Francis Schaeffer

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Francis August Schaeffer (1912–1984) 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, as well as for his series of dominionist videos How Should We Then Live?, cited by politician Michele Bachmann as formative to her worldview.[1] 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.[1] A number of scholars credit Schaeffer's ideas with helping spark the rise of the Christian Right in the United States. At one point, he even claimed that the Christian evangelical movement was too Marxist. On another occasion, he warned against "love" because it tempted true believers away from the confrontation which he believed necessary.[2]

Family[edit]

Schaeffer's son Frank Schaeffer (1952–) has become known for his break with the religious right and criticizes the movement harshly in his book Crazy for God.[3][4] He also directed the 1989 satirical dystopian film Rising Storm, whose setting goes thus 'The year (...) 2099. The United States is ruled by the Reverend Jimmy Joe II, in a dictatorship where big guns and fundamentalist religion are used to keep the masses in control.'

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Leap of Faith", The New Yorker
  2. http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=03-03-023-f
  3. Open Letter to the Republican Traitors (From a Former Republican), Frank Schaeffer
  4. 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 by Frank Schaeffer (2008) Da Capo Press. ISBN 0306817500.