Why do people believe what they believe? For Francis Schaeffer, a groundbreaking apologist and cultural critic, the answer lay in our hidden assumptions – our "presuppositions."14 This episode delves into the life of the visionary thinker who founded L'Abri, a haven for intellectual and spiritual seekers. Discover how Schaeffer diagnosed the "line of despair" in Western thought, arguing that only a coherent Christian worldview could provide "true truth" and meaning. His insights into cultural trends and the power of underlying beliefs are more vital than ever for engaging our complex modern world.

Works Cited

Challies, Tim. "Edith Schaeffer (1914 – 2013)." Tim Challies, 30 Mar. 2013.

Groothuis, Douglas. "Francis Schaeffer: Pastor, Evangelist, Apologist, Prophet." Christian Research Institute, 21 Mar. 2018.

r/Reformed. "Have any of you been to L'abri? How was it?" Reddit, n.d.

Schaeffer, Edith. L'Abri. Tyndale House, 1973.

Schaeffer, Francis A. He Is There and He Is Not Silent. Tyndale House, 1972.

---. How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture. Fleming H. Revell, 1976.

---. The God Who Is There. InterVarsity Press, 1968.

Seagren, Barry. "Francis Schaeffer— An Appreciation." The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, vol. 24, no. 2, 2020.

"L'Abri." Wikipedia, 3 Feb. 2025. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Abri.

Verstraete, Susan. "Edith Seville Was Ready for a Fight." Church Bulletin Inserts, 2006.

Wellum, Stephen. "A Brief Chronology of the Life of Francis A. Schaeffer." Christ Over All, 10 Oct. 2022.