Review: ‘The Church at the End of the 20th Century’ by Francis Schaeffer
DECEMBER 9, 2020 | ELLIOT CLARK

When we consider the contribution to Christianity of the late Francis Schaeffer, we often think of his L’Abri community in the Swiss Alps and of his noteworthy books, such as The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, and How Should We Then Live? Yet it’s one of his lesser known works, The Church at the End of the 20th Century, which is perhaps the most relevant for the American church at the end of 2020.

Published exactly 50 years ago, the particulars of this short volume can be quite dated—reflected in the unsightly cover of my copy from 1970—yet its themes are surprisingly contemporary. Schaeffer speaks to the loss of truth and personal responsibility, the collapse of authority, and the growing threat of violence. He warns of impending ecological disaster and scientific manipulation, even the possibility of nations developing and weaponizing a deadly virus.

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