How Should We Then Live?

The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture

By: Francis A. Schaeffer

Narrated by: Tom McElroy

Francis Schaeffer's Classic Analysis of the Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture

As one of the foremost evangelical thinkers of the twentieth century, Francis A. Schaeffer long pondered the fate of declining Western culture. Profoundly aware of the similarities modern culture shares with societies that came before, Schaeffer embarked on a journey to uncover the movements that gave rise to modern culture and resulted in the decline of the Christian worldview.

Forty years later, his classic book How Should We Then Live? is as relevant today as it was when it was first published. Schaeffer argues that the erosion of society begins with a shift away from biblical truth. To support this claim, he walks readers through history, beginning with the fall of Rome, through the Middle Ages, the Enlightenment, and up to the twentieth century. This latest edition analyzes the reasons for modern society's state of affairs and presents the solution: living by the Christian ethic, fully accepting God's revelation, and affirming the morals, values, and meaning of the Bible.

• A Theology Classic: Written by renowned Christian philosopher Francis A. Schaeffer
• For Those Interested in Philosophy and History: Engages with the ideas of Plato, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, and Voltaire, and examines the art, architecture, and ideas that shaped modern society
• Explores the Importance of a Christian Worldview: A practical assessment of the evolution of culture and the steadfast alternative offered by the biblical perspective

©2025 Francis A. Schaeffer (P)2025 Crossway

Theological and Philosophical

I think the book was very interesting. The author gave an overview of philosophical thought from the Greeks through the decades, and how philosophers were always seeking answer the big questions; why are we here? What is good, what is evil? What is right, what is wrong? How can you know what is really true? He shows how they eventually gave up and concluded. There is no truth, there is no right or wrong. There is no good or evil. We are not here for any reason, we are accidents. Having read all that it’s easy to understand how modern man is behaving and the high suicide rates of young people. It was a very informative book.

Thought Provoking

A great overview of the History of Western Thought, though it was a bit rushed at sections, and the author tends to have a us versus them mentality in regards to believers and non-believers in Christ with disregard to nuance a lot. But still an engaging read for my Western Thought class, and the book had good visuals as well. Worth a read for a general understanding, but if you want more in depth knowledge look elsewhere.