Schaefferian Dooyweerdian Kuyperian neo-Calvinism?
I have recently been exposed to thought of Francis Schaeffer via his videos “How Shall We Then Live?” This has caused me to feed my Wikipedia addiction by reading about him and the various influences and results of his thought. What I found was interesting. Apparently, he came under criticism from Dominionists for affirming the rightness of a pluralistic society like that of the United States. Schaeffer’s “How Shall We Then Live?” is a detailed and, in my opinion, accurate analysis of the development of philosophical thought as it relates to the general culture in the West. However, it doesn’t seem to answer its titular question. Schaeffer himself affirmed the rightness of the foundations of a pluralistic society, but his thought seems to condemn it. I suppose my question is: “How shall we then live?”
In a pluralistic society, obviously.
I think that knowing one’s philosophical roots and being grounded in as much of God’s word as you can get your head around means things will come out as you rub up against culture and the society that makes/inherits it.
You’re right that Schaeffer doesn’t really answer his own question. Or, if you’re wrong, I thought the same thing so I’m wrong right along with you. But he did have some strong ideas about the church, so I think he would have answered the question kinda like this:
People come into contact with church-members, meet Jesus, experience real and ongoing change in their lives, and bring it back to their communities (that is to say, they bring it to their neighbors, co-workers, families, reading groups, friends, libraries, schools, political parties, economic strata, prevailing philosophies, etc.). Those things/people all come to the church and the cycle repeats itself. And things come out in the friction, good and bad. Idols crop up. Reflections of God’s image stand out. Change happens. New philosophies/institutions/beliefs happen. Creation, fall, redemption. Dooyeweerd would be proud.
(was that what you were asking? i’m basically telling you there isn’t a short or predictable answer. sorry it took me so long to say it.)