(holding that the kingdom of God will only be ushered in with the second coming). Further Schaeffer thought that Rushdoony’s system would require a merger of church and state, which he opposed. He held that the principles, not the actual details, of Old Testament civil law were applicable under the New Covenant of Jesus. He wrote "The moral law [of the Old Testament], of course, is constant, but the civil law only was operative for the Old Testament theocracy. I do not think there is any indication of a theocracy in the New Testament until Christ returns as king."
Legacy
Today, roughly twenty-five years after his death (from lymphoma), his teachings continue in the same informal setting at The Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation in GryonGryon
Gryon is a municipality of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Aigle.-Geography:Gryon has an area, , of . Of this area, or 28.3% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 52.3% is forested...
, Switzerland. It is led by one of his daughters and sons-in-law as a small-scale alternative to the original L'Abri Fellowship International which is still operating in nearby Huemoz-sur-Ollon
Ollon
Ollon is a municipality in the district of Aigle in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, sited in the foothills of the mountains to the south-east of the Lake of Geneva. The old German language name Olun is no longer used.-History:...
and other places in the world. On the other hand, Schaeffer's son Frank Schaeffer
Frank Schaeffer
Frank Schaeffer is an American author, film director, screenwriter and public speaker. He is the son of the late theologian and author Francis Schaeffer...
initially supported his father's ideas and political program, but has since distanced himself from many of those views and has converted to the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
.
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America . It is located in St. Louis, Missouri, and its purpose is to train leaders for work in the church and the world — especially as pastors, missionaries, and counselors. It does not require all...
has established the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute directed by a former English L'Abri member, Jerram Barrs. The purpose of the school is to train Christians to demonstrate compassion
Compassion
Compassion is a virtue — one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnection and humanism — foundational to the highest principles in philosophy, society, and personhood.There is an aspect of...
ately and defend reason
Reason
Reason is a term that refers to the capacity human beings have to make sense of things, to establish and verify facts, and to change or justify practices, institutions, and beliefs. It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, science, language, ...
ably what they see as the claims of Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
on all of life.
Institute of Church Leadership
Francis Schaeffer’s work and legacy continues today. In 1978, Schaeffer asked a group of Reformed Episcopal Clergy to research his thoughts and current trends, forming a church guild called “The Society of Reformed Philosophical Thinkers” that later in 1988 merged with “Into Thy Word Ministries,” also envisioned by Schaeffer, and then the remnants of the “Charles E. Fuller Institute” in 1998 were merged forming, “The Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development.” Its purpose is continuing the work which started in Carmel California as a think-tank and Bible literacy project, currently in Pasadena, Ca. This endeavor came into fruition the late 70's by Schaeffer’s personal bible study at L’Abri and his lectures worldwide which inspired a vision to strategize how to reach and train pastors and church leaders to focus on Christ centered principles. The vision continues for over thirty years and calls for a commitment to point the church back to “true-Truth” and “true spirituality” onto the path of making disciples. For the last twenty years they have been doing church and bible research in a deep doctoral level, not snapshots and phone surveys and publish comprehensive studies. And with ministry partners, develop comprehensive curriculums and equipping helps for pastors, church planters and church leaders. “It is our passion and directive to lead Christians away from our false perceptions and into His way.”Schaeffer popularized, in the modern context, a conservative, though not a fully Calvinism|Reformed perspective.
Political activism
Francis Schaeffer is credited with helping spark a return to political activism among Protestant evangelicals and fundamentalists in the late 1970s and early 1980s, especially in relation to the issue of abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. In his memoir Crazy for God, Schaeffer's son Frank takes credit for pressing his father to take on the abortion issue, which Schaeffer initially considered "too political." Schaeffer called for a challenge to what he saw as the increasing influence of secular humanism. Schaeffer's views were expressed in two works, his book entitled A Christian Manifesto, as well as the book and film series, Whatever Happened to the Human Race?.
A Christian Manifesto
Schaeffer's A Christian Manifesto was published in 1981. The name of the book is intended to position its thesis as a Christian answer to The Communist ManifestoThe Communist Manifesto
The Communist Manifesto, originally titled Manifesto of the Communist Party is a short 1848 publication written by the German Marxist political theorists Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It has since been recognized as one of the world's most influential political manuscripts. Commissioned by the...
of 1848 and the Humanist Manifesto
Humanist Manifesto
Humanist Manifesto is the title of three manifestos laying out a Humanist worldview. They are the original Humanist Manifesto , the Humanist Manifesto II , and Humanism and Its Aspirations...
documents of 1933 and 1973. Schaeffer's diagnosis is that the decline of Western Civilization is due to society having become increasingly pluralistic
Religious pluralism
Religious pluralism is a loosely defined expression concerning acceptance of various religions, and is used in a number of related ways:* As the name of the worldview according to which one's religion is not the sole and exclusive source of truth, and thus that at least some truths and true values...
