Journal: Eikon
Volume: EIKON 03:1 (Spring 2021)
Article: The Mannishness Of Man And The Imago Dei: An Analysis Of Francis Schaeffer’s Anthropology And Apologetic Methodology
Author: Christopher Talbot

Eikon 3.1 (Spring 2021) p. 72

The Mannishness Of Man And The Imago Dei: An Analysis Of Francis Schaeffer’s Anthropology And Apologetic Methodology

Christopher Talbot

Christopher Talbot is an instructor and program coordinator of youth and family ministry at Welch College.

Francis Schaeffer

Eikon 3.1 (Spring 2021) p. 73

Introduction

Much has been made in recent years of Francis Schaeffer’s apologetic approach, especially in light of his theological influences.1 While questions persist as to the framework of his methodology, Schaeffer’s apologetic continues to influence and intrigue. Many have sought to place Schaeffer in a variety of different apologetic categories. To note, those who evaluate apologetic approaches have often focused on one’s cognitive faculties and epistemology. These various taxonomies include theological and philosophical discussions about the noetic effects of sin, and how optimistic or pessimistic one should be about the capabilities of human reason.2 While these discussions are important, if one focuses only on mental capacities, the discussion will inevitably be reductionistic towards the whole human person. Instead, one should embrace a holistic view of man, grounded in a theological anthropology and demonstrated in both the theory and practice of apologetics. While this approach can be done with a variety of apologetic methods, Francis Schaeffer’s approach is persuasive in its nearly inimitable focus on the human person. Schaeffer was well-known for his care and compassion of people, which was ultimately rooted in his biblical-theological conviction. Therefore, I argue in this article that Francis Schaeffer’s understanding and conception of theological anthropology had direct implications for his apologetic methodology.

Eikon 3.1 (Spring 2021) p. 74

Schaeffer’s Anthropology

Schaeffer wrote on a variety of subjects in his more than twenty books, including epistemology, art, culture, theology, and even Bible commentary. That said, his views are not always consistent across all his works. Therefore, much of what is offered here is an attempted synthesis of his writings across his literary corpus.3 To be clear, whether his apologetic logically began with an anthropology or not, he understood Christianity as a system that begins with a few basic truths, which include, “the existence of the infinite-personal God, man’s creation in His image and a space-time Fall.”4 He o...