WAKE FOREST — Southeastern
Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) announced Sept. 14 the addition of a
voluminous collection of papers and correspondence of the late apologist
Francis A. Schaeffer to Southeastern’s libary, thanks to the generosity of the
Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation.
The collection is given to the L. Russ Bush
Center for Faith and Culture for Southeastern Seminary.
The collection includes
select unpublished papers and correspondence, source materials, notes and
recorded discussions of Schaeffer, one of evangelical Christianity’s most
prominent 20th century voices and the author of 27 books.
The collection, of
which Southeastern has custody, will be placed under the direction of Bruce
Little, professor of Christian philosophy and director of the L. Russ Bush
Center for Faith and Culture, a ministry of Southeastern.
The foundation is overseen
by its president, Udo Middelmann, who is Schaeffer’s son-in-law. Middelmann
said the foundation is pleased to entrust these materials to Southeastern, in
the hopes that Schaeffer’s work will continue to be influential for years to
come.
“A lifetime spent in the pursuit of truth, and its
relationship to society, philosophy and culture, is found in the collected
papers and correspondence of Francis Schaeffer,” Middelmann said.
Little said he is grateful
for the opportunity to serve as custodian of the collection.
“We are thankful to the
Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation for entrusting us with this priceless treasure
of historical significance,” Little said.
“Every now and then, God gives his
Church a unique voice for His people. Schaeffer was such a voice. It is our
privilege to have a part in preserving and promoting this legacy for the
generations to come.”
Schaeffer was born in the
United States but spent most of his life in Switzerland with his wife Edith and
their four children. In 1955, Francis and Edith Schaeffer opened their
chalet/home to those who were seeking answers to life’s many questions and from
that the ministry known as L’Abri began.
The Schaeffers welcomed
thousands of visitors during several decades who learned from Schaeffer how the
inerrant Scriptures gave the only fitting understanding of the real world.
In addition to his more than
two dozen books, Schaeffer also recorded the influential series of videos
called How Should We Then Live? revealing the rise and decline of Western
thought and culture.
“It is my hope that the
spirit of Francis Schaeffer, with his mind for truth and heart of love, will
pervade our campus,” said Southeastern President Danny Akin. “I pray that this
collection will allow Southeastern to serve the Church by extending the legacy
of this great man of faith.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Hall
directs Southeastern Seminary’s office of communications.)