, resulting in a shift "away from a world view that was at least vaguely Christian in people’s memory... toward something completely different". Schaeffer argues that there is a philosophical struggle between the people of God and the secular humanists.
In a sermon also titled "A Christian Manifesto", Schaeffer defines secular humanism
Secular humanism
Secular Humanism, alternatively known as Humanism , is a secular philosophy that embraces human reason, ethics, justice, and the search for human fulfillment...
as the worldview where "man is the measure of all things," and in the book he claims that critics of the Christian Right miss the mark by confusing the "humanist religion" with humanitarianism, the humanities, or love of humans. He describes the conflict with secular humanism as a battle in which "these two religions, Christianity and humanism, stand over against each other as totalities." He writes that the decline of commitment to objective truth that he perceives in the various institutions of society is "not because of a conspiracy, but because the church has forsaken its duty to be the salt of the culture." Schaeffer explains:
He then suggests that similar tactics be used to stop abortion. But Schaeffer argues he is not talking about a theocracy:
Christian Reconstructionists
Christian Reconstructionism
Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Evangelical Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life, within the private sphere of life and the public and political sphere as well...
Gary North and David Chilton
David Chilton
David Harold Chilton was a Reformed pastor, Christian Reconstructionist, speaker, and author of several books on economics, eschatology and Christian Worldview from Placerville, California...
were highly critical of A Christian Manifesto and Schaeffer.
Their critical comments were prompted, they wrote, by the popularity of Schaeffer's book (pp. 116–17). They suggested that Schaeffer supports pluralism because he sees the First Amendment as freedom of religion for all; and they themselves reject pluralism (pp. 128–29). Pointing out negative statements Schaeffer made about theocracy, North and Chilton then explain why they promote it (pp. 121–22). They extend their criticism of Schaeffer:
- "The fact remains that Dr. Schaeffer’s manifesto offers no prescriptions for a Christian society. We mention that merely in the interests of clarity, for we are not sure that anybody has noticed it up to now. The same comment applies to all of Dr. Schaeffer’s writings: he does not spell out the Christian alternative.(pp. 127-28; emphasis North and Chilton)"
Influence on the Christian Right
Christian RightChristian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
leaders such as Tim LaHaye
Tim LaHaye
Timothy F. LaHaye is an American evangelical Christian minister, author, and speaker. He is best known for the Left Behind series of apocalyptic fiction, which he co-wrote with Jerry B. Jenkins. He has written over 50 books, both fiction and non-fiction.-Early life:LaHaye was born in Detroit,...
have credited Schaeffer for influencing their theological arguments urging political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
participation by evangelicals. Randall Terry
Randall Terry
Randall Almira Terry is an American pro-life activist and candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 2012. Terry founded the pro-life organization Operation Rescue. The group became particularly prominent beginning in 1987 for blockading the entrances to abortion clinics;...
, the founder of Operation Rescue
Operation Save America
Operation Save America is an organization based in Dallas, Texas, that opposes human induced abortion and its legality. In 1994, Flip Benham became the director of the organization, then called Operation Rescue National. Benham replaced Keith Tucci, who had replaced Randall Terry...
, also acknowledged the influence of Schaeffer.
Beginning in the 1990s, critics began exploring the intellectual/ideological connection between Schaeffer’s political activism and writings of the early 1980s to contemporary religious-political trends in the Christian Right, sometimes grouped under the name Dominionism
Dominionism
Dominionism is a term used to describe politically active conservative Christians that are believed to conspire and seek influence or control over secular civil government through political action, especially in the United States, with the goal of either a nation governed by Christians, or a nation...
, with mixed conclusions.
Sara Diamond
Sara Diamond
Sara Rose Diamond is an American sociologist and attorney, and the author of four books that "study and expose the agenda and tactics of the American political right wing." .-Biography:...
and Frederick Clarkson have written articles tracing the activism of numerous key figures in the Christian Right to the influence of Francis Schaeffer. According to Diamond: "The idea of taking dominion over secular society gained widespread currency with the 1981 publication of...Schaeffer's book A Christian Manifesto. The book sold 290,000 copies in its first year, and it remains one of the movement's most frequently cited texts."
