Francis Schaeffer
An evangelical thinker who built a refuge in the Swiss Alps, challenging modern secularism with a philosophical defense of Christian faith.
1912–1984 (age 72)·American theologian·Birthday: January 30·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Francis Schaeffer was a pastor and intellectual who believed Christianity could engage the toughest questions of modern life. In 1955, he and his wife Edith founded L'Abri, meaning 'The Shelter,' in their Swiss chalet. It grew from a simple home into an international community where travelers, students, and skeptics could live, debate, and explore the claims of faith. Schaeffer, with his distinctive goatee and knickerbockers, became a surprising counter-cultural figure, arguing that Western art, music, and philosophy revealed a 'line of despair' following the rejection of biblical truth. He presented his ideas through a prolific series of books and a landmark film series, 'How Should We Then Live?,' which reached a wide audience. While his presuppositional apologetics and cultural critiques were controversial, even within evangelical circles, he fundamentally shaped a generation of believers to see faith as intellectually robust and culturally engaged.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Francis was born in 1912, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Francis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1912
Francis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1912Born
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1917Started school
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Became a teenager
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Could drive
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1930Could vote
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Turned 21
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1942Turned 30
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 40
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 50
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 60
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 70
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Died at 72
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland, an influential study center and community for spiritual and intellectual inquiry.
- Authored over twenty books, including 'The God Who Is There' and 'Escape from Reason,' which outlined his apologetic framework.
- Produced and narrated the ten-part film and book series 'How Should We Then Live? The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture.'
Did You Know?
He was an accomplished painter and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago before turning to theology.
His son, Frank Schaeffer, is a novelist and writer who has been critical of his father's ideological legacy.
Schaeffer's work is cited as a major influence on the founders of the modern Christian home-schooling movement.
““He is there and He is not silent.””
