Francis Schaeffer, the Presbyterian philosopher and theologian of L’Abri fame, is widely known for his winsome and compassionate approach to apologetics. He repeatedly insisted that he had “no set method,” and that “each person must be approached as an individual.” While this is true on the level of pastoral care and relational contact, it would be a mistake to think Schaeffer lacked a framework. In fact, a very clear pattern emerges in his books—especially The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, He Is There and He Is Not Silent, and How Should We Then Live?
Schaeffer began by identifying a person’s worldview, brought it into the light, followed it to its logical conclusions, revealed its ultimate despair or incoherence, and then presented Christianity as a coherent, livable alternative—true both rationally and existentially.
Schaeffer put it this way:
“You must understand that the first basic problem of the Christian is not to prove that God exists, but to show that man is lost.”
—Francis Schaeffer, The God Who Is There
He believed every unbelieving worldview eventually breaks down when followed to its terminus. The cracks become obvious when it’s tested in real life—how it handles meaning, morality, human dignity, truth, and beauty. This “line of despair” (as he termed it) is where man tries to live in a universe without God, and it inevitably ends in dehumanization, moral chaos, or contradiction.
Schaeffer’s approach included:
- Worldview Identification – What does this person believe about God, man, meaning, morality, destiny?
- Logical Consequences – If taken seriously and applied consistently, where does this belief system end?
- Exposure of the Terminus – Show how it leads to despair, contradiction, or destruction.
- Presentation of Christianity – Offer the biblical worldview, showing its rationality, beauty, and redemptive coherence.
- Leave Them to Reflect – Schaeffer often left people pondering, gently challenging them to re-evaluate everything.
This method isn’t coercive. It’s not a debate club tactic. It’s soul-level engagement with reality and truth.
Let us now apply this powerful method to Islam as a worldview—especially regarding its treatment of women. As Schaeffer might have said, we aren’t looking at individual Muslims per se, many of whom may act better than their scriptures teach—but we are examining the system itself. That’s key.
The Islamic Worldview – Fragmented and Fatalistic
Before we explore the treatment of women in Islam, we must understand the worldview from which such treatment flows.
Islam’s primary sources are the Qur’an and the Hadith:
- The Qur’an is regarded as the literal word of Allah (God), revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over 23 years.
- The Hadith are collections of sayings, actions, and approvals of Muhammad—compiled by later Islamic scholars. They are vital for understanding Islamic law (Sharia), since the Qur’an often lacks sufficient legal detail.
Islam does not present a coherent grand narrative of history like Christianity. There is no linear flow of Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. Instead, Islam presents:
- A remote deity who is not Triune and not relational.
- A mechanistic fatalism where Allah decrees all, and human responsibility is ambiguous.
- A moral system derived from Muhammad’s sayings and actions, rather than God’s holy nature.
- A heaven that centers on sensual reward, not holiness or fellowship with God.
Schaeffer often described Islam as a fragmented worldview. It borrows aspects of monotheism from Judaism and Christianity but lacks coherence. There’s no original sin. No need for an atoning Savior. No doctrine of grace. Man is not seen as made in God’s image in any meaningful way. Women even less so.
Therefore, when one takes Islamic teaching to its logical conclusion, what do we find? We find, among other things, the objectification and subjugation of women—not as an unfortunate cultural aberration, but as a direct result of its theology and anthropology.
Let’s explore this in more depth.
The Treatment of Women in Islam – A Worldview Consequence
It’s important to clarify: not every Muslim man mistreats women. Many live kind, respectful lives. Some even love their wives sacrificially. But the question is not “What do some Muslims do?”—the question is, “What does Islam teach when followed consistently?”
Consider the following verses from the Qur’an:
“Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other…”
—Surah 4:34
“…But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance—[first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them.”
—Surah 4:34
This is not an obscure passage. Surah 4:34 is central to Islamic domestic ethics. Muslim scholars across history have debated how hard the “striking” should be—but not whether it’s permitted. The dominant interpretations allow it, even prescribe it under certain conditions.