Diamond summarizes the book and its importance to the Christian Right:
- In A Christian Manifesto, Schaeffer's argument is simple. The United States began as a nation rooted in Biblical principles. But as society became more pluralistic, with each new wave of immigrants, proponents of a new philosophy of secular humanism gradually came to dominate debate on policy issues. Since humanists place human progress, not God, at the center of their considerations, they pushed American culture in all manner of ungodly directions, the most visible results of which included legalized abortion and the secularization of the public schools. At the end of -- A Christian Manifesto, Schaeffer calls for Christians to use civil disobedience to restore Biblical morality, which explains Schaeffer's popularity with groups like Operation Rescue. Randall Terry has credited Schaeffer as a major influence in his life.
Frederick Clarkson explains that this had practical applications:
- "Francis Schaeffer is widely credited with providing the impetus for Protestant evangelical political action against abortion. For example, Randall Terry, the founder of Operation Rescue, says: "You have to read Schaeffer's Christian Manifesto if you want to understand Operation Rescue." Schaeffer, a longtime leader in Rev. Carl McIntire's splinter denomination, the Bible Presbyterian Church, was a reader of Reconstructionist literature but has been reluctant to acknowledge its influence. Indeed, Schaeffer and his followers specifically rejected the modern application of Old Testament law."
Analyses of Schaeffer as the major intellectual influence on Dominionism
Dominionism
Dominionism is a term used to describe politically active conservative Christians that are believed to conspire and seek influence or control over secular civil government through political action, especially in the United States, with the goal of either a nation governed by Christians, or a nation...
can be found in the works of authors such as Diamond and Chip Berlet
Chip Berlet
John Foster "Chip" Berlet is an American investigative journalist, and photojournalist activist specializing in the study of right-wing movements in the United States, particularly the religious right, white supremacists, homophobic groups, and paramilitary organizations...
. Other authors argue against a close connection with dominionism, for example Irving Hexham
Irving Hexham
Irving Hexham is a Canadian academic and writer who has published twenty-three books and numerous articles, chapters, and book reviews in respected academic journals. Currently, he is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, married to Dr...
of the University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
, who maintains that Schaeffer's political position has been misconstrued as advocating the Dominionist views of R. J. Rushdoony, who is a Christian Reconstructionist
Christian Reconstructionism
Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Evangelical Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life, within the private sphere of life and the public and political sphere as well...
. Hexham indicates that Schaeffer's essential philosophy was derived from Herman Dooyeweerd
Herman Dooyeweerd
Herman Dooyeweerd was a Dutch juridical scholar by training, who by vocation was a philosopher and the founder of the philosophy of the cosmonomic idea. He received early support for his work from his brother-in-law D. H. Th. Vollenhoven...
, not Rushdoony, and that Hans Rookmaaker
Hans Rookmaaker
Henderik Roelof "Hans" Rookmaaker was a Dutch Christian scholar, professor, and author who wrote and lectured on art theory, art history, music, philosophy, and religion....
introduced Schaeffer to his writings. Dooyeweerd was a Dutch legal scholar and philosopher, following in the footsteps of Neo-Calvinist
Neo-Calvinism
Neo-Calvinism, a form of Dutch Calvinism, is the movement initiated by the theologian and former Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper.- Introduction :...
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
.
Congresswoman and 2012 United States presidential candidate
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2012
The 2012 Republican presidential primaries are the selection processes in which voters of the Republican Party will choose their nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 presidential election. The primary contest began with a fairly wide field, and is the first presidential primary...
Michele Bachmann
Michele Bachmann
Michele Marie Bachmann is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing , a post she has held since 2007. The district includes several of the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities, such as Woodbury, and Blaine as well as Stillwater and St. Cloud.She is currently a...
has cited Schaeffer's documentary series How Should We Then Live? as having a "profound influence" on her life and that of her husband Marcus.
Writings
Francis A. Schaeffer wrote twenty-two books, which cover a range of spiritual issues. They can be roughly split into five sections, as in the edition of his Complete Works (ISBN 0-89107-347-7):- A Christian View of Philosophy and Culture: The first three books in this block are known as Schaeffer's "trilogy," laying down the apologetical, philosophical, epistemological, and theological foundation for all his work.
- The God Who Is ThereThe God Who Is ThereThe God Who Is There is a Christian apologetic work written by American philosopher and Christian theologian Francis A. Schaeffer, published in 1968. It is Book One in Volume One of The Complete Works of Francis A...
: Deals with the existence and relevance of God, and how modern man came to first distance himself from, and ultimately disbelieve, God as revealed by the Bible. - Escape from ReasonEscape from ReasonEscape From Reason is a philosophical work written by American theologian and Christian apologist Francis A. Schaeffer, London: InterVarsity Press, first published in 1968. It is Book Two in Volume One of The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer A Christian Worldview. Westchester, IL:Crossway...
