Escape from Reason

This monograph presents a historical and philosophical critique of Western thought's departure from biblical Christianity, arguing that modern culture's rejection of absolute truth has produced both intellectual fragmentation and personal despair. Schaeffer traces what he considers a catastrophic shift from the unified field of knowledge under Christian theism to the divided realm of post-Enlightenment thought, where reason and meaning have become increasingly disconnected.

The work identifies Thomas Aquinas as the pivotal figure who inadvertently initiated this decline by separating nature from grace, creating an autonomous realm of human reason independent of divine revelation. Schaeffer argues that this dualism evolved through Renaissance humanism, Reformation theology, and Enlightenment philosophy into the modern predicament where rational thought operates in the "lower story" of facts while meaning, purpose, and values float untethered in an "upper story" of subjective experience. This division, he contends, reaches its logical conclusion in twentieth-century existentialism, where authentic human existence requires an irrational leap beyond reason.

Schaeffer examines this trajectory through art, philosophy, and theology, demonstrating how each discipline reflects the progressive loss of unified truth. He critiques both secular existentialists like Sartre and Camus and neo-orthodox theologians like Karl Barth for accepting the autonomy of reason while attempting to preserve meaning through non-rational faith. The author argues that such approaches inevitably lead to despair, as they abandon the possibility of true knowledge about God, humanity, and morality.

The monograph's significance lies in its influential articulation of presuppositional apologetics within evangelical Christianity. Schaeffer contends that only a return to biblical revelation as the foundation for all knowledge can restore the unity of truth and meaning. His method combines cultural analysis with philosophical argument, addressing both academic theologians and educated laypeople concerned about secularization. The work particularly targets liberal theology's accommodation to modern thought and secular philosophy's inability to provide adequate grounds for human dignity and moral absolutes.

This text became foundational for the evangelical intellectual movement, offering a comprehensive narrative explaining modern culture's perceived moral and spiritual crisis while proposing Christian theism as the sole rational alternative. Schaeffer's integration of high culture criticism with orthodox Protestant theology established a model for subsequent evangelical engagement with contemporary thought.