Dr. Francis August Schaeffer: A Change in Trajectory

How do I begin to write about a man who I only saw in his coffin as I stood in line to pay my respects? I hugged his beloved Edith, wife of almost 50 years, and thanked her for their work that impacted my life in such a huge way.

I had spent twenty four hours on a Greyhound bus only to arrive in Rochester Minnesota to find out he had passed early that morning. It was May 15, 1984.

I had exchanged letters with the Schaeffers while they were in Switzerland. One day when I received a response, I called to perhaps make plans to visit them at their L'Abri Fellowship in in Switzerland. On calling I found out that Dr. Schaeffer had been air-lifted to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and that he was not doing well. When I heard this, I got on a bus in Savannah Georgia and made my way across the country. I was welcomed in to one of the homes of the L'Abri Fellowship in Rochester and walked to a small backyard where someone explained to me his passing. I was comforted by strangers. No one thought it strange that I had come across the country to be there even though I didn't know a soul there.

I was introduced to the writing and world of Francis Schaeffer in the Summer of 1981. My Aunt Joan had his book A Christian Manifesto;" I read it cover to cover over a period of a few hours. I was stunned, that here was a man speaking historic Christianity into the present moment and calling on Christians to stand up and make a difference for the culture and the world. A fire was lit inside me. Joan, and her roommate Sandy and I headed to a small retreat weekend where I would discover more of his writings.

I had been saving my money to purchase my first 35 mm camera. I was excited about perhaps becoming a photographer. My love for nature hoping to be realized in a material way by taking photos. Upon arriving at the retreat center, I found that they had tables and tables of books for sale. Among them, many Francis Schaeffer books.

What to do? I spent it all. Not on a camera, but on his books. I bought them all. (A small side note here - not becoming a photographer shifted my focus, even about art - years later I would turn to paint, not photography and I see this small shift right here was part of that turning point.)

The next book from Dr. Schaeffer that I consumed was "How Should we Then Live? The Rise and Fall of Western Culture. This book opened my eyes to the importance of thorougly learning history. I would return to Flagler College that next semester and immediately add a History Major to my course load- further changing the trajectory of my thinking.

His trilogy, Escape from Reason, The God Who is There, and He is There and He is not Silent challenged me to think aout the realities of what he would term "True Truth" found in the Judeo Christian faith and how this impacts culture. Not "easy reading" but crucial to thinking critically about the times I was living in and how faith should impact culture.

Dr. Schaeffer co-authored a book with the then sitting Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. C. Everett Coop, Whatever Happened to the Human Race? Together, they predicted many of the ills that have become the fallout of the silence of believers when the culture was headed toward disaster.

I could give book review after book review. What would it do? At a moment in time I was inspired to research my own thinking and decide if that would change, not only me, but also, my little corner of the world. His writing impacted my remaining years at Flagler, several moments of which, became very public. I was given the tools to stand strong for the truth I believed - and so I stood.

Making the trip to Dr. Schaeffer's home and eventual funeral proved to be a powerful moment. Even though I had not been present in his final hours, I was given a moment by moment glimpse into that time by his personal nurse. He had stayed lucid, repeating to family that "Ideas have consequences:" a concept repeated in many of his books. She had taken notes and shared with me the beauty of his home-going.

His funeral was held in a large high school auditorium. He had produced films that accompanied several of his books and teachings. At the funeral they showed one of the films with Dr. Schaeffer standing on the Mount of Olives and speaking about the resurrection. A powerful moment followed by the "Hallelujah Chorus." I will never forget that or the tears I cried.

I am thankful that Dr. Schaeffer helped me learn to think criticaly, and act couragously, because it matters. What we think about, eventually creates the world we live in - because ideas, do indeed, have consequences.

Because Christ is raised, we have this hope of resurrection. I do not grieve as those who have no hope. I know that I will see Dr. Schaeffer, and Edith, too. And I am so very grateful.

With Hope and Weeping in this Veil of Tears,

Charlotte