: How the rejection of the biblical God causes man to lose contact with reality and reason. - He Is There and He Is Not SilentHe Is There and He Is Not SilentHe Is There and He Is Not Silent is a philosophical work written by American apologist and Christian theologian Francis A. Schaeffer, Wheaton, IL:Tyndale House, first published in 1972. It is Book Three in Volume One of The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer A Christian Worldview. Westchester,...
: How God speaks to man through the Bible on the three philosophically fundamental areas of metaphysicsMetaphysicsMetaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
, morals, and epistemology. - Back to Freedom and DignityBack to Freedom and DignityBack to Freedom and Dignity is a philosophic work by American theologian and apologist Francis A. Schaeffer, Downers Grove:InterVarsity Press, first published in 1972. It is Book Four in Volume One of The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer A Christian Worldview. Westchester, IL:Crossway Books,...
: An answer to B.F. Skinner's Beyond Freedom and DignityBeyond Freedom and DignityBeyond Freedom and Dignity is a book written by American psychologist B. F. Skinner and first published in 1971. The book argues that entrenched belief in free will and the moral autonomy of the individual hinders the prospect of using scientific methods to modify behavior for the purpose of...
, arguing that freedom and dignity of man are God-given and therefore can't be left aside without dire consequences.
- The God Who Is There
- A Christian View of the Bible as Truth
- Genesis in Space and Time: Argues that the historical (as opposed to literalist or figurative) view of Genesis as historically true is fundamental to the Christian faith.
- No Final Conflict
- Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History
- Basic Bible Studies: Biblical studies on the fundamentals of the faith.
- Art and the Bible
- A Christian View of Spirituality
- No Little People: Argues that Christians should never despair of having a significant life of realizations, small as they seem to be.
- True SpiritualityTrue SpiritualityTrue Spirituality is a work on personal spirituality written by American theologian and Christian apologist Francis A. Schaeffer, Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, first published in 1971. It is Book Two in Volume Three of The Complete Works of Francis A...
: The spiritual foundation for Schaeffer's work, as a complement to the theological and philosophical approach of most other books. Useful for gaining a balanced view of the whole of Schaeffer's life and ministry. - The New Super-Spirituality: Claims the intellectual decadence of students and the counter-culture from the late sixties to the early seventies can be traced back to the conformism of their fathers, only with fewer moral absolutes, and predicts the contamination of the church. Offers an analysis of PostmodernismPostmodernismPostmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
. - Two Contents, Two Realities: First presented as a position paper at the First International Congress on World EvangelizationFirst International Congress on World EvangelizationThe First International Congress on World Evangelization held from July 16–25 July 1974, is sometimes also called the "Lausanne Congress", "Lausanne '74", or "ICOWE"....
at Lausanne, SwitzerlandLausanneLausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
in 1974.
- A Christian View of the Church
- The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century
- The Church Before the Watching World
- The Mark of the ChristianMark of the ChristianMark of the Christian is a work concerning the spiritual life of Bible-believing Christians written by American theologian and Christian apologist Francis A. Schaeffer, Downers Grove, IL:InterVarsity Press, first published in 1970. It is Book Three in Volume Four of The Complete Works of Francis A...
: Analyzes the balance between the holiness of God and the love of God in the spiritual life of the Bible-believing Christian. (Online E-text - Death in the CityDeath in the CityDeath in the City is an apologetic work by American theologian Francis A. Schaeffer, Chicago:InterVarsity Press, first published in 1969. It is Book Four in Volume Four of The Complete Works of Francis A...
- The Great Evangelical Disaster
- A Christian View of the West
- Pollution and the Death of ManPollution and the Death of ManPollution and the Death of Man is a philosophical work by presuppositionalist theologian Francis A. Schaeffer, published in 1970.-Quotations:...
. A Christian response to issues concerning ecologyEcologyEcology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
. - How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and CultureHow Should We Then Live?How Should We Then Live: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture is a major Christian cultural and historical documentary film series and book. The book was written by presuppositionalist theologian Francis A. Schaeffer and first published in 1976. The book served as the basis for a...
. This is also a film/video series produced and directed by his son Frank Schaeffer. - Whatever Happened to the Human Race? (with former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett KoopC. Everett KoopCharles Everett Koop, MD is an American pediatric surgeon and public health administrator. He was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and served as thirteenth Surgeon General of the United States under President Ronald Reagan from 1982 to 1989.-Early years:Koop was born...
). A Christian response to abortion, euthanasiaEuthanasiaEuthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, and infanticideInfanticideInfanticide or infant homicide is the killing of a human infant. Neonaticide, a killing within 24 hours of a baby's birth, is most commonly done by the mother.In many past societies, certain forms of infanticide were considered permissible...
