The Church At The End Of The Twentieth Century

Schaeffer returns to the subject matter of his earlier works like The God Who Is There and Escape from Reason, yet specifically targets the sociological problems the church must deal with in the twentieth century. "In this book I have attempted to describe the sociological milieu in which the church of Jesus Christ now finds itself." ~ Francis Schaeffer, Preface to The Church At the end of the Twentieth Century.

Francis Schaeffer Studies has an extensive collection of quotes for each of Francis and Edith's various works. When available, this section contains quotes that help give you a sense of the book content.

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"It is obvious: the future is open to manipulation. Who will do the manipulating? Will it be the new elite on the side of an establishment authoritarianism or another elite? Whoever achieves political or cultural power in the future will have at his disposal techniques of manipulation that no totalitarian ruler in the past has ever had. None of these are only future; they all exist today waiting to be used by the manipulators." ~ Dr. Francis Schaeffer, The Church at the End of the 20th Century.

"You cannot be a revolutionary simply by some minor thing like letting your hair grow and cultivating a beard." ~ Dr. Francis Schaeffer, The Church at the End of the 20th Century.

Francis Schaeffer Studies has done extensive studies on the works of Francis and Edith Schaeffer. When available, in this section you will find class materials and resources to enhance your exploration!

"Does the church have a future in our generation? I believe the church is in real danger.... We are facing present pressures and a present and future manipulation which will be so overwhelming in the days to come that they will make the battles of the last forty years look like child's play." --Francis A. Schaeffer

Today the pressures and battles Schaeffer predicted have engulfed the evangelical church. They come from the moral decay of the surrounding world. They come from the conflict between Christian principles and political ideologies. They come from the growing compromise morally and theologically within the church and among evangelicals in particular. Dr. Schaeffer's insights, republished here, have crucial significance in helping Christians to understand and confront these battles.

"Does the church have a future in our generation?" Schaeffer's answer challenges every Christian to examine his or her life for a reality rooted in a personal relationship to Jesus Christ and lived out in an orthodoxy of doctrine, Christian compassion, and true community.