Editing Francis Schaeffer (section)

== Biography ==

Schaeffer was born on January 30, 1912, in [[Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Germantown, Pennsylvania]], to Franz A. Schaeffer III and Bessie Williamson.<ref name = "shaping">{{cite book| last = Hankins | first = Barry |title= Francis Schaeffer and the Shaping of Evangelical America |publisher= Eerdmans|year= 2008}}</ref> He was of [[German American|German]] and [[English American|English]] ancestry.{{Sfn|Duriez|2008|p=15-16}}

In 1935, Schaeffer graduated ''[[Latin honors|magna cum laude]]'' from [[Hampden–Sydney College]]. The same year he married Edith Seville, the daughter of [[missionary]] parents who had been with the [[China Inland Mission]] founded by [[Hudson Taylor]]. Schaeffer then enrolled at [[Westminster Theological Seminary]] in the fall and studied under [[Cornelius Van Til]] ([[presuppositional apologetics]]) and [[John Gresham Machen|J. Gresham Machen]] ([[Biblical Inerrancy|doctrine of inerrancy]]).{{Sfn | Duriez | 2008 | p = 34}}

In 1937, Schaeffer transferred to [[Faith Theological Seminary]], graduating in 1938.  This seminary was newly formed as a result of a split between the Presbyterian Church of America, now the [[Orthodox Presbyterian Church]], and the [[Bible Presbyterian Church]], a [[Presbyterian]] denomination more identified with [[Fundamentalist Christianity]] and [[premillennialism]]. Schaeffer was the first student to graduate and the first to be ordained in the Bible Presbyterian Church. He served pastorates in [[Pennsylvania]] ([[Grove City, Pennsylvania|Grove City]] and [[Chester, Pennsylvania|Chester]]) and [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. 

Schaeffer eventually sided with the Bible Presbyterian Church Columbus Synod following the BPC Collingswood and BPC Columbus split in 1956. BPC Columbus reorganized as the [[Evangelical_Presbyterian_Church_(established_1956)|Evangelical Presbyterian Church]] in 1961, and Schaeffer followed the EPC into the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod]] when the Bible Presbyterian Church's Columbus Synod merged with the [[Reformed Presbyterian Church, General Synod]] in 1965,<ref>Francis A. Schaeffer, [http://www.pcahistory.org/documents/stepforward.html "A Step Forward"], ''The Presbyterian Journal'', March 6, 1974, pp. 7–8. Retrieved September 7, 2007.</ref> a denomination which would merge with the [[Presbyterian Church in America]], in 1982.

In 1948, the Schaeffer family moved to Switzerland and in 1955 established the community called {{Lang|fr|L'Abri}} (French for {{Gloss|the shelter}}).<ref name= PCAH>{{Citation | url = http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/schaeffer/ | title = Biographical Sketch | work = Francis August Schaeffer Papers | publisher = PCA Historical Center | access-date = August 26, 2006 | archive-date = May 17, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140517021048/http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/schaeffer/ | url-status = dead }}.</ref><ref name= Schaeffer10>{{Citation | first = Michael S. | last = Hamilton | title = The Dissatisfaction of Francis Schaeffer | newspaper = Christianity Today | volume = 41 | number = 3 | page = 22 | url = http://www.markheard.net/heardtribute/archive/schaeffer1_c_today1997.html | publisher = A Tribute to Mark Heard | archive-date = 2006-12-21 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061221055357/http://www.markheard.net/heardtribute/archive/schaeffer1_c_today1997.html | access-date = August 25, 2006}}.</ref>  Serving as both a philosophy seminar and a spiritual community, L'Abri attracted thousands of young people, and was later expanded into Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Schaeffer received numerous honorary degrees.  In 1954, he was awarded an [[Honorary degree|honorary]] [[Doctor of Divinity]] degree from [[Highland College]] in [[Long Beach, California]].{{sfn|Schaeffer|2007|p={{page needed|date=September 2021}}}} In 1971, he received an honorary [[Doctor of Letters]] degree from [[Gordon College (Massachusetts)|Gordon College]] in [[Wenham, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Francis August Schaeffer Papers [Early Ministry] Manuscript Collection # 29, Box 134 |publisher= PCA Historical Center |url= http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/schaeffer/ |access-date= July 24, 2006 |archive-date= May 17, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140517021048/http://www.pcahistory.org/findingaids/schaeffer/ |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book| first = James Dixon | last = Douglas |title= Who's who in Christian History |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yl8qy2l9TIAC |year=1992 |publisher= Tyndale House |isbn= 978-0-8423-1014-7 |page= 609}}</ref> In 1982, [[John Warwick Montgomery]] nominated Schaeffer for an honorary [[Doctor of Laws]] degree, which was conferred in 1983 by the [[Simon Greenleaf School of Law]], [[Anaheim, California]] in recognition of his apologetic writings and ministry.<ref>{{Citation | first = LG | last = Parkhurst | chapter = Appendix A: Chronology of the Life of Francis Schaeffer | title = Francis Schaeffer: The Man and His Message | place = Wheaton, IL | publisher = Tyndale House | year = 1985 | pages = 213–15}}.</ref>

Schaeffer died of [[lymphoma]] on May 15, 1984, in [[Rochester, Minnesota]].{{Sfn | Duriez | 2008 | p = 210}}<ref>Saxon, Wolfgang, "Rev. Francis A. Schaeffer, 72; Founder of Spiritual Centers", ''New York Times'', May 17, 1984.</ref> He opened a L'Abri branch there before his death. Schaeffer Academy, a private K-12 school in Rochester, is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Founding|url=https://www.schaefferacademy.org/history}}</ref>