. This is also a film/video series produced and directed by his son Frank Schaeffer. - A Christian Manifesto: Christian principles for secular politics.
- Pollution and the Death of Man
In addition to his books, one of the last public lectures Schaeffer delivered was at the Law Faculty, University of Strasbourg. It was published as "Christian Faith and Human Rights", The Simon Greenleaf Law Review, 2 (1982–83) pp. 3–12. Most of his writings during his Bible Presbyterian days have not been collected, nor reprinted in decades.
In addition to the five volume Complete Works listed above there were also two books by Dr. Schaeffer published after his death:
- Dennis, Lane T. (ed) Letters of Francis A. Schaeffer, Crossway Books, Westchester, 1985.
- Schaeffer, Francis A. The Finished Work of Christ: The Truth of Romans 1–8, Crossway Books, Wheaton, 1998.
Further reading
- Boa, Kenneth D., and Robert M. Bowman, Faith Has Its Reasons: An Integrative Approach to Defending Christianity, NAV Press, Colorado Springs, 2001.
- Burson, Scott R. and Jerry L. Walls. C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer: Lessons for a New Century from the Most Influential Apologists of Our Time. Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1998.
- Coward, Harold., Pluralism: The Challenge to World Religions, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, 1986.
- Cunningham, Stuart, "Towards A Critique of Francis Schaeffer's Thought", Interchange, 24 (1978) pp. 205–221.
- Dennis, Lane T. (ed) Francis A. Schaeffer: Portraits of the Man and His Work, Crossway Books, Westchester, 1986.
- Duriez, Colin, Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life, Crossway Books, Wheaton, 2008.
- Follis, Bryan A., Truth With Love: Apologetics of Francis Schaeffer, Crossway Books, Wheaton, 2006.
- Fowler, Robert Booth, A New Engagement: Evangelical Political Thought 1966-1976, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1982.
- Hankins, Barry, Francis Schaeffer And the Shaping of Evangelical America, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 2008.
- Hexham, Irving, "The Evangelical Response to the New Age," in Perspectives on the New Age, edited by James R. Lewis & J. Gordon Melton, State University of New York Press, Albany, New York, 1992, pp. 152–163.
- Kubsch, Ron (ed.), Wahrheit und Liebe: Was wir von Francis Schaeffer für die Gegenwart lernen können, VKW, Bonn, 2007.
- Morris, Thomas V., Francis Schaeffer's Apologetics: A Critique, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1987.
- Parkhurst, Louis Gifford, Francis Schaeffer: The Man and His Message, Tyndale House, Wheaton, 1985.
- Parkhurst, Louis Gifford, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, Bethany House, Minneapolis, (1996)
- Ramsey, George W., The Quest for the Historical Israel, SCM Press, London, 1982, pp. 107–115.
- Roper, D. L., "A Sympathetic Criticism of Francis Schaeffer's Writings," Interchange, 41 (1987) pp. 41–55.
- Ruegsegger, Ronald W. (ed) Reflections on Francis Schaeffer, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1986.
- Schaeffer, Frank, Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back, Da Capo Press, 2007.
- Stadler, G. Thomas, "Renaissance Humanism: Francis Schaeffer Versus Some Contemporary Scholars," Fides et Historia 2 (June 1989)pp. 4–20.
External links
- L'Abri Fellowship International
- The Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation
- Continuing work of Francis A. Schaeffer
- Continuing the Legacy and Influence of Francis Schaeffer with New Research and Findings
- The Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development
- Cybershelter
- Schaeffer's Papers at the PCAPresbyterian Church in AmericaThe Presbyterian Church in America is an evangelical Protestant Christian denomination, the second largest Presbyterian church body in the United States after the Presbyterian Church . The PCA professes a strong commitment to evangelism, missionary work, and Christian education...
Historical Center - The Francis Schaeffer Institute at Covenant Seminary
- The L'Abri Network, Free Online Biographies on Francis and Edith Schaeffer
- The Shelter, a site dedicated to the thought and writings of Schaeffer
- Francis Schaeffer Studies, a site dedicated to the study of the Works of Francis Schaeffer
- Francis Schaeffer:The Early Years - Free online class from Covenant Seminary
- Francis Schaeffer:The Later Years - Free online class from Covenant Seminary
- Schaeffer, Francis (1982). A Christian Manifesto - Lecture based on book.
- Official Frank Schaeffer website, writer, film director, and son of Francis Schaeffer
- Frank Schaeffer entry at Orthodoxwiki.org