Lewis argued that when the gospel first broke out, the evangelistic task was essentially to one of three groups. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. Mere christianity was published in 1952 and is an expansion of some of c. Lewis most popular works, began as a series of talks given on bbc radio. S lewis, the author more wellknown for the chronicles of narnia which became a blockbuster movie. The seventh and final book in the chronicles of narnia sets out the hope of a new narnia. Lewiss forceful and accessible doctrine of christian belief. Lewis was a most improbable person to become the author of some of the 20th centurys most influential books on christianity. Born into a protestant family in belfast, his mother was a mathematician and his father was a lawyer. Continuously in print since lewis published it in 1942, the novel has been adapted into plays, made into a comic book. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on.
Lewis says in mere christianity that theology is like a map. Only christianity dares to make gods love unconditional. Right and wrong as a clue to the meaning of the universe 1. Although controversial at points, lewis s exploration of eschatological transformation has led many to. We have cause to be uneasy book ii what christians believe 1. Mere christianity 194144 the material eventually published as mere christianity, one of c. Both christian and nonchristians benefit from reading this book. In fact, when christianity today magazine asked more than 100 christian writers and leaders to rank the most influential religious books of the.
I especially liked his direct, simplistic and clear manner of writing. Imaginative discussions about life, christianity and god. A cycle of lyrics 1919 which he published using the pseudonym, clive hamilton. Lewis, has some 65 million copies in print in thirty languages. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health. Lewis 18981963 became the worlds most famous spokesman for christianity by the 1950s. Lewis was a prolific irish writer and scholar best known for his chronicles of narnia fantasy series and his prochristian texts. Since the turn of the century, mere christianity has sold more than 3 million copies. When you go to church you are really listeningin to the secret wireless from our friends. This small book is an excellent introduction to the thought of c. Cs lewiss lost letters reveal how wifes death tested his faith uk. Mere christianity summary and study guide supersummary.
The british literary scholar, christian apologist, and childrensbook author c. At the end of the first chapter in mere christianity, lewis lays out the scope of his argument. Jul 28, 2005 well i dont really know much about hinduism it seems like theres a big difference between the concept of truth or, the absolute truth in christianity and hinduism. Lewis knew that a faithinformed conscience could advance justice and that christianity played an enormous part in establishing the concept of natural rights and. Lewis is regarded by many as the greatest contemporary lay writer for the christian faith. Lewis gained a broad following for articulating his beliefs about christianity in both his writings and wartime radio broadcasts. The author who understood so little about the emotional life still speaks eloquently to millions of. Lewis wrote christian novels that became global best. The author who understood so little about the emotional life still speaks eloquently to millions of us 50 years after his death, writes a. The title is taken from the writings of richard baxter 16151691, an author who sought to articulate the fundamentals of the christian faith on which all denominations could. Lewis is the spiritual homecoming story of clive staples lewis, a careful and thoughtful scholar who spent fifteen years journeying the long road from atheism to theism and, eventually, to christianity.
Lewiss practical advice on how to embody a christian life. One of the few nonclerics to be recognised as a theologian by the anglican church, he put forth the case for christianity in general in ways that many christians beyond the anglican world can accept, and a clear description for nonchristians of what christian faith and practice should be. Cs lewiss seven childrens books, the chronicles of narnia, will be with. Lewis and his brother warren spent the holidays with their widowed father in his big house. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Nov 20, 2019 since the turn of the century, mere christianity has sold more than 3 million copies.
Does not include crosswordonly or cookingonly subscribers. Lewis s forceful and accessible doctrine of christian belief. With his witty english humor, sharp and simple logic, and seeming loyalty to the tenets of the christian faith, c. Dec 17, 20 in fact, when christianity today magazine asked more than 100 christian writers and leaders to rank the most influential religious books of the 20th century, they named lewiss mere christianity. Considered a classic of christian apologetics, the transcripts of the broadcasts originally appeared in print as three separate pamphlets. Lewis argued for a reasonbased christianity rather than a faithbased christianity.
Lewis has won the admiration of millions of fans in england and here in the united states. This is the first book i picked up and read from c. Popular culture has reduced the meaning of the word love to a matter of emotion. This is the story of how one of the worlds most famous atheists became one of its most famous christians. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books the case for christianity, christian behavior, and beyond personality mere christianity brings together what lewis saw as the fundamental truths of the religion. Lewisthe great british writer, scholar, lay theologian, broadcaster, christian apologist, and bestselling author of mere christianity, the screwtape letters, the great divorce, the chronicles of narnia, and many other beloved classicscontemplates the essence of love and how it works in our daily lives in one of his most famous works. Full issue 2010 volume vii pillars at taylor university. The photo is from harry poes inklings collection which is available for exhibitions designed to introduce lewis and his friends to the wider public. Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion. From the revered teacher and bestselling author of such classic christian works as mere christianity and the screwtape letters comes a collection that gathers the best of c.
