blossomgarden's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

What an excellent book! I was a little hesitant to read this because I was concerned the topics would be beyond me. There is much I am unfamiliar with in terms of philosophies and worldviews. I actually found I am more familiar than I’d realized! Schaeffer writes in such a way, that even in areas I am not as knowledgeable, I was able to get a basic understanding. He does not come across as condescending of these differing views but rather perhaps there is a sadness in his discussion of them. I really feel he brought these to light in a straight forward manner without harsh judgment of them. Schaeffer contrasted them, rightly so, with the Christian worldview, showing how these have affected mankind to this day. He offers at the end possible outcomes or paths that the West (actually the world) may follow if a continued humanistic worldview is adhered to. As this book was written in the 1970s, we can actually see these outcomes today. He wasn’t wrong.
There were a few spots that Schaeffer seemed to neglect detail, giving the impression he felt his readers would have experience with the events and such. Since I was born around the time this book was published, I really would have appreciated a bit more detail. Also a few of the philosophies were very basically touched on- giving an ‘in-a-nutshell’ summary that didn’t quite give me enough to understand how it resulted in what Schaeffer suggested it did. But his inclusion of names and titles make it easy for me to research these further on my own.
I give this 4.5 stars -but there are no halves.

jojo_bookish_mojo's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative reflective

4.0

misstessamaye's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

No level of enjoyment whatsoever.

howattp's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

alastairherd's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

One of the most comprehensive books I have ever read on worldview.

The book is very much a long argument down through history, philosophy and theology to explain how culture has reached its current situation and how much of the modern worldview is, in fact, is compatible with many of their values and beliefs.

I can recommend this book fully to non-christians, but I would certainly say that it is a must read for any thinking Christian. So really, it's a book for everyone!

comprehensive_otter's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

lapingveno's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

This book does a fantastic job tracing the parallels between societal abandonment of Christian values in the West and the gradual death of objective morals, truths, and human value overall.

winkattheduck's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I'm warning you right now, I'm gonna be talking about this book for a while. It's amazing to read this knowing it was written almost 40 years ago, and he predicted the direction America (if not the whole of western society) has gone, and if it continues, it is not going to be good.

darrylb's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This is a good, and classic book on worldview by Schaeffer, and is a helpful introduction to the work of those who follow in his footsteps (e.g. Nancy Pearcey). There are two things I felt let this book down. First, it lacks references, which means you're largely taking Schaeffer's words at face value (fortunately, I believe he is right on the money). Secondly, the final two chapters strike me as crystal ball gazing. I think Schaeffer would have benefitted from Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death if he had survived to read it, and I would commend Postman's approach over Schaeffer's for those interested in how the trajectory of the 1980's might be projected into the future.
Other than these, this is worth reading for anyone considering a reading course on worldview.

shoelessmama's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around everything I read in this book. Although it was written 40 years ago I felt that the material remains pertinent and was at times prophetic. It was easy to think about the advances in science and the events that have transpired, etc. since the writing of this book taking them into account and applying them to the author's theories. I won't say that I agreed with everything that the author had to say but I found all of it thought-provoking. Despite the author's possible (probable) unfairness to some historical figures (notably Thomas Aquinas and Francis Bacon) the author's overall message remains undamaged for me. History is interpreted differently by different people (and when it comes to television it get's sensationalized to keep you tuned in through the commercial break). Upon finishing this book I wish I had someone to pick it apart with in person... especially the bits that went a little over my head.