Francis Schaeffer...

Well, what do you all think of him? My husband and I adore his teaching/work... we own a few of his books and his video series "How Should We Then Live"...
I was just curious, we watched a lesson from his series last night and it made me wonder how many people actually know of him?
Sadly for us, he passed away from cancer in 1984...

I have never heard of him. What was it about his teachings that you like about him?

I've never heard of him either. Can you enlighten us with some more information, perhaps some quotes?

I have discovered that he was an Evangelical Protestant of great reputation who wrote quite prolifically and founded an institution to preserve and teach his teachings. It is his position that Christians need both the Bible and (Christian) history to have complete knowledge about true Christianity and what is expected of them as Christians.

What strikes us is how with his works, he is very correct in his teachings. For example, in his series that I already mentioned he discusses the arts and how they tie in to the times regarding where a nation/culture is at. A quote from him that I actually would like on a bumper sticker that I really love is, "If there is no absolute by which to judge society, society is absolute"...
I don't know why I brought it up, I was just wondering is all... we had just watched part of his series which made me wonder just who knows of him.

He and his wife founded L'Abri Institute in Switzerland (I think Switzerland) and now there are more, including here in America, or at least there was... he appealed to the "intellectuals", so why I enjoy him I don't really know. I think one primary thing is because of how things are going in this nation and what his messages were make one stop and think because even though he wrote "How Should We Then Live" over 20 years ago, you wouldn't know it unless you actually looked at the publish date. It sounds as if he literally is talking about America today.

The other thing that I appreciate is as a Christian it makes me stop and think. I have been "complaining" to my husband how apathetic we have seemingly become in the Church, and he addresses this problem in not just that series I keep mentioning, but also in a taped broadcast we have from Focus on the Family that was done in 1982... I don't know what someone who isn't a Christian would think of him. I think he is probably one of the most non judgmental and ultimately fact of matter teachers that lived.
I dunno, I recommend him. I must say though, we were taken aback when we saw him for the first time. He wore knickers and had the funniest hair and goatee...

I have not read any of his writings. But from my perfunctory research online I am left with the impression that he had much of value to teach.

Still, for all his eloquence and wisdom he still did not come to the point of acknowledging the real existence/presence of Christ in the Eucharist as explicitly stated in John 6:48-71.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment, but after this contribution, I am done with the topic of religion on this site.

Very interesting thoughts on Frcancis, I think if everyone would simply try to be good than life would be much better. All well, I guess that is why Gary Larson drew a Far Side comic of God dumping in a jar of "Jerks" on the earth just to add something interesting.

I've seen that comic strip... it's pretty funny.

You know, I think the topic of Francis Schaeffer can be either centered on his Christianity or it can be about him as a teacher. I've heard that people who were not Christian would go to his institute to be under his teaching... so I think he can really appeal to either Christians or non Christians.