r b c F e a t u r e What can we learn from this father and son? Making sense of Frank Schaeffer’s disturbing book, Crazy for God by David R. Swartz

I grew up thinking that my faith was intellectually losophy and culture. credible. Many in my parents’ generation did not—until The Reformation syn- they came across their liberator, . A thesis of reason, truth, starched fundamentalist Presbyterian until his forties, and faith, Schaeffer Ihe moved to Switzerland as a missionary in the 1950s. expounded, had been Pleasant encounters with European bohemians soon lost. The “new theolo- turned Schaeffer into something of a hippie guru who gy,” which denied “the mixed a countercultural style with traditional defenses of God behind truth,” was the faith. Soon Schaeffer’s Swiss chalet and his reputa- soft. It had separated tion as a thinker willing to take on all philosophical com- the “lower story” of ers attracted youths traveling from India to the West still natural revelation from high on opium as well as earnest evangelical students the “upper story” of divine revelation. This separation, traveling east from America. They all came in search marked by a “line of despair,” left the “upper story” of resolution to existential questions. Clad in knee-high unhinged and susceptible to mysticism, despair, and the knickers, beige Nehru jackets, long hair, and a white nihilism of modern existentialism. Conservative evan- goatee, Schaeffer engaged them through rambling lec- gelical faith, rooted in verifiable natural theology, alone tures delivered in a peculiarly high-pitched, American- offered the truth that the counterculture sought in vain. Austrian accent over modest meals of soup, bread, and Schaeffer thus insisted that Christians can and should cheese. “rationally prove the authority of the Bible.” In the He engaged American evangelicals more widely context of a “God-is-dead” theology so prominent in the through his prolific writings. As a child I first encoun- 1960s, Schaeffer’s confidence was inspiring indeed. tered Schaeffer in my parents’ bookshelves. Escape Schaeffer’s use of modern culture proved even more from Reason and The God Who Is There, they told me, thrilling to many evangelicals, for he sought to mar- had been assigned to them in the 1970s by Rosedale shal secularism against itself through its films, music, Bible Institute instructors. In these books Schaeffer led and literature. Out of a tradition that often demanded readers on a sweeping journey through modern phi- distance from contemporary culture, Schaeffer spoke with fluency of Van Gogh, Henry Miller, the Beatles, and Federico Fellini, describing their common cries of despair and how that contributed to modern ailments such as environmental degradation, racism, and the “plastic culture.” While evangelical scholars typically dismissed Schaeffer’s analyses as lightweight, his attrac- tion to evangelical students often unversed in high or popular culture was evident. He introduced young evan- gelicals to the exotica of the counterculture under the guise of criticism. For evangelical students struggling with college administrations that had outlawed the movie Bambi, Schaeffer’s calm, didactic discussions of Fellini in campus chapel services felt both incongruous and lib- erating. Schaeffer’s riffs on John Cage and Salvador Dali delighted students worried about intellectual integrity. Thousands of young American evangelicals made their way through the Swiss mountains to L’Abri.

4 November 2008 • Brotherhood Beacon Books warning of the political seduction of evangelicals: Those who didn’t make the journey heard In the right context, this sort of con- Schaeffer speak at their evangelical col- frontation might be helpful and appropriate. • , Born Again (1976): lege campuses—or read one of his books The problem is not only that he is unkind or The story of a top Nixon aide impli- (InterVarsity Press published over 2.5 mil- that his memory is faulty (many reviewers cated in the Watergate scandal. What can we learn lion copies of his eighteen books from have disputed his accuracy and perspective), Colson describes how he found new 1965 to 1975). Schaeffer, idolized by mil- but also that he seems to have failed to fol- life in Jesus rather than success and lions, had become the intellectual guru of low biblical rules of confrontation. Rather power. from this father and son? . than privately approaching his parents in a • Ed Dobson and Cal Thomas, Blinded And then last year his son Frank spirit of humility—or failing that, with two by Might: Can the Religious Right released a bombshell, a book entitled Crazy or three others—Frank exposes their foibles Save America? (1999): Two for- for God: How I Grew Up before a watching world. mer religious right insiders decry as One of the Elect, Helped “If I read it,” Edith told the political entrapment of Pat Found the Religious Right, Crazy for God a family friend about one Robertson and Jerry Falwell out of and Lived to Take All (or is a surprisingly of Frank’s earlier books, raw ambition and by conservative Almost All) of It Back. “it