From the Hadith:
“The Prophet said, ‘I looked into Paradise and found that the majority of its dwellers were the poor; and I looked into Hell and found that the majority of its dwellers were women.’”
—Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 54, Hadith 464
“A woman is deficient in intelligence and religion.”
—Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 301
“I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you [women].”
—Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 142
These are considered Sahih (authentic) Hadith—used in mainstream Sunni Islam. They present women as intellectually inferior, spiritually weak, and in need of male oversight.
When such a worldview is applied consistently, what happens?
- Women are veiled, hidden, or confined—not for modesty, but for control.
- Testimony from a woman is worth half of a man’s in court (Surah 2:282).
- Women inherit half as much as men (Surah 4:11).
- Marital rape is permitted by implication, as women are described as a tilth (field) to be “plowed” when and how a man desires (Surah 2:223).
- In Islamic jurisprudence, honor killings, wife-beating, polygamy, and child marriage (following Muhammad’s example with Aisha) are defended or tolerated in many contexts.
This is not slander. This is a logical outworking of what the Qur’an and Hadith affirm. And where such a worldview dominates culture—Afghanistan, Iran, parts of Pakistan, and North Africa—these consequences are visible. Where Islam grows more devout, women’s dignity diminishes.
Christianity’s View of Women – A Different Terminus
In contrast, the Christian worldview teaches that both men and women are made in the image of God:
“So God created man in his own image… male and female he created them.”
—Genesis 1:27
This theological truth establishes the equal value of men and women from the beginning. Christianity does not define women by their utility to men but by their relationship to God.
Consider the New Testament:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
—Galatians 3:28
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
—Ephesians 5:25
“Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel… so that your prayers may not be hindered.”
—1 Peter 3:7
These commands do not come from a human prophet with personal bias. They come from the eternal Word of God, grounded in the example of Jesus Christ—who never belittled or struck a woman. He taught women. Defended them. Elevated them. Appeared first to them at the Resurrection.
The Christian worldview terminates in the redemption of both men and women, not their separation or subjugation. In the New Heavens and New Earth, every tear is wiped away, and every person is glorified in Christ—not parceled out to male-dominated harems.
Consistency, Contradiction, and the Real-World Effects of Belief
At this point in our comparison between Christianity and Islam, someone might reasonably object:
“But I know kind Muslim men who cherish their wives and daughters, and I’ve heard of Christian men who have abused their wives and children. Doesn’t that invalidate the argument?”
This is where Schaeffer’s apologetic shines with its clarity and fairness. He wasn’t critiquing individual people but rather their worldviews. He recognized that all people are inconsistent. Sometimes a Muslim man may behave better than his religion teaches, and sometimes a professing Christian may behave worse than his faith commands.
This is not hypocrisy on the part of the argument. It’s actually the point.
When a Christian man abuses a woman—whether physically, sexually, emotionally, or spiritually—he is acting in defiance of the teachings of Christ. He is not embodying biblical masculinity or Christian leadership. He is rejecting it. And his abuse ought to be named as sin. It is treason against the love and holiness of God.
When a Muslim man beats his wife, in contrast, he may very well be following the direct teaching of the Qur’an or the example of Muhammad. And even when he refrains from such behavior, he may still affirm it as religiously permitted.
In short:
- Abuse by a Christian contradicts Christianity.
- Abuse by a Muslim can be consistent with Islam.
This is not a comment on the moral worth of the individuals, but on the moral trajectory of the belief systems they profess. Every worldview has a direction it points—toward flourishing or dehumanization, toward redemption or despair.
Schaeffer was careful to treat individuals with dignity. He didn’t use their sin or inconsistencies as “gotchas.” Instead, he used them as entry points to expose the bankruptcy of the system they relied on. And then, gently, he offered a more beautiful way.
That’s what we must do here.
