Evenings with History – “The World is on Fire”

December 2, 2025 – James Ross – “The World is on Fire:” Francis Schaeffer and the Making of the Modern Religious Right

Refreshments are served at 7:00 p.m., and the talk begins at 7:30 p.m.

Francis Schaeffer was a Presbyterian minister, theologian, and cultural critic, whose ideas and actions played a pivotal role in the development of the modern American Religious Right. Schaeffer initially focused on building a Christian fundamentalist movement in Europe after World War 2 but eventually developed a critique of modern secularism that garnished him a large evangelical following. He would later become a leading voice in the anti-abortion movement. This lecture examines the development of his ideas and actions from the 1930s to his collaborations with C. Everett Koop, which framed abortion as a central issue for evangelical activism. By tracing Schaeffer’s largely hidden role in the formation of the American Religious Right, the lecture will demonstrate how his ideas and actions shaped a political movement that continues to influence contemporary debates.