What was the American expression of pietism? Was that the Puritan movement?
J.W.W.: The Puritans saw a totality but in a more formal sense. They went too far on the other side. The Puritans were of a post-millenialist mindset. There was this sense that Christians could take over society by force and rule. Schaeffer is not saying that; he didnt believe that. He believed that if Christianity was applied to all areas of life, the Christian viewpoint would have an impact. What this means, however, is that the world around us is not automatically evil and, conversely, that Christians can be involved in all aspects of it. There is nothing inherently wrong with television; its just how it is used. Some Christians will not watch television or read a newspaper. But why not? There is nothing inherently evil because it is all made by God or assembled from matter created by God. The tape recorder I am speaking into can be used for evil purposes, but it can also be used for good purposes as well. A Platonic view of Christianity eventually evolved into hyper-spirituality. F
