“A Hopeless Task”? Searching for Francis Schaeffer’s Intellectual Heritage

Francis Schaeffer once remarked, “I think anybody who searches for only one or two people to explain my positions and my attitudes is pursuing a hopeless task.” Schaeffer does not give a comprehensive list of who he is indebted to intellectually. Nevertheless, much has been written concerning who played a significant influence in Schaeffer’s life and thinking. These names include, but are not limited to: J. Gresham Machen, Cornelius Van Til, Carl McIntire, Abraham Kuyper, Herman Dooyeweerd, R. J. Rushdoony, and Hans Rookmaaker. While a full survey of Schaeffer’s alleged influences is needed, this paper will limit its interaction to those who have been less represented in the relevant literature. This paper will explore possible intellectual heritages from J. Gresham Machen, Herman Dooyeweerd, and Hans Rookmaaker. I will assess current arguments of Schaeffer’s intellectual heritage concerning these respective individuals and offer an evaluation of the similarities between them and Schaeffer. Ultimately, I will argue that Schaeffer’s intellectual heritage is most indebted to his friend and co-worker Hans Rookmaaker. Moreover, Schaeffer’s interaction with Rookmaaker helps reconcile his seeming influence from other individuals of which Schaeffer otherwise denies, such as J. Gresham Machen and Herman Dooyeweerd.