“Reading Francis Schaeffer put me on the road to becoming a Christian philosopher. But not until later, as a scholar, did I have an opportunity to visit L’abri. It is now one of my very favorite places in the world. Indeed, it has been for me a restorative ‘shelter’ that has nourished my work. It makes room for seekers and searchers, evincing both spiritual and intellectual hospitality.”
James K.A. Smith, Calvin College
“My wife Marnie and I had opportunity to visit and lecture at Swiss L’Abri in the summer of 2011. Three things stand out. The first is the incredible beauty of Switzerland and the view of the Alps from our chalet. The second is the spiritual and intellectual hunger of the students. They actively engaged both lectures posing insightful and probing questions. Several students pursued the conversation further by seeking me out and pressing for further reading and clarification. It is heart-warming to have students pursuing the implications of the gospel for life in this kind of serious way. The third is the warm hospitality of the (former) director Greg Laughery and the L’Abri staff. We felt warmly received and welcomed.”
Michael W. Goheen, Geneva Professor of Worldview and Religious Studies, Trinity Western University Langley, B.C. Teaching Fellow, Mission Studies and World Christianity, Regent College Vancouver, B.C.
“I visited Swiss L’Abri with my husband Scot in January of 2012 and gave two lectures on the seven capital vices and spiritual formation. The questions after my two lectures were insightful and personal; it was clear the students were thoughtful, invested in learning, and intellectually curious. I was even more struck, however, by the warm and personal character of the L’Abri fellowship. For example, the hospitality of the table was outstanding. Our dinner conversations–with food and laughter in abundance–were the highlight of our time there. Despite the internationally diverse group of students living there, it felt like a truly caring community. L’Abri is a place to experience life-giving daily rhythms, and to find space to breathe, read, ponder, pray, and wonder. It is a place to rediscover the beauty of a life of simplicity and contemplation, and it offers a powerful model of a more human way of life together. It was easy, in only a few days there, to wake up in the morning and have our first response to the day be gratitude.”
Rebecca DeYoung, Professor of Philosophy, Calvin College
“Speaking at L’Abri about the art of devotion was a pleasure, but listening to the words of others was a greater blessing. I learned a lot in a very short period of time. L’Abri is one of those amazing communities that give students (myself included) numerous opportunities to be moved, even while remaining still. It provides a marvelous place where heart, head, and hand can work and play in unison. For this and so much more, I am truly thankful.”
Henry Luttikhuizen, Professor of Art History, Calvin College
“L’Abri, in my experience, is an ideal community of inquiry for those with questions about the Christian faith. As an occasional lecturer there, I can always count on an attentive audience, searching questions, and substantial conversations.”
Prof. Lee Hardy, Department of Philosophy, Calvin College
“Accompanied by my wife Jan, I flew from Madrid, where we were staying for June, to Switzerland to lecture at L’Abri, June 11 and 12, 2009. As has always been the case when I visited L’Abri, the hospitality and scenery were wonderful. But the highlight was the two lectures I delivered to the students in residence, one on “natural signs for God,” the topic of my forthcoming book with Oxford University Press, and the other on “Faith and Reason in Kierkegaard.” I was very impressed with the intensity of the students. The questions were serious and thoughtful. Some of the students seemed to be committed Christians who were trying to develop their minds as Christians. Others seemed to be people who were struggling with faith questions in a serious way. After the talks I had some good conversations with both of these types. It is clear that L’Abri continues to be a special place that ministers effectively to young people who are either searching for faith or wanting to grow their faith.”
C. Stephen Evans, University Professor of Philosophy and Humanities, Baylor University
“It was an enormous privilege to be invited to lecture at L’Abri again. My first three-week visit in 1967 turned my life around, and my later five-year stay gave me the treasury from which I have been living ever since. So to come back all these years later, to find the chapel full, and to meet such a stimulating group of questioning students was a real pleasure and encouragement. There are all too few places these days to be able to ask serious questions and to find a caring community, so long may Huemoz thrive in being such a place.”
Dr. Os Guinness, author, social critic, and former L’Abri member.
“I spent 3 days at L’Abri in August 2009 and had a very enjoyable and stimulating time. Following each of my two lectures on neuroscience in relation to Christianity there was a lively discussion, and I had numerous interesting conversations at other times, with both staff and students. Everyone was very communicative.”
Prof. Peter G.H. Clarke, Département de Biologie cellulaire et de Morphologie (DBCM), Université de Lausanne, Switzerland
“L’Abri means shelter, and in many ways, that is what I found during my semester at L’Abri. I found a safe place to ask questions and re-think my beliefs, I found a staff of extremely competent people, who ask great questions to help me challenge the boundaries on my thinking, and I found a place full of students who were diverse and in their stories and their approach to life and God. L’Abri was a place where I could find the God of the Bible without the limitations of denominations, friends, family, or other distractions.”
Benjamin Radcliff, L’Abri student
Swiss L'Abri 