would probably break operatives. Notable not only for its riveting tale, not my heart.” This book too at all what you • David Kuo, Tempting Faith: An very long and bombas- would have disappointed Inside Story of Political Seduction tic subtitle, the book also would expect out her, and it prompted me, (2006): An expose of how the Bush painted an unorthodox por- a young father of three, Administration used the Office trait of the evangelical idol. of a memoir about to pledge all over again to growing up the son of Faith-Based and Community Frank portrays his father be a good family man just Initiatives for political purposes as inattentive (as a father), of a theologian- in case one of my sons is while ridiculing evangelical voters. impious (for not publicly an articulate novelist with praying for meals while philosopher. It is few qualms about spilling on vacation), immoder- also a morality tale prurient family secrets. Books by Frank Schaeffer ate (for being demanding full of insights about Despite himself, • Addicted to Mediocrity: 20th- of his wife Edith), naïve the dilemmas Frank does make several Century Christians and the Arts (for being co-opted politi- important points, both (1982): a condemnation of Christian cally in the late 1970s), of confession, theological and practical. kitsch. He writes, “Whenever and duplicitous (for help- celebrity, and First, he wants his par- Christians, and evangelicals in par- ing religious right leaders politics. ents’ idolizers to know ticular, have attempted to ‘reach the despite loathing them). that the great Francis world’ through the media—TV, film, Crazy for God is a surpris- and Edith Schaeffer have publishing and so on—the thinking ingly riveting tale, not at all what you would “feet of clay.” All of us public gets the firm idea that, like expect out of a memoir about growing up sin, even the most talent- soup in a bad restaurant, Christians’ Franky and Francis the son of a theologian-philosopher. It is ed, most holy, most spiri- brains are best left unstirred.” Frank also a morality tale full of insights about tual. We all need redemption through Jesus’ rather urges evangelicals to seek the dilemmas of confession, celebrity, and death and resurrection. And no followers of excellence in writing, painting, and politics. Christ, Frank suggests, are perfect. No one, filmmaking. not even the great Francis Schaeffer, can Confessing our sins be completely trusted on matters as diverse • A Time for Anger: The Myth of Neutrality (1982): An angry book Crazy for God is, on the face of it, as the family, politics, philosophy, and that advocates non-stop picketing of a confession. Frank (then called Franky) spirituality. abortion clinics and the harassment admits to sleeping around with young Second, he reminds us that specificity of abortion doctors to the point that female visitors to L’Abri, smacking his in confession is cathartic and biblical. There they are “driven from our communi- young daughter in a fit of rage, and failing is value in the recitation of sin. While jar- ties.” (despite heroic efforts) to quench an insuf- ring and uncomfortable for the reader, Frank ferable thirst for attention. The problem is is helped by disclosing his failings. And “Ours has been a religion of faith that Frank not only confesses his own sins, he will undoubtedly help others who read without deeds for too long. It is time but others’ sins, especially his parents’. He about these failings. I remember when my that mighty deeds be done again. calls his mother Edith, who is still living, a parents told me a particularly shocking (for Truth equals confrontation.” James “high-powered nut” and describes her as a me) secret far back in my genealogy. It kept Dobson once gave out 150,000 cop- wannabe Euro-sophisticate “best at the mar- me from idolizing the past and warned me ies of this book to his radio listen- tyrdom game.” Bitter, disturbingly explicit, of the consequences of imprudence. While ers. and self-flagellating, Frank in the end comes we must be careful in how and where and • Keeping Faith: A Father-Son Story off more as a tattle-tale than a penitent when, it is important to expose and repent about Love and the U.S. Marine confessor. of sin. Corps (2002): A memoir co-written

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with his son John about the terror and pride of serving in the Marine Spiritual celebrities media attention, and political clout, these Corps. Crazy for God also reveals the danger of evangelical personalities inevitably outshine celebrity. To the evangelical public, Schaeffer or outshout quietly faithful shepherds in • Dancing Alone: The Quest for seemed to be a pure, uncompromising proph- obscure towns such as Kalona, Irwin, and Orthodox Faith in the Age of et. And his confrontation of pagan philosophy Castorland. False Religion (1994): Details and the culture of death that permeated the From an Anabaptist—and for that mat- Frank’s journey toward the Greek 1960s and 1970s was in fact courageous. His ter, biblical—perspective the sway of spiri- Orthodox Church, which he star