Francis A. Schaeffer Institute

Purpose

The Francis A. Schaeffer Institute exists to train God’s servants to demonstrate compassionately and defend reasonably the claims of Christ upon the whole of life.

By modeling respectful dialogue with those who are not Christians and training Christians to observe and understand the culture in which they live, the Schaeffer Institute helps people break down barriers to Christianity and become more faithful and effective in evangelism.

As part of its commitment to lifelong learning, the Institute serves as a resource for the worldwide church. In the midst of contemporary challenges to faith such as those brought about by secularim, postmodernism, New Age spirituality, and science and technology, the Institute helps Christians reach their local cultures with the truth claims of Christ and how those claims affect everything from race and gender to singleness/ dating/ marriage, the power of words, liberation theology, Christian citizenship and social responsibility.

Schaeffer Institute Commitments:

• Devotion to Christ and a reality of prayer as we live in daily dependence upon the Lord.
• Confidence in biblical truth.
• Conviction of the reality of the Fall.
• Commitment to genuine humanness expressed in serving others and in supernaturally restored relationships.
• Appreciation of God’s gifts in all of life.
• The need to understand the culture in which we live and to communicate with it.
• Preparedness to give honest answers to honest questions in such a way as to confront people with the truth claims of Christianity.

Francis A. Schaeffer Institute History

Biblical Christianity is more than religion; it is the truth. This foundational principle was the focus of the life and ministry of the late Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer, who through writings and lectures over three decades proclaimed to an international audience the relevance of the Christian worldview for all aspects of modern society. As a tribute to and continuation of this legacy, Covenant Seminary established the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute in 1989.

Covenant Seminary’s relationship with Dr. Schaeffer and his wife, Edith, extends back almost to the Seminary’s beginning. In 1955, the Schaeffers founded L’Abri Fellowship in the Swiss Alps as a community where people could come to find honest answers to difficult questions about life and the world. Soon known throughout Europe for his ministry, for which Time magazine described him as the “apostle to the intellectuals,” Dr. Schaeffer began in 1965 teaching apologetics courses every other year at Covenant Seminary.

The Francis A. Schaeffer Institute is dedicated to Dr. and Mrs. Schaeffer’s vision of teaching Christians to bring every area of their lives under the liberating Lordship of Christ and to share this gospel message with others.

Read Prof. Jerram Barrs’s personal insights into Francis Schaeffer: The Man and His Message (pdf, 165.79KB)

Francis A. Schaeffer Institute Leadership and Scholarship

Professor Jerram Barrs, longtime associate of Dr. Schaeffer, worked at the L’Abri Fellowship branch in England for several years before coming to the United States. Professor Barrs serves as a resident scholar of the Francis A. Schaeffer Institute and as professor of Christian studies and contemporary culture. His ministries include speaking, teaching, and writing. Professor Barrs is in great demand as a speaker across the country and around the world.

Ministries of the Schaeffer Institute

Francis A. Schaeffer Lecture Series: Each year, the Schaeffer Institute brings noted speakers to St. Louis to give a series of lectures on a topic of contemporary interest to the church and to the broader community. The public may attend these lectures for free, or may wish to take the series for academic credit through Covenant Seminary.

Find out about the 2011 Francis A. Schaeffer Lectures, featuring Prof. John Hodges on the topic For Those Who Have Ears to Hear: Music and Metaphor.

Schaeffer Colloquium: This discussion forum generates greater dialogue on difficult and weighty issues that confront our world today—such as bioethics, postmodernism, social justice, world governance, and personal hopelessness. Honest questions are welcome as participants have an open conversation that explores whether or not the Bible is able to give us relevant and practical guidance on these issues and if the Christian worldview is competent to address the pressing issues of our times.

The Schaeffer Fellows Program: Integrating Leadership Training with Vocational Discipleship

The Schaeffer Fellows program grows out of a belief that the work you do between Sundays is ministry. As college graduates move into the workplace, they will be able to spend one year exploring what it means to walk with Christ in the vocation to which they believe God is calling them. Schaeffer Fellows is a one-year program for recent college graduates that integrates Christian leadership training with vocational discipleship. It is led by experienced Christian professionals, educators, and ministry leaders.

Beginning in August and ending the following May, students will live with host families in St. Louis and spend three days each week at professional internships and two days participating in educationally focused activities, Through the combination of activities, individuals gain a deeper understanding of what it looks like to integrate faith and work.

Students will consider a biblically informed vision of leadership that understands the importance of healthy relational dynamics in the midst of pursing Kingdom tasks. They will also explore foundational issues related to theology, culture, history, art, and civic responsibility.

The Schaeffer Fellows program is being developed in partnership between Covenant Theological Seminary and The Covenant Presbyterian Church.

For more information, please visit www.schaefferfellows.org.