How Should We Then Live? by Francis A. Schaeffer
Week 4: Chapter 4 — The Reformation
Read Chapter 4 of How Should We Then Live? Key figures discussed: Martin Luther, John Calvin, William Tyndale; the doctrine of Scripture and its cultural implications.
Previewing Week 4 of How Should We Then Live?
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 13-week guide when you’re ready.
The Reformation was not only a theological event but a cultural revolution — one that, by recovering the authority of Scripture over all of life, provided the only real counterforce to the humanist drift Schaeffer has been tracing.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Schaeffer argues that the Reformers did something far more radical than simply correct church abuses or debate doctrinal fine points — they recovered the idea that Scripture speaks with authority over all of life, not just personal piety. How does this 'total authority of Scripture' differ from the view of Scripture common in many churches today?
2.Luther's stand at Worms — 'Here I stand; I can do no other' — is for Schaeffer not only a moment of personal courage but a philosophical declaration: there is objective truth, it can be known, and conscience must be bound to it. Why does Schaeffer regard this moment as so culturally significant beyond the church?
3.Schaeffer traces a direct line from Reformation theology to the development of modern science, democratic governance, and the concept of universal human rights. Does this connection seem plausible to you? What specific theological convictions would lead in those directions?
a.How does the doctrine of creation (that the universe was made by a rational, personal God) relate to the possibility of scientific investigation?
b.How does the doctrine of the image of God (imago Dei) in every human being relate to the concept of universal human rights?