Christian Apologetics: Two Purposes Francis Schaeffer’s holds a rather basic view concerning apologetics. He explains there are two purposes of Christian apologetics. “The first is defense. The second is to communicate Christianity in a way that any given generation can understand” (The God Who Is There, 151). Schaeffer begins his approach to apologetics by pointing […]
Tag Archives: Worldview
Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: Epistemology – Part 5
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”
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 […]
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. […]
Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault On Mind, Morals, and Meaning – Nancy Pearcey
Nancy Pearcey has done it again. Her book Total Truth captured the attention of thousands and helped equip a new generation of thinking Christians. While some consider the term “thinking Christian” somewhat of an oxymoron (think, “military intelligence,” or “jumbo shrimp”), nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, clear thinking and warm-hearted devotion areContinue reading “Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault On Mind, Morals, and Meaning – Nancy Pearcey”
The Christian Mind – Harry Blamires (1963)
My uncle Dwight gave me this book almost twenty years ago. I’ll never forget what he said when he handed it to me: “Only real men can read this book.” Whether it was meant to motivate or amuse, I read it with a vengeance. This is my third time through. Blamires thesis is clear throughoutContinue reading “The Christian Mind – Harry Blamires (1963)”
Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault On Mind, Morals, and Meaning – Nancy Pearcey (2010)
Nancy Pearcey has done it again. Her book Total Truth captured the attention of thousands and helped equip a new generation of thinking Christians. While some consider the term “thinking Christian” somewhat of an oxymoron (think, “military intelligence,” or “jumbo shrimp”), nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, clear thinking and warm-hearted devotion areContinue reading “Saving Leonardo: A Call to Resist the Secular Assault On Mind, Morals, and Meaning – Nancy Pearcey (2010)”
Veritas et Lux 