Jul 11, 20 the seventh and final book in the chronicles of narnia sets out the hope of a new narnia. He argues that the relationship between human instinct and moral law is like the relationship between notes on a piano and sheet musicno instinct is right or wrong one hundred percent of the time, just as no note on a piano is always right. However, as he notes in this book, he found himself asking various questions that led him. March 2003 loving our neighbor the tangible and visible evidence of our love for god is our love for our neighbor. Both expressed their unique christian voices through multiple literary genres.
Book cover front back scan edit notes preface book i. Although controversial at points, lewiss exploration of eschatological transformation has led many to. Marketing narnia without a christian lion the new york times. C s lewis books are forgeries, says scholar telegraph. The screwtape letters, though, remains one of his most popular works. Lewis college, a christian school, is expected to open in 2012. Lewis, for one crossword clue in the crosswords dictionary. Sep 25, 2016 lewis knew that a faithinformed conscience could advance justice and that christianity played an enormous part in establishing the concept of natural rights and the dignity of the human person. The case for christianity functions much as a microcosm of the theology of c. C s lewiss chronicles of narnia series of childrens books will be published, with new narnia novels by unidentified authors and without christian allegories. Lewis is one of two figureschurchill is the otherwhose.
Lewis which is heavily centered on the claims of morality in the face of materialistic philosophy. Mere christianity is a strange book to become a modern christian classic, partly because it wasnt intended to be a book in the first place. The book is an imaginative narrative of a fictional encounter with c. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. It is written in a satirical, epistolary style and while it is fictional in format, the plot and characters are used to address christian theological issues, primarily those to do with temptation and resistance to it.
Jun 06, 2017 the photo is from harry poes inklings collection which is available for exhibitions designed to introduce lewis and his friends to the wider public. Lewis is an extremely good theologian who does his work for the thoughtful lay person. When studying human history, he claims, one is struck by how similar different. Lewis which explores the nature of love from a christian and philosophical perspective through thought experiments. At many points in the first part of the book, lewis uses the symbol of a piano to describe the relationship between humanity and moral law.
So i reproduce here some exerpts from a chapter of his book, mere christianity. The screwtape letters is a christian apologetic novel by c. Lewis that several books by the oxford don and christian writer contain irregularities and are too poorly written to be his work. Aug 10, 2009 this is the first book i picked up and read from c. This is a curious decision on his part because, first, traditional christianity is unquestionably faithbased, and second, lewis conversion had more to do with his longing for myths that tell higher truths, and his conclusion that christian myths tell the highest. In the first part of the book, lewis discusses the law of human nature. Aware of our inbuilt resistance to grace, jesus talked about it often. Lewis, adapted from a series of bbc radio talks made between 1941 and 1944, while lewis was at oxford during the second world war. Lewis, best known for his chronicles of narnia series, had been raised as a christian but grew disillusioned with the faith and turned to atheism at age 15. Lewis 29 november 1898 22 november 1963 was a prolific writer, poet, scholar of english literature and defender of christianity. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
It was jrr tolkien who converted cs lewis to christianity during. Lewis began writing books on christian apologetics after converting to christianity in 1931. Lewis, for one crossword clue crosswords dictionary. Christians will gain new insights as to why they believe nonchristians will find a brilliant exposition. To date, the narnia books have sold over 100 million copies and have been transformed into three major motion pictures. But his writings reflect his erudite understanding of the great classics of literature, historical theology, philosophy, and other disciplines. The sevenvolume chronicles of narnia, by the midcentury irish writer c. Just about any list of the best christian books in the english language, of course, will include at least one lewis title. The great tragedy of cs lewiss life was the loss of his wife, joy. Lewis argues for the logical validity of christianity, defends the religion from its critics, and looks in detail at what the life of a christian is like. Authors and editors of books on spirituality and prayer, they keep their focus on the christian elements. The book was based on a set of radio talks from 1958 which had been criticised in the u. This document was made with the abcteach crossword puzzle tool. Though most of lewis works are not in the public domain, we feature his first published book of poems, spirits in bondage.
1277 1016 775 212 766 1520 197 129 824 1260 1045 203 1274 73 1495 912 1204 509 109 101 1560 459 561 1143 35 1594 982 887 650 209 938 654 519 1159 985 80