Schaeffer on the Christian Life (2013) - William Edgar

Schaeffer on the Christian Life (2013) - William Edgar

Crossway, trade paperback, 206 pages

ISBN 9781433531392

$17.99 retail

I firmly believe that the best way to learn about Francis Schaeffer, one of Christianity’s most important figures of the 20th century, is to read his work. For the uninitiated, that can be a daunting task. Although most of his books are fairly short, Schaeffer packs a tremendous amount of material into them: examinations of the world that are biblical, philosophical, artistic, cultural.... The list goes on.

Writing about the man and his work is also no simple task, yet William Edgar does a remarkable job in many areas. The opening section of the book, however, “A Man and His Times,” begins on shaky ground. Edgar, a professor of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary, takes us on a brief journey through Schaeffer’s life that is both scattershot in its approach and frustrating in its familiarity. To Edgar’s credit, a workable biography of Francis Schaeffer in 20 pages is an impossibility. (Edgar also gives a personal introduction that’s nearly 20 pages long.) Yet this first section is filled with too many personal reflections that interrupt the flow of the narrative.

Edgar does get things on track throughout the rest of the book, addressing some of Schaeffer’s main themes: the fundamentals of Christianity, freedom in the Christian life, prayer and guidance, affliction, life in the church, and engaging the world. These chapters get to the heart of what made Schaeffer tick and, like all good biographies, makes you want to read more of the man’s work. Edgar is much more comfortable here, explaining the nuts and bolts of Schaeffer’s work and worldview, both in his writing and his work with his wife Edith at L’Abri. 

In fact, one of the book’s most pleasant surprises is how much space and attention Edgar gives to Edith Schaeffer, showing how she, in her own writing, often focused in detail on aspects of the Christian life that her husband sometimes barely touched upon. If you pick up Schaeffer on the Christian Life wanting to know more about Francis, by the time you finish it, you’ll probably want to know more about Edith as well. 

*Schaeffer on the Christian Life is part of the Theologians on the Christian Life series, which includes:

Warfield on the Christian Life - Fred G. Zaspel (available now)

Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life - Stephen J. Nichols (available June 2013)

Wesley on the Christian Life - Fred Sanders (available August 2013)

4/5