Francis Schaeffer was an influential thinker (i.e., philosopher) and Christian in the mid-to-late 20th century. He believed that God exists, that truth, goodness, and beauty come from him, and that they have been revealed in creation, history, and the Bible. He believed that living by the truth is necessary for happiness and dignity.
In his books, he reveals how belief in objective truth has been lost, and the social and personal issues this has caused. Starting with philosophy, he explains how thinkers used to believe in objective reality, goodness, and beauty. And how truth began to be seen as existing only in the realm of science, while all other beliefs, such as religious ones, were deemed to be personal values rather than objective facts.
He goes on to show how this affected art, music, and culture, providing specific examples. He shows how the loss of truth leads to despair.
Ultimately, Schaeffer presents a compelling case for the existence of objective truth, revealed by God in creation and the Bible, providing those who embrace it an escape from despair.
Schaeffer’s classic trilogy has helped many people regain confidence and appreciation for true truth that frees one to live the good life and to make sense of it.
Personal note: I read The God Who Is There and the other two when I was 16 years old. They were not easy to read; I had to use a dictionary to look up several words. However, his books educated me, and they changed my life for the better.
If you read any part of them, please comment below and let me know your thoughts.
Leave a reply. Keep it clean.