Journal: Southern Baptist Journal of Theology
Volume: SBJT 24:2 (Summer 2020)
Article: Francis A. Schaeffer, "How Should We Then Live?" An Appreciation And Analysis
Author: William Edgar

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Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live? An Appreciation And Analysis

William Edgar

William Edgar is Professor of Apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he has taught since 1989. He earned his MDiv from Westminster Theological Seminary and his DThéol from the Université de Genève and DD from the Faculté Jean Calvin. Dr. Edgar is currently Professeur Associé at the Faculté Jean Calvin, Aix-en-Provence. He directs the jazz band Renewal. His scholarly interests include apologetics, theology, the music of Brahms, aesthetics, African-American music, and ethics. He belongs to several learned societies, including the American Musicological Society, the Evangelical Theological Society, and the Society for Ethnomusicology. He is former Senior Adviser at the Trinity Fellows Academy. He sits on a number of boards, including the Huguenot Fellowship, which supports French evangelical works. He has published several books and numerous articles in French and in English. Most recently he has written Schaeffer on the Christian Life (Crossway, 2013); Does Christianity Really Work? (Christian Focus, 2016); Created and Creating; A Biblical Theology of Culture (IVP, 2016); and The Christian Mind (Banner of Truth, 2018). His wife, Barbara, and he, have two (married) children and three grandchildren.

So much has been written about Francis Schaeffer, what could be left to say? It might be an idea at this point to go back over the influential book, followed by the television film series, How Should We Then Live? It represents a nearly complete summary of the author’s views on every subject of concern. The series was first published in 1976, so it will soon be approaching its 50^th anniversary. That’s a good time for a reassessment.

For full disclosure I should set forth two admissions. First, my introduction to the gospel and my early grounding in Christ were at L’Abri in 1964. I was a

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“seeker” from Harvard and found myself in Huémoz, with Francis Schaeffer as my father in Christ. I gave a brief account of my story in the book, Francis Schaeffer on the Christian Life: Counter-Cultural Christianity (Crossway, 2013). Second, I was involved with the film series at several levels. The Director, Franky Schaeffer V, asked me to look into various aspects, particular the music (I was a music student in college). Some rather amusing tales could be told about my involvement, which I will spare the gentle reader. Thus, my views may be colored, though it’s hard to say how, exactly.

At the time, the series made quite a splash. A study guide was produced. Th...