Francis Schaeffer

Francis A Schaeffer (1912–1984), a Christian theologian, philosopher, and Presbyterian pastor, is most famous for his writings and his establishment of the l'Abri community in Switzerland. Opposed to theological modernism, Schaeffer promoted an orthodox Protestant faith and a presuppositional approach to Christian apologetics, which he believed would answer the questions of the age.

Education and Early Career

Schaeffer grew up in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He married Edith Seville, the daughter of missionaries to China. In 1935 he enrolled at Westminster Theological Seminary and studied under Cornelius Van Til, but after a year's study he left to complete his studies at Faith Theological Seminary and graduated in 1938. This seminary was newly formed as a result of a split in the Presbyterian Church of America. (now the Orthodox Presbyterian Church) and the more conservative Bible Presbyterian Church. Schaeffer was the first student to be ordained in the Bible Presbyterian Church and served in pastorates in Pennsylvania and Missouri. In 1948 he moved to Switzerland and in 1955 established the L'Abri ("the shelter") community.

Related Topics:
Germantown, Pennsylvania - Missionaries - China - 1935 - Westminster Theological Seminary - Cornelius Van Til - 1938 - Orthodox Presbyterian Church - Bible Presbyterian Church - Pennsylvania - Missouri - 1948 - 1955

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Schaeffer's approach to cultural apologetics was primarily influenced by Herman Dooyeweerd, Edward John Carnell, and Cornelius Van Til. He is generally understood to be a "combinationalist" or "verificationist" in apologetics rather than a strict presuppositionalist in the Van Tillian tradition, however.

Related Topics:
Cultural - Apologetics - Herman Dooyeweerd - Edward John Carnell - Cornelius Van Til

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In 1982 John Warwick Montgomery nominated Schaeffer for an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, which was conferred by the Simon Greenleaf School of Law, Anaheim, California, in recognition of his apologetic writings and ministry.

Related Topics:
1982 - John Warwick Montgomery - Doctor of Laws - Simon Greenleaf School of Law - Anaheim, California

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