Walking with a Muslim Through Schaeffer’s Lens
Imagine Schaeffer sitting across from a thoughtful Muslim man at L’Abri. The fire is crackling. The books are stacked. Tea is warm in the mugs. And Schaeffer begins, not with condemnation, but with questions.
“Tell me about the God you believe in. Tell me what you believe about people, about right and wrong. What’s the purpose of life?”
The Muslim might respond:
“Allah is one and sovereign. We are his slaves. Life is about submission. He sends prophets to give us guidance. The Qur’an is his final word. Muhammad is the seal of the prophets.”
Then Schaeffer asks:
“How do you know what is good and right?”
The Muslim might say:
“What Allah commands is right. Whatever He and the Prophet say, we must follow.”
At this point, Schaeffer doesn’t argue. He probes.
“So you follow Muhammad’s example in all things?”
“Yes, of course. That is the Sunnah.”
“And you believe the Qur’an is perfectly just and moral?”
“Absolutely.”
Then Schaeffer gently opens the book. He reads Surah 4:34. He reads the Hadith about women’s supposed intellectual deficiency and about Muhammad striking Aisha. Then he asks:
“If you follow this to the end—if your daughters, your wife, your sister are treated as the Qur’an and Hadith suggest—what kind of world are you creating?”
Silence.
“Are you comfortable with that? Does it feel just? Beautiful? True?”
If the man is honest—and many were, in Schaeffer’s experience—he may hesitate. He may say that those verses are misunderstood. That scholars disagree. That culture influences interpretation. And then Schaeffer would lovingly say:
“That’s good. I’m glad you don’t want to live that way. But you see—your instinct is better than your worldview.”
“You are borrowing a better morality—from somewhere else. What if I told you there is a story, a faith, that says women and men are equal in worth, that God is not just sovereign but personal, and that He entered the world in love to rescue both men and women?”
Then he would present Christ—not as a tribal deity, not as a Western idea, but as the Son of God, the Redeemer of all nations.
“Come, let me show you a better way.”
Other Negative Trajectories Within the Islamic Worldview
So far, we’ve examined how Islam, when consistently applied, leads to a degraded view of women. But this is just one part of a much larger worldview.
Here are several other areas where Islam’s internal logic leads to harmful or incoherent conclusions:
- Fatalism vs. Personal Agency
Islam teaches that everything is decreed by Allah—every action, every choice. While this may sound like a strong view of sovereignty, it undermines moral responsibility. Evil is rendered mysterious, arbitrary, and sometimes justified as “Allah’s will.” Christianity, in contrast, teaches divine sovereignty alongside real human agency and moral responsibility. - Violence as Sanctified Behavior
Muhammad is not just a religious leader but a political and military commander. The Hadith and Sirah (biographies) record him ordering assassinations, leading raids, executing prisoners, and taking slaves. Jihad, both spiritual and military, becomes a religious obligation in many readings of Islamic doctrine.
Christianity, by contrast, lifts up Jesus Christ—the one who laid down His life, rather than taking others’. His kingdom is not advanced by sword but by the Word and Spirit. - No Assurance of Salvation
In Islam, even the most devout believer cannot be assured of heaven. Allah saves whom he wills. Even Muhammad said he didn’t know his final fate (Sahih Bukhari 5.266). Christianity teaches that believers can know they have eternal life (1 John 5:13) because salvation rests on the finished work of Christ—not on the unpredictable decree of a distant god. - A Materialistic Heaven
The Islamic vision of paradise is strikingly sensual: food, drink, endless physical pleasure, and virgins. There is little, if any, focus on the beatific vision—the joy of knowing and being with God Himself. The Christian heaven is relational: “Now the dwelling place of God is with man” (Revelation 21:3).
These are not caricatures. They are the natural outworking of a theology without the Incarnation, without the Cross, without the Resurrection, and without a Redeemer who is both fully God and fully man.
The Grand Narrative vs. the Fragmented System
One of Francis Schaeffer’s most powerful observations was that modern people live in fragments. They believe bits and pieces of various systems—science, mysticism, morality, identity—but without any unifying story. He insisted that only Christianity provides a comprehensive metanarrative—a story big enough to explain everything.
