Prof. Udo Middelmann to Lecture on Francis Schaeffer’s Legacy

The King’s College is pleased to announce that Udo Middelmann will present a Presidential Speaker’s Series lecture and discussion on Thursday, March 26 entitled “Not Standing Alone: Irvin Howe and Francis Schaeffer: ‘A Voice Still Heard.’”

Prof. Middelmann is the son-in-law of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation, and guest professor at King’s. In his talk, he will discuss the community of thought of which Schaeffer was a part and explore why Schaeffer’s writing is so influential within and beyond the Christian community decades after its initial publication.

“Schaeffer had an enormous influence in evangelical Christians in areas they often neglected,” said Middelmann. “His 27 books and films showed a way to understand, appreciate, and participate in culture, rather than reject it as dangerous. Discernment, rather than denial, characterizes the way he looked at life.” Middelmann plans to present a fuller picture of Schaeffer and recall his relevance for today.

In his lecture, Middelmann will explore the singular way Schaeffer came to his ideas and conclusions, along with his view of the world and how it differs from many other Christians’ focus. “Schaeffer’s interest was the truth of the universe, not Christian faith,” said Middelmann. “That has profound consequences in the way we look at our participation in the intellectual, political, and moral life of our times. I suggest a closeness in approach between Schaeffer and Howe (or, as an alternative, Isaiah Berlin), because they are thinkers who could not be easily labeled or sorted into familiar categories.”

“I am delighted that we at The King’s College are able to reconnect this year with Professor Middelmann,” said Dr. Mark Hijleh, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty at The King’s College. “His significant prior experience with King’s, his understanding of theological and sociological issues within evangelicalism, and his work on behalf of the Schaeffer Foundation and deep personal connections the Schaeffer family all come together to benefit our community this semester. I believe Prof. Middelmann’s public lecture will offer insights into the work of Francis Schaeffer that few others, if any, could provide. It is certain to be a truly enlightening evening, not to be missed.”

Middelmann holds degrees in both law (Freiburg University, Germany) and theology (Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO). His teaching experience reflects the same international flavor. For eight years, he held the Crawford Chair for Religion at The King’s College in Briarcliff Manor, New York and later became a visiting professor in the department of philosophy at the new King’s College in New York City. He also serves as Instructor in Apologetics and Postmodernism at the Geneva Bible Institute. For seven years he was a consultant and principle speaker in seminars on “Ethics for a Civil Society” for the Russian Ministry for Education in 65 regional capitals of Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Romania and Moldova. Middelmann has served as President of the Francis A. Schaeffer Foundation in Switzerland since 1988.

The event will take place on March 26 in the City Room of The King’s College, located at 56 Broadway in Manhattan. A pre-lecture reception will commence at 6:00pm, and the lecture will follow at 6:30pm. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets must be reserved via Eventbrite.