Letters of Francis A. Schaeffer: Spiritual Reality in the Personal Christian Life

Normally I don't enjoy books of letters. For instance, I've read a book with letters from D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. Though I greatly respect that man and his ministry, and the letters certainly didn't diminish my respect for him, the letters made for banal reading. But this book is quite different. The letters are compelling and rich with content, not just run-of-the-mill correspondence. Schaeffer answers people in thoughtful, penetrating, and sometimes quite controversial ways. The overall theme is "Spiritual Reality". Part One is "The Reawakening of Spiritual Reality'. These letters deal mainly with the controversies of Presbyterianism in the 1950's and Schaeffer's growing disenchantment with much of the "separated movement". Schaeffer's own personal crises is also brought up in some of these letters. Part Two is "Spiritual Reality in Daily Living". Here we find letters to people, mainly former L'Abri students, who are struggling with sin, psychological problems, spiritual growth, health issues, the meaning of life, etc. Part Three is "Spiritual Reality in Marriage, Family, and Sexual Realations". Here, as the title implies, the letters focus on marriage, relationships, family, and sex. I'm impressed with these letters and throughout them you will find great "take home" tidbits (although some of them may seem quite familiar to you if you've read more than a couple of Schaeffer's books). Some of the letters are dated to the times they were written in, but that is to be fully expected in a book of letters. I've also learned a lot from his method of corresponding, and I feel I'm better equipped to respond to different situations myself. For these and many other reasons, I highly suggest that you check out this book! I don't necessarily agree with every single thing Schaeffer said, but then again, if I did that would be scary! I found the letters helpful, challenging, and found I could agree with the vast majority of what he says. I do have one complaint. The book is filled with Schaeffer's apologies for not writing in a timely manner. It gets tedious after a while. I realize they are a genuine part of his correspondence and removing them would make the letters choppy and incomplete. But, still, they slow down the reader. Understandably, Schaeffer was a very busy man. Sometimes I wonder how he was able to manage this extensive correspondence! He lived from 1912 to 1984. He wrote over 20 books. He ran L'Abri, a very busy ministry in Switzerland. He toured Europe and America. He had cancer. He had children with health concerns. But thank God he wrote these letters (both for the sake of those to whom they were addressed and for the sake of the people who read them now). And thank you, Lane T. Dennis, for editing such a great book!

As a young man trying to find his place in the world, I have found Francis Schaeffer to be an indispensable help. His work helped move me from a vague quasi-theism, to a thinking Christianity. Several years later it helped me understand a Biblical christianity in the face of the vague watered down version. And now, as I wrestle with my own fundamentalisms, his experiences are again informing my thinking. I didn't know that Schaeffer was involved in bitter separation disputes among fundamentalist Presbyterians in 1930s and 40s. The first third of these letters are related to his realizations as he rejected the spirit of these disputes. As someone who identifies with much of the doctrinal integrity in fundamentalism, yet sees the unloving spirit in which these convictions are sometimes lived out, I found Schaeffer's perspective incredibly valuable. The dates span 3 decades, so we get the chance to see him grow in his understanding of certain issues. The middle third deals with "Spirituality in Daily Living" and the last third, "Spiritual Reality in Marriage, Family, and Sexual Relations." These letters are a chance to know Schaeffer as a real person, and see how he addresses specific issues in light of Scriptural truth. After reading these, and understanding more of his historical context in american christianity, I have even more respect for his work, more trust in his fidelity to scripture, and better insight into how to speak the truth in love. I highly recommend this work. The following are quotes that I especially connected with. For increasingly the realization has welled up in my own soul that although this principle [of separation] is of tremendous importance, nevertheless there are other principles in the Word of God which must be kept with equal fidelity if God's full blessing is to be upon us.... (35) But we could have remembered that, wrong though they are, they are for the most part brothers in Christ. (39) Doctrinal rightness and rightness of ecclesiastical position are important, but only as a starting-point to go on into a living relationship - and not as ends in themselves. (46) "Our own strength, zeal and enthusiasm ends, usually like Peter's sword attack, in betraying the One we love" - this has become my own experience. (68) Thus, the solution is not to intellectually and coldly just shout out the right doctrines and try to shout down the false liberal doctrines. It is to go back to a cure of the basic error. It is to say "yes" to the right doctrines, and, without compromise, "no" to the wrong doctrines of both Romanism and liberalism - and then to commit our lives to the practical moment by moment headship of Christ and communion of the Holy Spirit. (71) If we would only allow the Agent of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to lead each individual instead of living in the areas of rules which are man-made and quite apart from the absolutes laid down in scripture. (76-7) Thus, we cannot start with our human re

These letters reveal the compassion and gentlenss of Schaeffer. Normally a heavy thinker (often beyond my comprehension) I found this book to be impressively personal. Through these letters Schaeffer passes to us ideas and beliefs that are thoroughly practical and useful for daily living. Many times, when I would be suffering with some question on life, love, or faith, I'd open his book, read a letter and find the words I desperately longed for. There's a good chance the reader can save the $125 a counselor would charge to give similar help. Most reassuring is that the book stays on message. The Christian Gospel is obviously the bedrock that all of the man's thinking stands on. Christ is the reference point for all of Schaeffer's responses. It's a winner.

Francis Schaeffer does not produce much among the "light reading" category. This book is refreshingly different than his others in that you catch a glimpse of the man behind the mind. It's subject matter focuses on specific advice/counseling for people that have written questions ranging from organized religion to intimacy in marriage and friendship. The "letters" have been compiled over 30 years ('53-'83) from individuals that had written to Schaeffer. They are categorized into three sections: 1) The Reawakening of Spiritual Reality, 2) Spiritual Reality in Daily Living, 3) Spiritual Reality in Marriage, Family and Sexual Relations. His answers are biblical, humble...always personal. In a day when radio and even church counseling resembles a fast food chain...(hasty & premature answers), this book provides an ear that truly listens to those seeking guidance.