That story is:
- Creation – God made the world good. He created men and women in His image (Genesis 1:27), gave them dignity, value, and purpose.
- Fall – Man sinned and fell into rebellion. This brought death, brokenness, and disorder into all relationships—God, others, self, and creation (Genesis 3).
- Redemption – God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue sinners by living a perfect life, dying a sacrificial death, and rising in victory (Romans 3:23–26; John 3:16).
- Restoration – One day Christ will return. Evil will be judged. The curse will be reversed. A new heavens and new earth will come, where righteousness dwells (Revelation 21–22).
This narrative explains both the beauty and brokenness of the world. It gives reason for hope and a framework for morality. It honors women and men as co-heirs. It defines sin not just as a legal problem but as a relational rupture with God. And most importantly, it tells us where history is going—toward glory, not entropy.
Islam, by contrast, offers fragments:
- A creator, but distant and impersonal.
- Commandments, but no redemption.
- A prophet, but not a Savior.
- A paradise, but no presence of God.
- Laws, but no grace.
- A fallible book written in time, not the eternal Word made flesh.
And most critically—it offers no unifying story that makes sense of the whole. There is no overarching account of how we got here, what went wrong, what God has done to redeem us, and where we’re going.
The logical end of this worldview is despair. Whether it be the oppression of women, the uncertainty of salvation, or the absence of true grace, the system offers no sufficient hope.
Christ, the Perfect Exemplar
At the center of every belief system is a representative figure. A standard-bearer. For Islam, it is Muhammad. For Christianity, it is Jesus Christ.
Here, again, we must follow Schaeffer’s principle: look not only at what a worldview teaches, but at what its logical exemplar represents.
Muhammad was a warlord, polygamist, and (by Islamic sources) a man who consummated a marriage with a nine-year-old girl (Aisha). He permitted wife-beating, owned slaves, and exacted vengeance on his enemies.
Jesus Christ was the sinless Son of God. He never married, yet dignified marriage. He never led an army, but rode a donkey in humility. He healed women, taught them, protected them, and was followed by them. His first post-resurrection appearance was to a woman. He is the true man—the new Adam who reverses the curse.
Schaeffer often reminded his listeners that the proof of a system is not merely in its arguments, but in its fruits. The Christian gospel produces love, justice, peace, transformation. It creates societies where women are honored, not hidden; where sinners are forgiven, not stoned; and where suffering is redemptive, not arbitrary.
The ultimate proof of Christianity is not in the fallibility of its followers—but in the perfection of its Founder.
Conclusion – A Better Way
We have walked together through Francis Schaeffer’s apologetic lens:
- Identify the worldview.
- Trace its logical end.
- Expose its contradictions or horrors.
- Offer Christianity as the only true, coherent, and beautiful answer to human need.
In Islam, when the worldview is applied consistently, it results in the subjugation of women, moral uncertainty, fatalistic despair, and fragmented hope.
In Christianity, when the worldview is applied consistently, it produces redemption, restoration, justice, beauty, and grace.
There is no question that Muslim men and women often behave with kindness, dignity, and hospitality. But we must ask: Are they living out the best parts of their religion—or something better?
Likewise, when Christians fail—and some grievously do—we must ask: Are they living out the teachings of Christ—or rejecting them?
This is not a war of words. It is a war of worldviews. And at the center stands a cross.
Francis Schaeffer would not mock or demean a Muslim. He would invite them to consider a better story. A more loving God. A truer revelation. A perfect Savior.
“If we are unloving, we are showing we are not what we claim to be.”
—Francis Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian
In the end, truth matters. Coherence matters. Love matters. Christ is the only worldview that holds together under pressure—and offers peace in the soul.
We offer Him to the world—not as a Western product or cultural inheritance, but as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And we do so with joy, compassion, and clarity—just as Schaeffer did.
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”
—Isaiah 1:18
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
rob@basedchristianity.org
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