The Importance of Presuppositions Dr. Schaeffer’s epistemology is integral to his approach to apologetics and may be described simply as follows: First, one must understand that pagan thought endorses a belief in the uniformity of natural causes in a closed system. Propositional and verbal revelation is nonsense in this scheme. Christian epistemology stands in starkContinue reading “Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: Epistemology – Part 5”
Tag Archives: Francis Schaeffer
Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: Consequences of Pitting Rationality Against Faith – Part 4
The decisive result of falling below the line of despair is a pitting of rationality against faith. Schaeffer sees this as an enormous problem and details four consequences in his book, Escape From Reason. Pitting Rationality Against Faith First, when rationality contends against faith, one is not able to establish a system of morality. It […]
Why Francis Schaefer Matters: The Line of Despair – Part 3
The Loss of Antithesis The loss of antithesis in American culture led to what Dr. Schaeffer coined the “line of despair” or giving up all hope of achieving a rational unified answer to knowledge and life. Schaeffer outlines what he believes are the various steps below this line of despair. He begins withContinue reading “Why Francis Schaefer Matters: The Line of Despair – Part 3”
Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: The Turning Point in Truth – Part 2
The Truth Crisis Francis Schaeffer sets the tone for his apologetical procedure by explaining the crisis of truth in America: “We are fundamentally affected by a new way of looking at truth. This change in the concept of the way we come to knowledge and truth is the most crucial problem facing America today” (The […]
Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: An Introduction – Part 1
Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984) may very well be one of the most important Christian thinkers of the twentieth century. Schaeffer graduated from Westminster Theological Seminary and was heavily influenced by J. Gresham Machen, Cornelius Van Til, and the Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper. In 1948, after a ten year pastorate in the United States, he […]
He is There and He is Not Silent- Francis Schaeffer (1972)
I first read He is There and He is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer in 1992. Multiple readings have ensued and I turn back to Schaeffer’s book again and again for help with apologetics. Readers will be pleased to see this new edition by Crossway Books with a revised cover in time to meet theContinue reading “He is There and He is Not Silent- Francis Schaeffer (1972)”
No Final Conflict – Francis Schaeffer (1975)
“It is my conviction that the crucial area of discussion for evangelicalism in the next years will be Scripture. At stake is whether evangelicalism will remain evangelical.” So stated Francis Schaeffer in his 1975 landmine, No Final Conflict. While this treasure was penned nearly thirty years ago, it remains relevant and applicable to 21st-century culture. […]
He is There and He is Not Silent- Francis Schaeffer (1972)
I first read He is There and He is Not Silent by Francis Schaeffer in 1992. Multiple readings have ensued and I turn back to Schaeffer’s book again and again for help with apologetics. Readers will be pleased to see this new edition by Crossway Books with a revised cover in time to meet theContinue reading “He is There and He is Not Silent- Francis Schaeffer (1972)”
A Black-And-White Proposal: Farewell To Fuzzy Thinking
Donald Miller raises the banner for “fuzzy thinking” in a recent blog post entitled, “The Problem with Black-and-White Thinking” (re-posted on relevantmagazine.com). His main thought: “Black-and-white, either-or thinking polarizes people and stunts progressive thought.” Additionally, he holds that this kind of thinking stunts our “ability to find truth.” DEFENDING THE GOOD IN MILLER’S PROPOSAL MillerContinue reading “A Black-And-White Proposal: Farewell To Fuzzy Thinking”
A Black-And-White Proposal: Farewell To Fuzzy Thinking
Donald Miller raises the banner for “fuzzy thinking” in a recent blog post entitled, “The Problem with Black-and-White Thinking“(re-posted on relevantmagazine.com). His main thought: “Black-and-white, either-or thinking polarizes people and stunts progressive thought.” Additionally, he holds that this kind of thinking stunts our “ability to find truth.” DEFENDING THE GOOD IN MILLER’S PROPOSAL Miller admitsContinue reading “A Black-And-White Proposal: Farewell To Fuzzy Thinking”