What is this Series About and why is this topic important?
In 1976, author, speaker, and cultural thinker, Francis Schaeffer put together a film series that spoke to this issue – The Rise of a Ruling Class of Elites. At the time, the bicentennial of America’s founding was taking place and many were interested in looking into the foundations of freedom again.
And yet Schaeffer, with a mastery of history and cultural trends, warned of a future where people would give up their liberties for the values of personal peace and affluence and that gradually over time the base of freedom would be lost and arbitrary absolutes would be given by an “elite”. His words, some 40 years later, appear to be prophetic.
Self government rests on the idea of freedom and liberty and for the individual to have the maximum ability to make their own choices and enjoy or suffer the consequences of those choices.
A Ruling Class of Elites has a different idea. They feel they have superior knowledge and ideas and they seek to exercise ever expanding control over individuals thus eliminating choices and personal freedom.
Please watch this video series and share with family, friends, teachers, pastors, and students.
- Rise of the Elites 01 - Overview – 3m
- Rise of the Elites 02 - The 1976 Prophecies – 4m
- Rise of the Elites 03 - The Elites and Arbitrary Morals and Law – 4m
- Rise of the Elites 04 - Control through Manipulation and Reinforcers – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 05 - Choosing Who is Valuable and Who is Not – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 06 - Mass Media’s Power to Manipulate – To Tell Any Story it Wants – 4m
- Rise of the Elites 07 - Civil Liberties vs. Government Solves Every Problem – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 08 - The Very Freedoms We Enjoy are Used to Destroy Freedom – 3m
- Rise of the Elites 09 - The Courts are the Government Branch that is Most Dangerous – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 10 - Right and Left are Just Paths to the Same End – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 11 - The Surrender of Liberty for Personal Peace and Affluence – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 12 - Humanist Ideals Cannot Stand Up to the Pressure - People Will Be Crushed – 4m
- Rise of the Elites 13 - Two Paths – Imposed Order or Re-Affirm the Foundational Base - 3m
- Rise of the Elites 14 - Suppressing the Truth – 3m
- Rise of the Elites 15 - It All Comes Down to Worldview – 2m
- Rise of the Elites 16 - Epilogue – Some Final Thoughts - 3m
How Should We Then Live - The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture
A Ten part film series
"Perhaps no intellectual save C. S. Lewis affected the thinking of [a wide group of people] more profoundly, perhaps no leader of the period save Billy Graham left a deeper stamp … as a whole.” ~ Michael Hamilton , Publisher
- How Should We Then Live Episode 01 - The Roman Age – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 02 - The Middle Ages – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 03 - The Renaissance – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 04 - The Reformation – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 05 - The Revolutionary Age – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 06 - The Scientific Age – 23m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 07 - The Age of Non Reason – 25m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 08 - The Age of Fragmentation – 25m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 09 - The Age of Personal Peace & Affluence – 25m
- How Should We Then Live Episode 10 - The Final Choices – 25m