rose, especially in America, where his tual celebrities is frightening. The Apostle appreciates for its “embrace of books sold by the millions and strengthened Paul warned about the dangers of dynamic paradox and mystery” the spiritual lives of even personalities and divisions • Portofino: A Novel (1992): a best- more. And yet by Frank’s This book prompt- in the church, admonish- selling novel translated into seven telling there were chinks ing the Corinthians not to languages that is a barely dis- in his armor. In this mem- ed me, a young follow Cephas, Paul, or guised memoir of his childhood oir Schaeffer comes off as father of three, to Apollos “lest the cross of vacations in Portofino, Italy. a crackpot whose celebrity Christ be emptied of its resulted from his eccentric pledge all over power.” Anabaptists in turn wardrobe and fortuitous again to be a grounded their life together Selected books by Francis discovery by evangelical good family man in local church discipline. Schaeffer publishers. Action and theology, they Whether or not Frank’s just in case one of maintained, should be root- • The God Who Is There (1968): A version is trustworthy or my sons is an artic- ed in the church, a context sharp critique of a Western philos- balanced, he nevertheless ulate novelist with that allows for accountabil- ophy stuck in a morass of nihilism highlights important ques- ity and helps ensure that and existentialism. tions about the nature of few qualms about leaders’ spiritual lives are evangelicalism: Do we want spilling prurient in order. Menno Simons • Escape from Reason (1968): the market to determine our would have been chagrined Argues that reason points toward family secrets. spokespeople? Do we want to know that an entire tra- a coherent theism that offers hope Schaeffer as the face of dition—and worse, hun- out of despair, relativism, and evangelicalism? Very possibly not, despite dreds of splinter groups—would be named self-indulgence. the many good fruits that came from his after him. And he would have been aghast at • Pollution and the Death of Man: ministry. But the very structure of American the antics and self-promotions of the many One of the first evangelical state- religion, particularly evangelicalism, lends evangelical celebrities we support. Is it any ments on the environment. It itself toward representatives who are not very surprise that so many of them flame out was named the Environmental representative. Unlike Catholicism, with its under the weight of pressure, self-entitle- Protection Agency’s book of the venerable traditions, churchly bureaucratic ment, and a lack of accountability? Amidst year in 1970. structures, and a Pope shielded from pub- the horror show of sexual improprieties by lic pressure, evangelicalism prizes an anti- Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart, and Jim • How Should We Then Live? authoritarian and innovative spirit rooted Bakker, Billy Graham is the exception that (1976): A best-selling book, then in the Reformation and “democratized” in proves the rule. film, derivative of Schaeffer’s American soil. While this adaptive spirit The track record is even worse for the earlier philosophical work. It ends has allowed evangelicalism to fill many fis- children of evangelical celebrities. Frank, by arguing that the Bible offers sures in American society and consequently describing himself as “an art- and sex-driv- freedom from chaos and the tyr- outpace every other religious movement, it en wraith,” appears to leave no titillating anny of an authoritarian elite. also disrupts order and coherence. American secret masked in Crazy for God. He con- • Whatever Happened to the Human evangelicalism thus consists of hundreds of fesses sexual sin at which his father merely Race? (1979): Co-written with denominations and thousands of para-church winked. He confesses to taking advantage C. Everett Koop, future Surgeon organizations with constituents from dispa- of his father in weak moments, to repeatedly General in the Reagan administra- rate geographies, socio-economic statuses, bowing to impulse, to accepting the benefits tion, this book and documentary and ethnicities. of nepotism, to naively allowing himself to film decry a waning appreciation With notable exceptions, the individuals be used by Republican politicos. Critics of for life. Schaeffer predicts rises in to emerge out of such a disordered ecclesiol- Frank—and Frank himself—attribute these abortion, infanticide, and euthana- ogy tend to be inordinately innovative and weaknesses to his father’s celebrity and the sia. charismatic—like a young Billy Graham— many “benefits” of that celebrity: start-up or intensely dogged and ambitious—like money from investors and a coddled child- • The Great Evangelical Disaster James Dobson—or inflammatory—like Carl hood in which he was refused little. The (1984): After a sudden alignment McIntire, Jimmy Swaggart, and a host of thousands of students who journeyed through with the religious right, Schaeffer others. Accompanied by glossy brochures, L’Abri called him a “little Napoleon.”

