Schaeffer at 100

One hundred years ago this day (January 30, 1912), Francis August Schaeffer IV was born. Though not as well known as he was when he died from lymphoma in 1984, Schaeffer's influence is still being felt in evangelicalism.

A wonderful overview of Schaeffer's unique characteristics can be found in J. I. Packer's tribute, "No Little Person." See also Don Sweeting's recent post on what he learned from Schaeffer.

Several of Schaeffer's books—along with the best biography of his life—are available for $3.99 as eBooks:

Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life
Truth with Love: The Apologetics of Francis Schaeffer
Death in the City
The Finished Work of Christ: The Truth of Romans 1-8
Pollution and the Death of Man
No Little People

Next year Crossway will publish a book entitled Schaeffer on the Christian Life by William Edgar, professor of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary. In the book  Edgar recounts how his instructor at Harvard, Harold O.J. Brown encouraged him to visit l'Abri during a summer vacation to Europe in 1964. At the time, Edgar was an unbeliever, holding to the existential philosophy of Camus. But the visit to l'Abri turned out to be life-changing. Here's his conversion account, after the first night of listening to a lecture and interacting with the community:

I made my way upstairs to the little chamber outside the bedrooms where Francis Schaeffer liked to counsel people. With that same profound face, its warm grin, and the clear sense that he really cared about me as well as the issues we needed to discuss, he asked whether I had thought of my question.

I spouted out my question about relevance, and he came back with an extensive, thoughtful reply. His answer included the "free-will defense" for the problem of evil, and the importance of human significance, owing to our being made after God's image. We went back and forth.

After a couple of hours, I just knew this was all true. If it is possible to feel the Holy Spirit come into one's heart, I could, and I did. I was a Christian!

Fran then directed me to pray, which I had never done, at least in any sort of personal manner. What should I say, I asked? Just "thank you" will do very nicely, he replied. So, my face bathed in tears, I thanked the good Lord for leading me into his family. Fran frequently accompanied my phrases with groans of agreement, which I would later learn is a standard evangelical way of praying together. He then prayed for me, and we prayed together for Joe [= Harold O.J. Brown] and for many other things we seemed to care about mutually.

Less than twenty four hours after my arrival at l'Abri my life was completely turned upside down. Or was it right side up?