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: Worldview
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. ItContinue reading “Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: Consequences of Pitting Rationality Against Faith – Part 4”
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 with the GermanContinue 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” (TheContinue reading “Why Francis Schaeffer Matters: The Turning Point in Truth – Part 2”
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, heContinue reading “WHY FRANCIS SCHAEFFER MATTERS: An Introduction – Part 1”
CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW: A STUDENT’S GUIDE – Phillip Graham Ryken (2013)
Christian Worldview: A Student’s Guide by Phillip Graham Ryken is a part of the Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition series – a collection of books that provide a framework for cultural analysis from a uniquely Christian perspective. David Dockery serves as the general editor and notes, “At the heart of this work is the challengeContinue reading “CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW: A STUDENT’S GUIDE – Phillip Graham Ryken (2013)”
GENESIS IN SPACE AND TIME – Francis Schaeffer (1972)
Great thinkers throughout the course of history have queried, “Where did it all come from? Who made the cosmos? What made the cosmos? What or who holds it all together? What is the meaning of life? What is the basis of knowledge? Where are we heading? And where do we go when we die? ForContinue reading “GENESIS IN SPACE AND TIME – Francis Schaeffer (1972)”
GODFORSAKEN – Dinesh D’Souza (2012)
Dr. Dinesh D’Souza serves as the President of King’s College. He is also a prolific writer. His newest work, Godforsaken picks up the theme of human suffering and the problem of evil. It is clear from the outset that the author is familiar with the various attempts to resolve the so-called “Achilles heel of theContinue reading “GODFORSAKEN – Dinesh D’Souza (2012)”
THE GOSPEL AND THE MIND: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life – Bradley G. Green (2010)
R.C. Sproul has stated, “We live in the most anti-intellectual period in church history.” Sproul’s words are right on target. His timely words are a sober reminder that once we have lost the Christian mind, we have lost all basis for discussion. Indeed, we have lost our basis for meaning and morality. When the epistemologicalContinue reading “THE GOSPEL AND THE MIND: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life – Bradley G. Green (2010)”
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)”
Veritas et Lux 