FRANCIS A. SCHAEFFER: THE FORCE BEHIND THE EVANGELICAL TAKEOVER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN AMERICA A THESIS IN Political Science Presented to the Faculty of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree MASTER OF ARTS By CHARLES S. BROOMFIELD B.A., William Jewell College, 1961 Kansas City, Missouri 2013 © 2012 CHARLES S. BROOMFIELD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FRANCIS A. SCHAEFFER: THE FORCE BEHIND THE EVANGELICAL TAKEOVER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN AMERICA Charles S. Broomfield, Candidate for the Master of Arts Degree – Political Science University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2012 ABSTRACT Over the last 40 years or so, Americans have been involved in a religious/political struggle that has divided the nation. The struggle has impacted American government, culture, the economy, and international relations. It has divided the American people, almost evenly between so-called secularist, who favor government based on the Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and evangelical/fundamentalist Protestant, Catholic Christians, many of whom seem to prefer a government based on the principles and dictates of the Bible. These particular Christians number in the tens of millions, with reputable polling organizations suggesting that there one hundred million of them. These conservative Christians attend tens of thousands of churches across America regularly and for the last forty years or so, have been listening to sermons offered by their ministers that regularly demonize the Supreme Court, Congressional liberals, Presidents, particularly if they are Democrats, and the United States government in general. iii As a result of these circumstances, it has been suggested by knowledgeable observers that conditions in America today resemble in some ways, the conditions that existed in this nation prior to the Civil War in the 1860s. While numerous individuals, organizations and philosophies deserve credit and/or blame for this current situation, a relatively unknown American missionary who spent most of his working life in Europe, is primarily responsible for "striking the match that lit the fire that started" the Religious Right of America on its current course to "take back America for God." That individual was Francis A. Schaeffer, who along with his son Frank, came back to America in the 1970s and 1980s to offer encouragement, guidance and a philosophical foundation upon which evangelical/fundamentalist/Catholic Christians would organize and develop one of the most powerful political organizations in the history of this country. A significant part of the success of these particular Christians has been the near "take-over" of the Republican Party. This thesis examines the life and work of Francis Schaeffer, his religious beliefs, and his leadership in the development of the Religious Right in America. It also presents new insights on perhaps the single greatest issue used by evangelical/fundamentalist/ Catholics to incite their followers--ABORTION. Much of the personal information about Francis Schaeffer and his son Frank, comes not only from their numerous books, and news articles and books about them, but from several face to face interviews with Frank during his 2010 and 2011 trips to Kansas City to speak about his and his father's political/religious activities in the 70s and 80s. Frank, who regrets what he and his father got started, now travels the country attempting, unsuccessfully, to enlighten Americans to the dangers America now faces as iv a result of their earlier work. He also offers many personal and somewhat private observations about himself, his family and many of the current and previous leaders of the Religious Right. A most disturbing aspect of the entire situation is the fact that a vast majority of Americans and the American media either are unaware of the facts presented here, or they are fearful to discuss them. v APPROVAL PAGE The faculty listed below, appointed by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies have examined a thesis titled “Francis A. Schaeffer: The Force behind the Evangelical Takeover of the Republican Party in America” presented by Charles S. Broomfield, candidate for the Master of Arts degree, and certify that in their opinion it is worthy of acceptance. Supervisory Committee Max Skidmore, Ph.D., Committee Chair Department of Political Science Dr. Robert Evanson, Ph.D. Department of Political Science Dr. Greg Vonnahme, Ph.D. Department of Political Science vi CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... viii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 Definitions ....................................................................................................... 2 American Politics and Religion Today, According to Frank Schaeffer ................................................................ 8 2. WHO WAS FRANCIS A. SCHAEFFER IV? ...................................................... 11 Schaeffer’s Beliefs ......................................................................................... 37 3. CHANGING TIMES CALL FOR CHANGING ATTITUDES ................................................................................................. 46 Frank Schaeffer: His Father’s Son.................................................................. 51 The Truths ..................................................................................................... 58 Teaming up to Share God’s Message ............................................................. 67 4. WHERE EVANGELICAL/FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANITY IS TODAY ........................................................................ 9 5 The Tea Party .............................................................................................. 114 The Faith and Freedom Coalition ................................................................. 117 The New Apostolic Reformation Movement ................................................ 119 The Greatest Political Machine in American History.................................... 121 5. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................. 128 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................ 134 VITA ........................................................................................................................... 143 vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Frank Schaeffer, who during my studies and research became my friend, and to his unbounding courage and quest to tell the truth to the American people about his and his father's errant ways in the last half of the 20th century. Special thanks to my wife, Marsha Broomfield for affording me the time to study, research and write this thesis. And thank you to Dr. Max Skidmore and Dr. Robert Evanson for guiding me through my academic tour of politics and government after serving some 40 years on the street in the political/governmental arena--I should hasten to say that there are very few similarities between the two fields. viii Dedication In honor of my former colleagues in the Missouri House of Representative and Senate, from both political parties, who served the people of Missouri with honor and distinction. And to all the authors and intellectuals who have written many warnings about what this thesis attempts to describe. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION “Is America to be guided by reason, or the revealed word of God?”1 These are the words of Ann Norton, found in her book, Leo Strauss and the American Empire. As this paper explores the religious political developments in America over the last forty years, Norton’s question becomes increasingly important and obvious. What Francis Schaeffer started only enlightened Americans can stop. Francis August Schaeffer IV, a twentieth-century Presbyterian missionary; his wife Edith, and his son Frank, who was his father’s helper, confidant, and alter ego, have had a profound impact on American religion, politics, and culture during the last fifty years. While their identities have been relatively unknown to a majority of Americans, the ripple effect of their actions and influences has been devastating—leading to divisions in politics, religion, and culture similar to those that existed in the decades immediately preceding the Civil War in the mid-1800s. This paper will argue and present evidence that today’s divisiveness in American politics and the major conflicts in the U.S. Congress result directly from the work and influences of Francis Schaeffer and his son, Frank. What is so strange about the current political/religious circumstance is the fact that few Americans realize that it was the Schaeffers who played a major role in laying the groundwork that has led to our current state of affairs. It can be argued that few private, 1 Anne Norton, Leo Strauss and the Politics of American Empire (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2004), 2. 1 non-political, non-elected individuals have had such a profound impact on America. Because Francis and Frank Schaeffer helped launch a full-scale political and theological campaign against the U. S. Supreme Court, the Congress, and frequently the President, significant numbers of Americans