The Rock Star and the Reality: When Apologetics Fail

Time changes all things. This is true in most areas of existence where time impacts life, from the measurable claims that mountains erode and glaciers melt, to the more obscure claims of theological arguments for the existence of God. Time changes everything.

I first encountered the writings and beliefs of Francis Schaeffer while studying theology at the undergraduate level. It was with a fervency of the possessed that I devoured his writings and saw him speak. I was clutching to his claims as one clutches a cross on a necklace. It was my constant companion in thought and deed. Francis Schaeffer was my theological rock star—until he wasn't.

What changed? I edited the original title of one of Schaeffer's books at the bottom of this post to show what changed. In short, I did.

The Fervent Embrace

My faith, at the time, was growing with the confidence of a young, formative mind on the brink of discovering the great beliefs of Evangelical Christianity, embracing miracles and the reality of divine intervention in human affairs. I was zealous. My faith was a fervent embrace of thousands of years of teaching and tradition—until it wasn't.

It seems the real enemy of faith is not disbelief, but knowledge.

The enemy of the claims of theology is not other faiths or competing theological narratives found in Eastern mystical texts. The enemy of faith, as Galileo's historic battle with the Roman Catholic Church demonstrated, was not against evil, principalities, or powers. It was a battle against the reality of science.

Knowledge was the real battleground for the hearts and minds of humanity. From Galileo to the Scopes Monkey Trial to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, institutional religion consistently chooses to stand on the side of mystery and a belief in magic—things that should have passed away during the Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution.

The Modern Salem

An obvious, devastating area of conflict between faith claims and science is found in women's health. It seems that in some places, even within Western liberal democracies, the Salem Witch Trials continue in one form or another. We live in a landscape where women are systematically objectified, where women's equality is tethered to patriarchy through laws passed by old men, and where vital healthcare for women is woefully underfunded and denied.

The lengths to which dogmatic compliance will go to enforce its script are no longer hyperbole. Lawmakers across at least ten states have introduced terrifying legislation aimed at classifying embryos as homicide victims, explicitly opening the door for authorities to criminally prosecute and imprison women who seek abortions. The line between modern theocracy and historical witch hunts has entirely evaporated. (https://time.com/7269263/bills-punishing-people-seeking-abortions/).

The ever-present conflict between faith and science can best be seen in the frantic attempts to make faith seem scientific. From a modern "Noah's Ark" theme park designed to manufacture historical plausibility, to slickly produced websites promoting the apparent compatibility of biblical literalism and geology, these efforts tell a clear story. These desperate attempts to rationalize ancient dogma are not a sign of confidence. They are the last gasp of faith—the frantic rear-guard action of wishful thinking retreating before the triumph of empirical evidence.

There is one rather daunting statistic that represents this seismic shift:

"According to data from the Pew Research Center, the religiously unaffiliated—colloquially known as the 'Nones'—now make up roughly 30% of the North American population. When surveyed about their departure from formal faith, nearly two-thirds explicitly cite deep skepticism of religious teachings, while a massive percentage point to a distinct dislike of how religious organizations operate in the modern world."