Jake+Cole+Connection,+Francis+Schaeffer-+How+Should+We+Then+Live?

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__**Connection, Francis Schaeffer- How Should We Then Live?**__

I learned a lot from Schaeffer personally. I think the top two things I learned from him are as the Christian Church moves through the future it must always keep an eye on the past, or else the church is doomed to repeat those same mistakes over again. And a lot of mistakes have been committed in the name of God's Church. The second I think I extropolated from Schaeffer is that it is okay to be human, but that does not excuse sinful behavior. In other words, human beings are sinful by their fallen nature that fact is inescapable, so they will sin, but that does not give them license to chase after sinful behavior. I came to some of these conclusions after listening to some youtube clips of Frankie Schaeffer and some underlying issues that he had with his own father Francis Schaeffer, who I think is a great is a great theologian and historian defender of the faith. So, of course this "giant of the faith Francis Schaeffer, himself was not even perfect and had a somewhat strained relationship with his only child at times. There is one other overarching or meta-narrative I have taken away from Schaeffer and I think it's the most important one: **Christianity can stand up to intellectual scrunity; one does not have to check their brain at the door to be a Christian.** This meta-narrative fact is the most helpful lesson that I am taking away from all of Schaeffer's writings. In this contemporary world, when the Christian faith is constantly assaulted as a myth the faith of scholars like Francis Schaeffer inspire others to defend their faith in-kind. I did not find much to disagree with Schaeffer on, maybe that is because I have a deep respect for him and his intellect, However, I have found this with this other Schaeffer works I have read (although not all) he has a obsession with art and forms of artistic expression. While I understand that giving some art examples helps make Schaeffer's case particularly in this work, I think that he overwhelms this book with discussion of the arts. I would like to have seen an even deeper focus on the philosophical and theology lines of thoughts. That would be my only real critique of this work. I believe that Schaeffer's final warning to us; that if left unchecked our society Christians and all will crumble like the Romans is spot on. The Christian church needs to reclaim its influence over culture and do it in a Biblical manner.

Here is our scriptural mission:

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden" ( Mt 5:14 NIV). We are to be a light to this broken world

As Christians we have to reach out, because America is not finding church attractive:

"Postmodern" is a favorite tag for the profound changes we're experiencing in our culture and church. Unlike the days when we were raised, many Americans today are biblically illiterate and can take or leave going to church on Sunday. In fact, they feel free to take or leave the whole institutional church and, in case you haven't noticed, more and more are leaving (1). Meyer, D. A. (2010). Why Go to Church?. //Concordia Journal//, //36//(2), 1-9. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from the ATLA Religion database.

America does not find the church attractive, yet people are suffering more than ever:

The World Health Organization named depression the second most common cause of disability worldwide after cardiovascular disease, and it is expected to become number one in the next ten years. In the United States, 5 to 10 percent of adults currently experience the symptoms of major depression (as previously defined), and up to 25 percent meet the diagnostic criteria during their lifetime, making it one of the most common conditions treated by primary care physicians (6). Blazer, D. D. (2009). The Depression Epidemic. //Christianity Today//, //53//(3), 1-12. Retrieved March 11, 2011, from the ATLA Religion database.

What could be cause the of this cultural epidemic?

"Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron" (1 Tim 4:2 NIV). False teachings that have drawn us away from God, so that some cannot even tell the difference between right and wrong.

How do we fix this problem? **Christian Community; this is my answer to how the Christian Church will survive and lift up the culture, create true Christian community, pray and turn to the word of God.**

I really connected Schaeffer's book to Bonhoeffer's famous work "Life Together."

“So to the Christian belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life, but in the thick of foes” (Bonhoeffer, 1954, p. 17) As Christian's we belong among those who don't yet know Christ, we are to engage them in Love whenever possible.

Being part of a Christian community that engages in prayer, reads the Word and is intellectually challenging has grown my personal faith by leaps-and-bounds that is why I believe community is the key to the Church winning the battle against culture.

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