A Schaefferian sociology: The social theory of Francis Schaeffer

This thesis seeks to explore the role of Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer in the culture war as delineated by author James Davison Hunter through his influence on the Christian Right. After a brief examination of the history of the Christian Right and an exploration of Francis Schaeffer’s life and philosophy the culture war as conceived by Hunter will be introduced and examined. Following this will be an in-depth analysis of Schaeffer’s work A Christian Manifesto. The paper will conclude with an analysis of Schaeffer’s overall role in the culture war and an examination of the social theory implicit in his work. The findings of this paper suggest that through his status in the Christian Right Francis Schaeffer has a significant impact on the culture war and, therefore, the landscape of American culture as well.