6 November 2008 • Brotherhood Beacon condemned top evangelicals and The Schaeffers show that the dangers of the case with Reagan’s economic and military institutions such as Ron Sider, celebrity can beset even the most talented, policies, many evangelicals adopted planks in Wheaton College, and sincere, and noblest Christ-followers. the Democratic Party not well suited to evan- Today for compromising with gelical sensibilities and biblical priorities. socialism and tolerating sexual What about politics? Though I do not vote, the political improprieties. If Frank’s disclosures about his family approach I personally resonate with the most bump up against the limits of good taste and is the consistent pro-life ethic—anti-abortion, biblical allowances, his salvos against evan- anti-poverty, anti-death penalty, antiwar— Selected books by Edith Schaeffer gelical politics are spot on. If Jesus’ greatest launched by the Catholics in the mid-1970s temptation was the lure of being an earthly, and extended by evangelicals such as Ron • L’Abri (1969): The story of how political messiah in a Jewish context, one of Sider in the 1980s. But the American political L’Abri was founded on principles evangelicals’ greatest temptations is alliance configuration leaves folks like me without of prayer, faith in God, and intel- with the Republican Party. In the last half of a political home. Neither the Republicans lectual discourse. nor the Democrats come even close to fit- Crazy for God, Frank focuses on his unlikely • The Hidden Art of Homemaking ting my political and spiritual agenda, one encounter with American politics. (1971): On living life and keeping of the reasons I abstain from party politics. The outline of the religious right’s emer- house using artistry found in the I worry that those who identify very closely gence is well known, but Frank offers more ordinary duties of everyday life. color and texture. He describes growing ties with one political party—whatever party it between the Schaeffers and Congressman Jack is—will be dangerously tempted to compro- Kemp. Kemp’s wife Joanne started a book mise their faithfulness—and their ability to club called the “Schaeffer Group” in which speak out prophetically—on issues that mat- L’Abri Communities: L’Abri has twenty congressmen’s wives met weekly to ter to us as disciples of Christ. To be sure, thrived since Francis Schaeffer’s read and discuss Schaeffer’s books. Frank also many Christians have found it plausible to death in 1984. Seven additional showed the Kemps, and then the Republican vote—even run for office—while maintaining branches have opened up in a Club (where more than 50 congressmen and religious integrity. Yet striking challenges— half-dozen countries. Each qui- 20 senators, including Bob Dole and Henry especially avoiding compromise of religious etly emulates the original Swiss Hyde, viewed the film), a private screening and evangelistic priorities while maintaining L’Abri in its goal to offer a wel- of Whatever Happened to the Human Race? relevance in the political world—make politi- coming place to discuss issues of From then on, according to Frank Schaeffer, cal participation a dicey prospect indeed. faith. Thousands of young people still flock to L’Abri to stay for “Jack would give Koop, Dad, and myself *** access to everyone in the Republican Party.” two to three months as they “seek As a model of evangelical spirituality, answers to honest questions about The world of the Kemps, Richard DeVos, Crazy for God leaves much to be desired. As a and Amway (which gave millions of dollars God and the significance of human warning to spiritual evangelicals, it is helpful. life.” to the Schaeffers’ projects), Frank points out, In an age when evangelicals beat the drum for “was about as slick and worldly and far away global and cultural transformation, the mixed • Huemoz, Switzerland (1955) from the L’Abri way as anyone could get.” legacy of the Schaeffers makes Paul’s advice • Greatham, England (1971) Frank portrays the Schaeffers as caught up in to the Thessalonians—“aspire to live quietly, this new world of political elites, even though to mind your own affairs, and to work with • Eck en Wiel, Holland (1971) they were dismissive of Kemp’s preoccupa- your hands, as we charged you; so that you tion with supply-side economics. Frank levels may command the respect of outsiders and be • Rochester, Minnesota (1979) a withering critique against evangelical titans dependent on nobody”—suddenly seem sage • Southborough, Massachusetts such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, James and worthy of reconsideration. B B Dobson, and James Kennedy. Francis, Frank (1980) remembers, called them “plastic” and “power- *** • Molle, Sweden (1981) hungry.” Frank now laments he and his father Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and • Yangyang, South Korea (1994) also “caught the power-trip disease.” Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back What Frank misses is that the same prin- by Frank Schaeffer • West Vancouver, British ciple applies to the political party he now Hardcover: 448 pages Columbia (2003) seems to embrace: the Democratic Party. Publisher: Da Capo Press (October 2007) The risks of political alli- For further discussion of Crazy for ances cannot be limited to the God, including a sharp critique by Republican Party. The evangel- David Swartz, an alumnus of Rose- Francis Schaeffer’s colleague Os ical left of the 1970s and 1980s dale Bible College, teaches as a post- Guinness and a response by Frank, encountered many of the same doctoral fellow at the University of see the March-April 2008 issue of dilemmas and compromises Notre Dame. He is married to Lisa Books & Culture. inherent in the American two- Weaver Swartz and is the father of party electoral system. As was Andrew, Jonathan, and Benjamin.

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